The Department of State (DOS) has issued its July 2024 Visa Bulletin. After several months of minimal progress in priority dates, we finally will see forward movement in many employment-based and family-based immigrant visa categories. However, there will be a significant retrogression in the final action dates for the EB-3 employment-based immigrant visa category for all nationals except China and India.

For employment-based categories, the EB-1 category for nationals of India will advance by eleven months! For the EB-2 category, the final action dates for nationals from most countries including nationals of India, will advance by two months. Nationals of China in the same category will advance by one month. Unfortunately, this month, in the EB-3 category, nationals from all countries, excluding China and India, will move backward by eleven months and twenty-one days!

For family-based categories, the final action dates for almost all categories will move forward. The F-1 category for nationals of all countries, excluding Mexico and the Philippines, will move forward by three months and fourteen days. In the same category, the final action dates for nationals of Mexico will move forward by four months and seven days, and will remain the same for nationals of the Philippines. F-2A is the only category that will have no forward movement. In the F-2B category, nationals of all countries, except for Mexico and the Philippines, will see forward movement by one month. Furthermore, F-3 and F-4 categories also experience minor forward movement for all countries, including nationals of Mexico and Philippines. 

USCIS will continue to honor the Dates for Filing Chart for family-based immigrant petitions in July. 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-2A, F-2B and F-3 will move forward and these dates are still further ahead than the Final Action Dates, so beneficiaries of family-based immigrant petitions who are in the United States 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 employment-based categories, we will have forward movement in almost all categories, except EB-3.

Most notably, the final action dates for the EB-1 category for nationals of India will advance by eleven months and by two months for nationals of China.  EB-1 for nationals of all other countries remains open.  

In the EB-2 category, the final action date for nationals from all countries, except for China, will advance by two months. Nationals of China in the same category will advance by one month. 

Unfortunately, in July, the EB-3 category for nationals from all countries, excluding China and India, will move backward by eleven months and twenty-one days.  For nationals of China, the priority date in EB-3 will remain the same, and will move forward by one month for nationals of India. 

Here’s a chart for easy reference:

Family-based Movement
In terms of the family-based categories final action dates, almost all categories will move forward. The F-1 category for nationals of all countries, excluding Mexico and  the Philippines, will move forward by three months and fourteen days. In the same category, Mexico will move forward by four months and seven days, and the Philippines will remain the same. 

F-2A is the only category that will have no movement. 

In the F-2B category, nationals of all countries will see forward movement by one month, excluding nationals of Mexico and the Philippines, for whom final action dates will remain the same.

The F-3 category for nationals of all countries will advance by one month except for nationals of Mexico for whom the final action date will advance by three months and for nationals of the Philippines for whom the final action date will advance by seventeen days. 

Lastly, in the F-4 category, nationals of all countries, except for India, Mexico and the Philippines, will advance by ten days. Nationals of India and Mexico will see movement by seven days, while nationals of the Philippines will see movement by two months. 

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-2A category for nationals of all countries, F-2B category for nationals of Mexico, and F-4 category for nationals of Mexico and the Philippines.  

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 July 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 July. 

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.