US Visa Bulleting July 2024

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

You may have questions regarding a US Immigration regulation. You can contact The Law Offices of Prashanthi Reddy for detailed guidance and assistance. Their team will provide the most accurate and up-to-date information to make your immigration process smoother and less stressful. The immigration lawyers at The Law Offices of Prashanthi Reddy have decades of experience helping people work and live in New York, United States. Attorney Provided Immigration Services to other U.S. states, such as New YorkFlorida,  New JerseyTexas, and  California. Contact them today to assess your legal situation.

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