How to Read the Visa Bulletin

August 05, 2021

As you begin your process to become a USRN, you have probably heard about the Visa Bulletin and how it is tied directly to realizing your American Dream. Every month, Avant Healthcare Professionals shares the latest update from the U.S. Department of State on the Visa Bulletin. This information helps international Registered Nurses on the Avant Healthcare Professionals program stay up-to-date on the immigration process. The Visa Bulletin looks like a complicated document, but once you are familiar with the information listed, it is quite simple to understand. In this article, we try to simplify the Visa Bulletin for you by reviewing each part so you confidently know how to read it.  

What is the Visa Bulletin?

The Visa Bulletin is issued once a month by the U.S. Department of State and shows which priority dates are moving forward for family-based and employment-based visas.  A priority date is a date an immigrant petition was filed and received by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). The priority date is secured once your immigrant petition is approved, at which time the applicant is placed in the visa queue for further processing. In other words, the priority date represents your place in line and helps estimate how long it will take before arriving in the US and receiving your green card.

Avant Healthcare Professionals files an employment-based green card (EB3) for international Registered Nurses on the program.  Therefore, when reading the visa bulletin it is important to focus on the EB3 category.

Sample of August 2021 Visa Bulletin

Chart A vs. Chart B

There are two important charts to monitor for the employment-based category visas, which are Chart A: Final Action Dates for Employment-Based Preference Cases, and Chart B: Dates for Filing of Employment-Based Visa Applications.  Chart A is what we know as true as of the moment the Visa Bulletin is issued. Applications with the dates listed on Chart A: Final Action Dates on the monthly Visa Bulletin may be approved for their Green Card (Permanent Residency card) or Immigrant Visa appointment.

Sample of August 2021 Visa Bulletin – Chart A

Chart B, is less talked about, and it is almost like the immigration crystal ball. What this chart states, is that by the end of the government fiscal year, (end of September) this is where the Immigration Service EXPECTS priority dates to have moved to. Chart B is often forgotten about, but it’s crucial to see what the future might look like!

Sample of August 2021 Visa Bulletin – Chart B

What’s in the Chart?

On both charts, you will see letters and dates. The letter C stands for Current, which means you are able to go to the embassy to attend the exit interview and get your visa stamp to immigrate to the United States. Therefore, letter C is what you want to see for your country of birth when looking at the Visa Bulletin! The Avant Healthcare Professionals team guides Registered Nurses on our program through each stage to ensure a successful migration to the U.S.

If there is a date listed under your country of birth, this means that you would need to have filed and your case received by Immigration services BEFORE the specific date listed.

The reason for a date showing on this chart is due to an overuse of that category. The U.S. Congress puts a limit on the number of green cards that can be issued each year with a specific quota for each visa category. Thousands of people are seeking green cards every year which has created several backlogs because the annual limit has been reached. Unfortunately, the Immigration Service will continue to file petitions; however, your place in that queue gets longer and longer if you do not have a green card petition filed.

Where is My Country Listed?

As you can see, not every country is listed in these charts. In that second column, you can see “All Chargeability Areas Except Those Listed,” which refers to every single country in the world, except those listed in the columns to the right of that. In this month’s Visa Bulletin, “All Chargeability Areas Except Those Listed,” have the letter C listed. The countries that are typically separated from the rest of the world will have a specific date listed if there is a backlog.

Sample of August 2021 Visa Bulletin 

How does Avant Healthcare Professionals Support our International Nurses?

From day one, Avant Healthcare Professionals provides step-by-step support to navigate the immigration process as quickly as possible! Our experts assist Registered Nurses on our program through the entire visa filing process and ensure a successful migration to the U.S.  Avant Healthcare Professionals is constantly checking the Visa Bulletin and Immigration regulations to ensure we are up to date on our information at all times to assist our international Registered Nurses. Not only do you have expert guidance every step of the way, but Avant Healthcare Professionals will cover the majority of the associated costs with visa filing for our international Registered Nurses.

Avant Healthcare Professionals has secured thousands of green cards for international Registered Nurses on our program. Over 1,200 RNs are currently living their American Dream.

Conclusion

The Visa Bulletin is a crucial document for anyone planning to migrate to the United States! Learning how to read it and understanding where you stand in “line” for beginning your American Dream is critical, no matter what stage you find yourself in the journey to becoming a USRN. You don’t have to do this alone! Avant Healthcare Professionals is here for you to make this process easier and help you navigate the most complex parts of immigration! So what are you waiting for? Apply today and join the thousands of international Registered Nurses who are living their American Dream!

Avant Healthcare Professionals is the premier recruiting and staffing specialist for internationally educated healthcare professionals. When you join the Avant Healthcare Professionals program, you have entire teams of experts who are dedicated to your success in the USA! Take the first step toward your new life and a new career. Apply today to find out if you qualify to be part of this exclusive program!. You could be working in the U.S. in as little as 12 months!