February 2024 Visa Bulletin Released

The Department of State (DOS) has issued its February 2024 Visa Bulletin. February’s Visa Bulletin is quite disappointing as there will be very little forward movement in both the family and employment-based immigrant visa categories.  Fortunately, there are no retrogressions in any of the categories.

In terms of movement in the employment-based final action dates, the EB-1 category for all countries will remain the same. The EB-2 category will advance by fifteen days for nationals of all countries except China and India. Furthermore, the EB-3 category will move forward by one month for nationals of all countries, except for China, which will have no movement in February.  

For family-based categories, there will be some forward movement in the final action dates. The F-2A category for nationals of all countries will advance by over three months. All other family-based categories for nationals of all countries will remain the same.

Additional good news is that USCIS will continue to honor the Dates for Filing Chart for both employment and family-based immigrant petitions in February (charts provided further below). Although there will be no movement in the family-based and employment-based categories for the Dates for Filing, these dates are further ahead than the Final Action Dates, so beneficiaries of immigrant petitions can get their applications filed and obtain interim benefits for employment and travel until the government can actually approve their green card application.

Employment-Based Movement 

In February, for employment-based categories, we will have some forward movements in the EB-2 and EB-3 categories. The EB-2 category will advance by fifteen days for nationals of all countries except China and India, which will stay the same. Furthermore, there will be a forward moment in the EB-3 category by one month for nationals of all countries except for China, which will stay the same. 

Here’s a chart for easy reference:

Family-based Movement

For the family-based categories, there will be forward movement in the final action dates only in the F-2A category. The F-2A category for nationals of all countries, including the Philippines, will advance by three months and eight days. In the F-2A category for nationals of Mexico, dates will advance by three months and eleven days. All other family-based categories for nationals of all countries will remain the same.

Here’s a chart for easy reference:

By way of reminder, the categories are:

  • F-1 category:  unmarried sons and daughters of U.S. citizens

  • F2-A category: spouses and children under 21 of lawful permanent residents

  • F2-B category: unmarried adult children (over 21) of lawful permanent residents

  • F-3 category:  married sons and daughters of U.S. citizens

  • F-4 category:  siblings of U.S. citizens

WHAT DATES IN THE VISA BULLETIN SHOULD YOU USE FOR FILING YOUR ADJUSTMENT OF STATUS APPLICATION WITH USCIS?

If USCIS determines that there are more immigrant visas available for a fiscal year than there are known applicants for such visas, then USCIS will state here that you may use the Dates for Filing Visa Applications chart in the Department of State Visa Bulletin, which usually has dates later than the Final Action Dates noted above. Otherwise, USCIS will indicate on its website that you must use the Application Final Action Dates chart (above) to determine when you may file your adjustment of status application in the United States.

For February 2024, USCIS has confirmed the Dates for Filing (below) should be used for both family and employment-based categories.

If the priority date for your employment or family-based category is before the date listed above and you are in the United States, you may file your application to adjust your status along with the applications for employment authorization and travel permission (assuming you have no bars to admissibility) with USCIS in February. 

The entire visa bulletin is available on the State Department’s website, which includes information on the diversity visa lottery and the EB-5 priority dates. 


If you would like more information on how to understand the monthly visa bulletin, please check out our blog post on this topic.

This alert is for informational purposes only.  Please contact us if you would like to discuss these developments further.

Nadia Yakoob