The US government has released a revised Visa Bulletin for October, which throttles back the cut-off dates in several family-sponsored and employment-based categories. According to the U.S. Department of State, the September 25, 2015 revised Visa Bulletin
. . . supersedes the bulletin for October 2015 that was originally published on September 9, 2015, and contained Dates for Filing Applications long used by the Department of State for internal processing purposes. Following consultations with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the Dates for Filing Applications for some categories in the Family-Sponsored and Employment-Based preferences have been adjusted to better reflect a timeframe justifying immediate action in the application process. The Dates for Filing Applications sections (sections 4.B. and 5.B.) which have been adjusted have been identified in Bold type. Please be advised that DHS will rely on this revised bulletin, rather than the bulletin published on September 9, 2015, when considering whether an individual is eligible to file an application for adjustment of status.
Below we show which Employment-Based cut-off dates have been revised (with the dates that have now been superseded in gray).
| Employment-Based | All Chargeability Areas Except Those Listed | CHINA-mainland born | INDIA | MEXICO | PHILIPPINES |
| 1st | C | C | C | C | C |
| 2nd | C | 01JAN13
01MAY14 | 01JUL09
01JUL11 | C | C |
| 3rd | 01SEP15 | 01OCT13 | 01JUL05 | 01SEP15 | 01JAN10
01JAN15 |
| Other Workers | 01SEP15 | 01JAN07 | 01JUL05 | 01SEP15 | 01JAN10
01JAN15 |
| 4th | C | C | C | C | C |
| Certain Religious Workers | C | C | C | C | C |
| 5th / Targeted
Employment Areas/
Regional Centers and Pilot Programs | C | 01MAY15 | C | C | C |
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