Good News: May 2024 Visa Bulletin Explained!!!

Did you know? The May 2024 Visa Bulletin was recently released by the Department of State. In this video, attorney Jacob Sapochnick talks about the exciting movement we are seeing in almost all the family-sponsored categories in the month of May, and what we can expect to see for the employment-based categories in the coming months.


Adjustment of Status Filing Chart May 2024


For the month of May 2024, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will continue to use the Dates for Filing Chart for all family-sponsored preference categories, and the Final Action Dates Chart for all employment-based preference categories, when applying for adjustment of status to permanent residence in the United States.


What Can We Expect to see in the Month of May?


Family-sponsored categories


FINAL ACTION DATES FOR FAMILY-SPONSORED PREFERENCE CASES


The Final Action Dates Chart for the family-sponsored categories advanced for nearly all categories as follows:

  • F1 Mexico will advance by 5.5 months to October 15, 2001
  • F1 Philippines will remain the same at March 1, 2012
  • F1 All other countries will advance by 4.9 months to July 8, 2015
  • F2A Mexico will advance by 2.8 months to November 8, 2020
  • F2A Philippines will advance by 8.7 months to June 1, 2021
  • F2A All other countries will advance by 8.7 months to June 1, 2021
  • F2B Mexico will advance by 4.3 months to March 1, 2004
  • F2B Philippines will remain at October 22, 2011
  • F2B All other countries will advance by 4.3 months to April 1, 2016
  • F3 Mexico will advance by 10.4 months to July 22, 1999
  • F3 Philippines will advance by 1.8 months to August 1, 2002
  • F3 All other countries will advance by 3 months to January 1, 2010
  • F4 Worldwide and China will advance by 1.4 months to July 22, 2007
  • F4 India will advance by 1 month to January 15, 2006
  • F4 Mexico will advance by 3.3 months to January 22, 2001
  • F4 Philippines will advance by 2.8 months to September 8, 2003

The bold represents the advancement of the category.

Family-
Sponsored 
All Chargeability
Areas Except
Those Listed
CHINA-mainland
born
INDIA MEXICO PHILIPPINES 
F1 08JUL15 08JUL15 08JUL15 15OCT01 01MAR12
F2A 01JUN21 01JUN21 01JUN21 08NOV20 01JUN21
F2B 01APR16 01APR16 01APR16 01MAR04 22OCT11
F3 01JAN10 01JAN10 01JAN10 22JUL99 01AUG02
F4 22JUL07 22JUL07 15JAN06 22JAN01 08SEP03

Family Sponsored May 2024 Final Action Dates

F-1 Unmarried Sons and Daughters of U.S. Citizens

  • Mexico: October 15, 2001 (Advancement)
  • Philippines: March 1, 2012
  • All other countries: July 8, 2015 (Advancement)

F-2A Spouses and Children of Permanent Residents

  • Mexico: November 8, 2020 (Advancement)
  • All other countries: June 1, 2021 (Advancement)

F-2B Unmarried Sons and Daughters (21 years of age or older) of Permanent Residents

  • Mexico: March 1, 2004 (Advancement)
  • Philippines: October 22, 2011
  • All other countries: April 1, 2016 (Advancement)

F3 Married Sons and Daughters of U.S. Citizens

  • Mexico: July 22, 1999 (Advancement)
  • Philippines: August 1, 2002 (Advancement)
  • All other countries: January 1, 2010 (Advancement)

F-4 Brothers and Sisters of Adult U.S. Citizens

  • Mexico: January 22, 2001 (Advancement)
  • India: January 15, 2006 (Advancement)
  • Philippines: September 8, 2003 (Advancement)
  • All other countries: July 22, 2007 (Advancement)

DATES FOR FILING FOR FAMILY-SPONSORED PREFERENCE CASES


The Dates for Filing cutoff dates remain the same as in the previous month, with the exception of:

  • F2B Mexico: will advance by 1 month to September 1, 2004
  • F3 Worldwide, China, and India: will advance by 3 months to June 1, 2010
  • F4 India: will advance by 2.2 months to June 15, 2006
  • F4 Mexico: will also advance by 1 week to April 22, 2001
  • F4 Philippines: will advance by over 1 month to June 1, 2005

The bold represents the advancement of the category.

Family-
Sponsored 
All Chargeability
Areas Except
Those Listed
CHINA-
mainland
born
INDIA MEXICO PHILIPPINES 
F1 01SEP17 01SEP17 01SEP17 01APR05 22APR15
F2A 01SEP23 01SEP23 01SEP23 01SEP23 01SEP23
F2B 01JAN17 01JAN17 01JAN17 01SEP04 01OCT13
F3 01JUN10 01JUN10 01JUN10 15JUN01 08NOV03
F4 01MAR08 01MAR08 15JUN06 22APR01 01JUN05

Why such major movement in the family-sponsored categories specifically?


There has been major movement in the family-sponsored categories due to the improved operational capacity at U.S. Consulates and Embassies and their ability to schedule more visa interviews. Moving forward, we expect to see a trend toward maximizing number use in the family categories to decrease the backlogs at the National Visa Center that have been piling up since the height of the Coronavirus pandemic.


