July 2024 Visa Bulletin: Analysis & Predictions Including EB2 Priority Date India (2024)

One of the most significant parts of getting a green card in the U.S. is waiting for your priority date to be current. For those who have invested the time, effort, and money into an immigrant visa, questions arise such as “How long will it take for my date to be current?” and “Can I speed this process up?” We provide regular monthly updates on the most recent visa bulletin, analyze the date movements, and predict upcoming months to help answer these questions. This month, we’ll go over the July 2024 visa bulletin.

If you want more information on the background of the visa bulletin and how to read the bulletin, make sure to scroll to the bottom of the post or click the interested link in the Table of Contents.

July 2024 Visa Bulletin: Overview and Predictions

For the multitude eagerly anticipating their turn in the employment-based and family-based immigration queues, projections in the Visa Bulletin offer insights into potential timelines for applying and securing green cards.

Key Updates for July 2024

EB-1 China: The Final Action Date advances two months to November 1, 2022.
EB-1 India: The Final Action Date advances to February 1, 2022.
EB-1(Rest of the world): The Final Action Date is current.
EB-2 (All countries except China and India): The Final Action Date advances two months to March 15, 2023.
EB-2 China: The Final Action Date advances one month to March 1, 2020.
EB-2 India: The Final Action Date advances two months to June 15, 2012.
EB-3 Professional/Skilled Worker (China): The Final Action Date remains at September 1, 2020.
EB-3 Professional/Skilled Worker (India): The Final Action Date advances one month to September 22, 2012.
EB-3 Professional/Skilled Worker (Rest of the world): The Final Action Date retrogresses over 11 months to December 1, 2021.

Practical Implications of the July 2024 Visa Bulletin:

Positive Movements: Applicants from China and India in the EB-1 and EB-2 categories should be encouraged by the advancements, as it indicates shorter wait times for visa availability and earlier filing opportunities.

Stable and Unchanged Dates: Applicants from other countries and those in the EB-3 category for China and India should be aware that there is little to no change in their timelines.

Retrogression for EB-3 Worldwide: Applicants in the EB-3 category from countries other than China and India will experience longer wait times due to the retrogression by 1 year. It’s crucial to manage expectations and plan accordingly.

Final Action vs. Filing Dates: It’s important to differentiate between the final action dates (when a visa can be issued) and the filing dates (when an application can be submitted). This will help applicants understand their current status and next steps.

The Final Action Dates chart determines when an I-485 or IV can be approved, while the Dates for Filing Chart determines when an applicant can file an I-485.

Suppose you have an Adjustment of Status (AOS) application currently pending. Your priority date must be current under the Final Action Chart to adjudicate your green card. If you are contemplating interfiling—a process that allows AOS applicants to change their preference category—don’t hesitate to contact VisaNation Law Group.

Looking Ahead: The U.S. State Department projects minimal to no movement in priority dates for employment-based categories throughout the remainder of Fiscal Year (FY) 2024, concluding on September 30, 2024. However, it is emphasized in the Visa Bulletin that recent trends in Final Action date movements are subject to change, and retrogressions are possible due to fluctuations in applicant demand and other influencing factors. Therefore, applicants are urged to stay informed and be aware of potential adjustments to the projected timelines.

Applicants who have experienced excess delays have few options for visa issuance if an I-140 priority date is no longer current or has been significantly affected by retrogression. One option is to explore “porting” or “downgrading” one’s visa category. This avenue is most workable for individuals “downgrading” from EB-2 to EB-3. Since the visa cut-off dates are not completely predictable, applicants should carefully consider this option before starting the process. Some applicants may choose to watchfully wait for the next visa bulletin to make a decision.

The government expects to allocate 165,000 green cards to employment categories in Fiscal Year 2024. This is less than the 197,000 allocated in FY 2023 but more than the required 140,000, thanks to the extra 25,000 unused family-based green cards from Fiscal Year 2023. Fixing the long delays in the Green Card system needs comprehensive reforms. However, getting Congress to agree on immigration changes is challenging for lawmakers and not much is expected to change in the next few years.

