Originally Posted by
SenorMeow
You are absolutely right about porting cases not showing up in EB2 demand on the DOS side. USCIS, however, appears to have acquired the capability to convert EB3 applications to EB2 internally even though the PD is not current - despite what the AFM says. The agency is acting on interfiling requests and moving the applications to pending EB2 inventory (multiple Trackitt reports, personal experience)
I've always thought that a request for visa number had to be made or was generated automatically as soon as the converted application was flagged as pre-adjudicated in the new category, which would make it impossible to convert when the dates are not current. Perhaps they now have a way to add them without requesting a visa number, and pull up pre-adjudicated applications that haven't had a visa number requested for them when the dates become current. Or maybe it's just my beer fueled wishful thinking...
Anyhow, would you expect a reduction in EB3 DOS demand to happen immediately when USCIS reclassifies the EB3 applications as EB2, since they are effectively 'withdrawn' from a DOS standpoint? It would be interesting to see the reduction in EB3 demand data next month if that were the case, since it should provide a fairly accurate overall porting number. Thoughts?