The Department of State (DOS) has issued its June 2024 Visa Bulletin. Like in May, we primarily see forward movement in the family-based immigrant visa categories in June. There is almost no movement in the employment-based immigrant visa categories. Fortunately, none of the categories will retrogress. 

In terms of the family-based categories final action dates, almost all categories will move forward. The F-1 category for nationals of Mexico will move forward by two months and seventeen days. The F-2A and F-3 categories, for nationals of all countries including Mexico and the Philippines, will move forward. In the F-2B category, nationals of Mexico will see forward movement by four months and nine days, while in the F-4 category, nationals of Mexico will see forward movement of ten days. 

Insofar as the employment based categories final action dates, the only movement is in the EB-3 category for nationals of India by one week. All other employment based categories will remain the same.

USCIS will continue to honor the Dates for Filing Chart for family-based immigrant petitions in June. However, employment-based immigrant petitions will need to use the Final Action Dates Chart. This month, the filing dates for the family-based categories such as F-2B, F-3 and F-4  will move forward and these dates are still further ahead than the Final Action Dates, so beneficiaries of family-based 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 

For the employment-based final action dates, there will forward movement only in the EB-3 category for nationals of India by seven days.  All other dates will remain the same in June. 

Here’s a chart for easy reference:

Family-based Movement

For family-based categories, all categories will move forward. The F-1 category will advance by two months and seventeen days for nationals of Mexico. 

In the F-2A category, nationals of all countries, including nationals of the Philippines, will move forward by five months and fourteen days. For nationals of Mexico, the date will move forward by two months and twenty-four days.

In the F-2B category, nationals of Mexico will see movement by four months and seven days. 

The F-3 category for nationals of all countries will advance by two months. Notably, the F-3 category for nationals of Mexico will advance by four months and nine days and for nationals of the Philippines, it will advance by twenty-one days. 

Lastly, in the F-4 category, nationals of Mexico will see movement by ten days and nationals of the Philippines will see movement by two months and twenty-three days. 

That said, USCIS will honor the Dates for Filing chart (further below) for family-based categories in which we will see forward movement in the F-2B category for nationals of Mexico, F-3 category for nationals of all countries, and F-4 category for nationals of Mexico.  

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 June 2024, USCIS has confirmed the Dates for Filing (below) should be used for family-based categories. Employment-based categories must use the Final Action Dates (above).

If the priority date for your 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 June. 

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 and our podcast available here. 

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