Employment-based categories


No Movement in Dates for Filing Chart and Final Action Dates Chart


For the employment-based categories, during the month of May, the Dates for Filing chart will remain unchanged from the previous month.

Additionally, the Final Action Dates Chart shows no movement for all employment-based preference categories.

Here is where we are in May 2024 with respect to the employment-based categories.


FINAL ACTION DATES FOR EMPLOYMENT-BASED PREFERENCE CASES


According to the Department of State’s May 2024 Visa Bulletin, the following Final Action cutoff dates will apply for employment-based categories:

  • EB-1 China will remain at September 1, 2022
  • EB-1 India will remain at March 1, 2021
  • EB-1 All other countries will continue to be current
  • EB-2 China will remain at February 1, 2020
  • EB-2 India will remain at April 15, 2012
  • EB-2 All other countries will remain at January 15, 2023
  • EB-3 India will remain at August 15, 2012
  • EB-3 China will remain at September 1, 2020
  • EB-3 All other countries will remain at November 22, 2022
  • EB-3 Other Workers Philippines will remain at May 1, 2020
  • EB-3 Other Workers India will remain at August 15, 2012
  • EB-3 Other Workers All other countries will remain at October 8, 2020
  • EB-4 will remain at November 1, 2020
  • EB-5 China Unreserved will remain at December 15, 2015
  • EB-5 India Unreserved will remain at December 1, 2020
  • All other EB-5 categories will remain current
Employment-
based
All Chargeability
Areas Except
Those Listed
CHINA-
mainland
born
INDIA MEXICO PHILIPPINES
1st C 01SEP22 01MAR21 C C
2nd 15JAN23 01FEB20 15APR12 15JAN23 15JAN23
3rd 22NOV22 01SEP20 15AUG12 22NOV22 22NOV22
Other Workers 08OCT20 01JAN17 15AUG12 08OCT20 01MAY20
4th 01NOV20 01NOV20 01NOV20 01NOV20 01NOV20
Certain Religious Workers 01NOV20 01NOV20 01NOV20 01NOV20 01NOV20
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

Employment-Based May 2024 Final Action Dates

EB-1 

  • China: September 1, 2022
  • India: March 1, 2021
  • All other countries: Current

EB-2

  • China: February 1, 2020
  • India: April 15, 2012
  • All other countries: January 15, 2023 

EB-3 Professionals and Skilled Workers

  • China: September 1, 2020
  • India: August 15, 2012
  • All other countries: November 22, 2022

EB-3 Other Workers 

  • China: January 1, 2017
  • India: August 15, 2012
  • Philippines: May 1, 2020
  • All other countries: October 8, 2020

EB-4

  • All countries: November 1, 2020

EB-5 Unreserved (Regional Center and Non-Regional Center)

  • China: December 15, 2015
  • India: December 1, 2020
  • All other countries: Current

EB-5 Set-Asides

  • Rural: Current for all countries
  • High Unemployment: Current for all countries
  • Infrastructure: Current for all countries

DATES FOR FILING FOR EMPLOYMENT-BASED PREFERENCE CASES


According to the Department of State’s May 2024 Visa Bulletin, the Dates for Filing cutoff dates will remain unchanged from the previous month.

Employment-
based
All Chargeability
Areas Except
Those Listed
CHINA-
mainland
born
INDIA MEXICO  PHILIPPINES 
1st C 01JAN23 01APR21 C C
2nd 15FEB23 01JUN20 15MAY12 15FEB23 15FEB23
3rd 01FEB23 01JUL21 15SEP12 01FEB23 01JAN23
Other Workers 15DEC20 01JUN17 15SEP12 15DEC20 15MAY20
4th 01DEC20 01DEC20 01DEC20 01DEC20 01DEC20
Certain Religious Workers 01DEC20 01DEC20 01DEC20 01DEC20 01DEC20
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

Employment-Based May 2024 Dates for Filing

EB-1

  • China: January 1, 2023
  • India: April 1, 2021
  • All other countries: Current

EB-2

  • China: June 1, 2020
  • India: May 15, 2012
  • All other countries: February 15, 2023

EB-3 Professionals and Skilled Workers

  • China: July 1, 2021
  • India: September 15, 2012
  • Philippines: January 1, 2023
  • All other countries: February 1, 2023

EB-3 Other Workers

  • China: June 1, 2017
  • India: September 15, 2012
  • Philippines: May 15, 2020
  • All other countries: December 15, 2020

EB-4

  • All countries: December 1, 2020

EB-5 Unreserved (Regional Center and Non-Regional Center)

  • China: January 1, 2017
  • India: April 1, 2022
  • All other countries: Current

EB-5 Set-Asides

  • Rural: Current for all countries
  • High Unemployment: Current for all countries
  • Infrastructure: Current for all countries

Conclusion


During the upcoming months, we expect to continue to see major movement in the family-sponsored categories especially in the Final Action Dates chart.

For the employment-based categories, we expect to see only slight movement in the late summer months toward the end of the fiscal year, which ends on September 30, 2024.

As we do every month, we will keep you updated on the upcoming movement and changes in the Visa Bulletin right here on our blog.


Contact Us. If you would like to schedule a consultation, please text 619-569-1768 or call 619-819-9204.


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