Family-Based Green Cards

The category for family-based immigration comprises four preference levels based on who your sponsoring family member is in relation to you. There are five chargeability areas for this category: China, India, Mexico, the Philippines, and all other countries. Due to the global pandemic and limited appointments at overseas consular offices, family-based immigrant visas continue to see low usage numbers. Therefore, any unused family-based visas get added to the EB categories.

Family-Based Dates for Filing Charts

The Dates for Filing chart determines when an applicant can file an I-485.

In the F-1 category, we see no change across the board from the June bulletin. China, India, and all other countries of chargeability remain at September 1, 2017. Mexico remains at April 1, 2005, and the Philippines remains on April 22, 2015.

In the F-2A category, all countries advance to November 1, 2023.

In the F-2B category, China, India, and all other countries of chargeability remain at January 1, 2017. The Philippines remains at October 1, 2013. Mexico advances to May 1, 2005.

In the F-3 category, China, India and all other countries of chargeability advance to October 1, 2010 while Mexico remains at June 15, 2001 and Philippines remains at November 8, 2003.

In the F-4 category, China, and the rest of the world remain at March 1, 2008. India remains at June 15, 2006 while Mexico is at April 28, 2001 and Philippines advances to April 1, 2006.

For the purposes of the July 2024 bulletin AOS, USCIS has indicated to use the Dates for Filing Chart for all family-sponsored filings. If a particular immigrant visa category is “current” on the Final Action Dates chart or the cutoff date on the Final Action Dates chart is later than the date on the Dates for Filing chart, applicants in that immigrant visa category may file using the Final Action Dates chart during that month.

*The numbers in the brackets designate the amount of movement in the filing date for that particular category compared to the previous month. If there’s no bracket below certain dates, there is no movement for those dates/categories in the latest visa bulletin.

Family-Based Final Action Dates Chart

The Final Action Dates Chart shows some changes since the last bulletin. In the F-1 category, India, China and the rest of the world advance to October 22, 2015 while Mexico advances to May 8, 2002 and the Philippines remains at March 1, 2012.

In the F2A category, all China, India and the rest of the world remain at November 15, 2021; Mexico is at February 1, 2021 and Philippines at November 15, 2021.

In the F-2B category, China and the rest of the world are at May 1, 2016. Philippines remains at October 22, 2011 and Mexico at July 8, 2004.

In the F-3 category we see China and India advance to April 1, 2010. Mexico advances to March 1, 2000 and Philippines advances to September 8, 2002.

In the F-4 category we see China and the rest of the world advance to August 1, 2007 while India advances to January 22, 2006 and Mexico to February 8, 2001.

*The numbers in the brackets designate the amount of movement in the final action date for that particular category compared to the previous month. If there’s no bracket below certain dates, there is no movement for those dates/categories in the latest visa bulletin.

Remember, marriage-based green card applicants, are known as immediate relatives and don’t have to wait to receive a green card.

Employment-Based Green Cards

With five different preference levels and seven chargeability areas, USCIS issues employment-based category visas through your job or occupation. The chargeability areas are China, India, Mexico, the Philippines, Central America (Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador), Vietnam, and the general category.

Employment-Based Final Action Dates Chart

EB-1 China and India: There is positive movement for both China and India. China’s cut-off date advances by 2 months to November 1, 2022, and India sees a significant advancement of 11 months to February 1, 2022. This is encouraging news for clients from these countries as it indicates shorter wait times for visa availability.

All Other Countries: The cut-off dates remain current, meaning there are no backlogs, and eligible applicants from these regions can continue to expect prompt processing.

EB-2 China: The cut-off date advances by 1 month to March 1, 2020, which is a slight improvement, indicating a small reduction in wait times.

EB-2 India: The cut-off date advances by 2 months to June 15, 2012. This is a positive change, but the dates still indicate a long waiting period for Indian applicants in this category.

All Other Countries: The cut-off date advances by 2 months to March 15, 2023, showing good movement and relatively short wait times for applicants from these regions.

EB-3 China: The cut-off date remains unchanged at September 1, 2020. There is no progress, indicating a stable but unchanging queue.

EB-3 India: The cut-off date advances by 1 month to September 22, 2012, which is a small improvement.

