India has made significant progress in the EB-1 and EB-2 categories, while the EB-3 preference for other countries has experienced retrogression.
After months of little movement in employment-based Green Card categories, the July Visa Bulletin shows significant progress across several fronts. Although the EB-3 preference has retrogressed for other countries, India has surged ahead by 11 months in the EB-1 category. Additionally, Indian applicants in the EB-2 category have seen a two-month advancement.
While Indian applicants celebrate their unexpected advancement, other categories experience either regression or only slight progress.
Key Takeaways of US Visa Bulletin for July 2024
The July bulletin from the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) once more uses technical language to differentiate between ‘dates for filing’ and ‘final action dates.’
The ‘dates for filing’ establish when an application becomes eligible for further steps in the application process. To proceed with subsequent stages, your priority date must meet or precede the cut-off date specified for your country’s visa category. In contrast, ‘final action dates’ indicate the projected timeframe for the approval of your application.
Employment-Based preferences :
1st: Priority Workers – 28.6% of global employment-based preference level, plus additional numbers from the fourth and fifth preferences.
2nd: Individuals with Advanced Degrees or Exceptional Ability in their respective fields, comprising 28.6% of the total worldwide employment-based preference level, plus any numbers not used by the first preference category.
3rd: Skilled Workers, Professionals, and Other Workers account for 28.6% of the global level, plus any remaining numbers from first and second preferences, with an allocation of 10,000 visas designated for ‘Other Workers’.
4th: Certain Special Immigrants make up 7.1% of the global quota, with 32% explicitly allocated as follows: 20% for qualified immigrants investing in rural areas, 10% for those investing in high unemployment areas, and 2% for those involved in infrastructure projects. The remaining 68% is unreserved and available to all eligible immigrants.
5th: Employment Creation – 7.1% of the worldwide level.
Final Action Dates for Employment-based cases:
| Employment- based |
All Chargeability Areas Except Those Listed |
CHINA- mainland born |
INDIA | MEXICO | PHILIPPINES |
| 1st | C | 01NOV22 | 01FEB22 | C | C |
| 2nd | 15 MAR 23 | 01MAR20 | 15JUN12 | 15MAR23 | 15MAR23 |
| 3rd | 01 DEC2 1 | 01SEP20 | 22SEP12 | 01DEC21 | 01DEC21 |
| Other Workers | 01JAN21 | 01JAN17 | 22SEP12 | 01JAN21 | 01MAY20 |
| 4th | 01JAN21 | 01JAN21 | 01JAN21 | 01JAN21 | 01JAN21 |
| Certain Religious Workers | 01JAN21 | 01JAN21 | 01JAN21 | 01JAN21 | 01JAN21 |
| 5th Unreserved (including C5, T5, I5, R5) |
C | 15DEC15 | 01DEC20 | C | C |
| 5th Set Aside: Rural (20%) |
C | C | C | C | C |
| 5th Set Aside: High Unemployment (10%) |
C | C | C | C | C |
| 5th Set Aside: Infrastructure (2%) |
C | C | C | C | C |
Dates for filing Employment-based visa applications:
| Employment- based |
All Chargeability Areas Except Those Listed |
CHINA- mainland born |
INDIA | MEXICO | PHILIPPINES |
| 1st | C | 01JAN23 | 08FEB22 | C | C |
| 2nd | 22MAR23 | 01JUN20 | 22JUN12 | 22MAR23 | 22MAR23 |
| 3rd | 01FEB23 | 01JUL21 | 01OCT12 | 01FEB23 | 01JAN23 |
| Other Workers | 08JAN21 | 01JUN17 | 01OCT12 | 08JAN21 | 15MAY20 |
| 4th | 01FEB21 | 01FEB21 | 01FEB21 | 01FEB21 | 01FEB21 |
| Certain Religious Workers | 01FEB21 | 01FEB21 | 01FEB21 | 01FEB21 | 01FEB21 |
| 5th Unreserved (including C5, T5, I5, R5) |
C | 01JAN17 | 01APR22 | C | C |
| 5th Set Aside: (Rural – 20%) |
C | C | C | C | C |
| 5th Set Aside: (High Unemployment – 10%) |
C | C | C | C | C |
| 5th Set Aside: (Infrastructure – 2%) |
C | C | C | C | C |
Family-based Applications:
1st: Unmarried sons and daughters of US citizens (23,400 plus remaining numbers under the fourth preference).
2nd: Spouses, children, and unmarried sons and daughters of permanent residents.
F2A: Spouses and children of permanent residents constitute 77% of the total allocation for the second preference category, with 75% of them being exempt from per-country limits.
F2B: Adult children (21 years or older) of permanent residents who are unmarried comprise 23% of the total allocation for the second preference category.
F3: Married sons and daughters of US citizens – 23,400, plus remaining numbers from first and second preference categories.
F4: Adult siblings of U.S. citizens – 65,000 visas plus any extra numbers from the first three preference categories.
Final Action Dates for family-sponsored applications:
| Family-sponsored | All Chargeability Areas Except Those Listed |
CHINA- mainland born |
INDIA | MEXICO | PHILIPPINES |
| F1 | 22OCT15 | 22OCT15 | 22OCT15 | 08MAY02 | 01MAR12 |
| F2A | 15NOV21 | 15NOV21 | 15NOV21 | 01FEB21 | 15NOV21 |
| F2B | 01MAY16 | 01MAY16 | 01MAY16 | 08JUL04 | 22OCT11 |
| F3 | 01APR10 | 01APR10 | 01APR10 | 01MAR00 | 08SEP02 |
| F4 | 01AUG07 | 01AUG07 | 22JAN06 | 08FEB01 | 01FEB04 |
Dates for filing family-based visa applications:
| Family-sponsored | All Chargeability Areas Except Those Listed |
CHINA- mainland born |
INDIA | MEXICO | PHILIPPINES |
| F1 | 01SEP17 | 01SEP17 | 01SEP17 | 01APR05 | 22APR15 |
| F2A | 01NOV23 | 01NOV23 | 01NOV23 | 01NOV23 | 01NOV23 |
| F2B | 01JAN17 | 01JAN17 | 01JAN17 | 01MAY05 | 01OCT13 |
| F3 | 01OCT10 | 01OCT10 | 01OCT10 | 15JUN01 | 08NOV03 |
| F4 | 01MAR08 | 01MAR08 | 15JUN06 | 28APR01 | 01APR06 |
Check out more details on how to submit comments and more here: https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/legal/visa-law0/visa-bulletin/2024/visa-bulletin-for-july-2024.html
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