I reviewed the Visa Bulletin about “retrogress a cut-off date” today and share with you my understanding.
The priority date of October retrogresses to 2000 doesn’t mean we need to wait another five plus yrs to get I-485 processed. The reason the Department of State issued this priority date is because that the green card is “oversubscribed” in October. So they issued this cut-off-date to ensure the first applicant can get his/her case processed first. This monthly-posted cut-off-date may jump several months, even longer, depends on the number of applicants in each priority period. There exists the possibility that it may jump over a year just in one month. So don’t be panic. Maybe we will see big jump soon. You may clear your doubt by asking someone around you who experienced the latest “retrogression”.
Green card retrogression is of course a disappointed thing. However, it is not as worse as previously discussed.