All Other Countries: There is a significant retrogression of 1 year, moving the cut-off date back to December 1, 2021. This indicates a growing backlog and longer wait times for applicants from these regions.

USCIS has specified to use the Final Action Chart for all employment-based AOS Filings.

Employment-Based Dates for Filing Chart

Here are the July 2024 Visa Bulletin Final Action dates for employment-based immigrant visas.

1. China: EB-1, EB-2, EB-3: The dates remain unchanged, indicating stability in the filing dates.
2. India: EB-1: Advances by 10 months to February 8, 2022, showing improved filing opportunities. EB-2: Advances by 1 month to June 22, 2012. EB-3: Advances by 15 days to October 1, 2012. These small advancements still reflect a significant waiting period for filing applications.

3. All Other Countries:

EB-1: The dates are current, allowing for immediate filing.
EB-2: Advances by 1 month to March 22, 2023, reflecting slight improvement.
EB-3: Remains unchanged at February 1, 2023, indicating stability in filing dates.

*The numbers in the brackets designate the amount of movement in the final action date for that particular category compared to the previous month. If there’s no bracket below certain dates, there is no movement for those dates/categories in the latest visa bulletin.

Important July 2024 Visa Bulletin Dates

For those new to the green card process, you should learn a few terms and remember to understand the rest of this July 2024 visa bulletin report. If you have further questions about the process or anything else about your green card, you should consult with your immigration attorney.

Priority Dates

The first term that you’ll hear thrown around is the priority date. Each person who files a petition with the USCIS receives a priority date when the government obtains your petition. A priority date establishes a person’s place in line to get an immigrant visa. Keep this date handy since you will need it to compare to the dates in this bulletin. Remember that your priority date does not move, and you cannot change it except under certain circ*mstances.

Note: Priority dates are not relevant for immediate relatives of U.S. Citizens (e.g., spouses or minor children) as that category is always current.

Final Action Dates

Final action dates are based on the green card category and the chargeability area—your country of origin. Therefore, the final action dates constantly change based on how many people from each chargeability area have petitioned for that green card.

If green cards are still available, the final action date will likely move closer to your priority date. If green cards are unavailable, you will not see any movement from that final action date. However, if the limit has passed, you may see the date retrogress or move backward from your priority date.

Once the final action date in your green card preference level and chargeability area reaches your priority date, your priority date will be considered current. Once current, you will adjust your status or go through consular processing.

Date for Filing Charts and I-485

You’ll notice there are two charts for each category.

The Date for Filing chart determines whether or not one can submit the final immigrant visa application.

The Final Action Date chart indicates whether an immigrant visa number will be available.

If you need to file an adjustment of status, Form I-485, you need to follow the Final Action Date chart to know when to file based on your priority date. However, sometimes USCIS will note that they’ll accept I-485s based on the Date for Filing chart. USCIS will use this chart when more immigrant visas are available than applicants.

USCIS announces which chart applicants can use within a week of the visa bulletin’s release.

Can You Shorten Your Waiting Time?

The short answer is: probably not. However, there are two prominent cases in which you may be able to shorten your green card processing time, which we will explain here.

The first way is to file an I-140 for a green card and chargeability area with a current priority date. In this case, rather than wait the usual six months for your petition to be processed, you can pay an additional fee for premium processing, which will shorten the processing time to 15 calendar days. However, this is only available for certain green cards that use the I-140. It is unavailable for family- or investment-based immigration and the EB-1C or EB-2 NIW.

The second situation involves green card “porting,” or transferring your application from a lower preference level to a higher one to take advantage of the shorter waiting times. This is misleading because you don’t port your green card. In reality, you need to start with a new petition (and a new PERM if necessary). The “porting” aspect only comes in when you indicate that you want to retain your original priority date.

As attractive as “porting” might seem, it is a delicate process with particular requirements. Therefore, running decisions like these through your immigration attorney is always good.

Staying Up-to-Date

In the world of immigration law, it always pays to be informed. The more you know about your green card, the easier it will be to make informed decisions about your case. To stay in the know about things like the newest visa bulletin, you can subscribe to the Department of State’s newsletter by emailing [emailprotected] with the message “Subscribe Visa Bulletin.”