What is retrogression time in EB-4?

When we talk about ‘retrogression time’ in the context of the EB-4 visa, we are referring to the situation in which the availability of visa slots in the category becomes temporarily exhausted for a certain priority date. In other words, even if the applicant has a favorable priority date, when there are more applicants than available slots, they may need to wait until a new slot is released to continue the adjustment of status process.

This situation occurs due to the annual visa limit established by the United States government, which is subject to various factors, including the number of applications and demand for each category. When most of the available visas are used and there is a waiting list, the Department of State publishes a ‘Visa Bulletin’ indicating which priority dates are currently being processed for each category.

If the applicant’s priority date is still in the future compared to the date indicated in the bulletin, the candidate will need to wait until their date becomes ‘current’, that is, until the process can proceed to the next step. It is very important to remember that these procedures and rules are strictly governed by U.S. immigration laws.

Therefore, no matter how great the interest or anxiety to advance in the process, it is crucial to always follow official guidelines, seek information from reliable sources, and be aware of possible scams or marketing campaigns that promise quick and guaranteed results. Consulting specialized professionals – preferably from verified sources recommended by government authorities themselves – can help clarify doubts and offer guidance aligned with current laws, avoiding future problems in the process.

Victoria Harper

Editor-in-Chief

Meet the author

Leading journalism and editorial content at Visto n’ Visa, Victoria helps make immigration topics clear, trustworthy, and easy to understand. Her focus is on delivering useful, human, and relevant content for people exploring new paths abroad.