The June 2024 Visa Bulletin shows no forward movement in employment-based preference categories, but retrogression could occur soon, according to the U.S. Department of State.
Quick Hits
- The EB-1 and EB-2 final action dates remain unchanged for all countries of chargeability. The EB-3 final action date for India retrogressed eight days, while all other countries of chargeability remain unchanged.
- USCIS has confirmed it will accept employment-based adjustment of status applications based on the final action dates chart for the June 2024 Visa Bulletin. Family-based applications may continue to use the dates for filing chart.
- Based on high demand in the EB-2 and EB-3 preference categories, the State Department warned of future retrogression in the worldwide EB-2 and EB-3 final action dates in the July 2024 Visa Bulletin.
The June 2024 Visa Bulletin does not show any advancement in final action dates and dates for filing for all countries of chargeability in the EB-1, EB-2, EB-3, and EB-5 categories. EB-1 remains current for Mexico, the Philippines, and all other chargeability areas. It also remains unchanged for China (September 1, 2022) and India (March 1, 2021) in the EB-1 category.
On March 23, 2024, President Biden signed legislation that extended the Employment-Based Fourth Preference Certain Religious Workers (SR) category until September 30, 2024. The priority date for EB-4 Certain Religious Workers category remains unchanged at November 1, 2020, in the June 2024 Visa Bulletin for all countries of chargeability, including China, India, Mexico, and the Philippines. All SR visas issued prior to September 29, 2024, will be valid only until September 29, 2024.
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has confirmed it will accept employment-based adjustment of status applications based on the final action dates chart for the June 2024 Visa Bulletin. Family-based applications may continue to use the dates for filing chart.
The State Department also warned that high demand in the EB-2 and EB-3 categories "will most likely necessitate a retrogression of the worldwide final action date (including Mexico and Philippines) in the next month to hold number use within the maximum allowed under the Fiscal Year 2024 annual limit." The State Department will continually monitor the situation and make necessary adjustments accordingly.
The June 2024 Visa Bulletin's final action dates chart for employment-based categories is shown below.
Source: U.S. Department of State, June 2024 Visa Bulletin
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