Nov 2024 US visa bulletin: No change in employment-based green card queue; slight progress for family-based categories

The US Citizenship and Immigration Services have released the US visa bulletin for November 2024. The official document prepares aspiring green card applicants for what’s to come ahead. Unlike October’s progress in the EB-5 category, the employment-based preferences have decided to sit still next month. Both rosters across the board for Final Action Dates and Dates for Filing employment-based cases are stuck to the previous update, stretching out the waiting period for global applicants.

On the contrary, family-based preferences have witnessed some movement. Nevertheless, several dates remained unchanged there as well. The Philippines‘ family-based cases were the most noticeable exceptions, as they barely saw any progress.

Key Takeaways of November 2024 US Visa Bulletin

The USCIS’ November US visa bulletin uses official jargon to distinguish between “Dates for Filing” and “Final Action Dates.”

One’s priority date must coincide (or fall before) with the cut-off date listed alongside the country’s visa category. The Dates for Filing determine the application’s eligibility timeline, implying when applicants can submit their adjustment of status or immigrant visa applications. Conversely, the Final Action Dates signal the estimated time for one’s application approval, ultimately leading to permanent residency.

Employment-Based preferences

1st: Priority Workers – 28.6% global employment-based preference level + surplus numbers of fourth and fifth preferences.

2nd: Members of the Professions Holding Advanced Degrees / Persons of Exceptional Ability – 28.6% of worldwide employment-based preference level + numbers left out by the first.

3rd: Skilled Workers, Professionals and Other Workers – 28.6% of global level + numbers left over by the first and second preferences, with 10,000 allotted to ‘Other Workers’.

4th: Certain Special Immigrants – 7.1% of the global level, with 32% set aside as follows: 20% for qualified immigrants investing in a rural area + 10% for qualified immigrants investing in high unemployment areas + 2% for qualified immigrants in infrastructure projects. The remaining 68% is unreserved and set aside for all eligible immigrants.

5th: Employment Creation – 7.1% of the worldwide level.

Final Action Dates for Employment-based cases:

Dates for filing Employment-based visa applications:

Family-based Applications:

F1: Unmarried sons + daughters of US citizens [23,400 + numbers left out by fourth preference].

Second: Spouse and children + unmarried sons and daughters of permanent residents

F2A: Spouses and Children of Permanent Residents – 77% of overall second preference, of which 75% are exempt from the per-country limit.

F2B: Unmarried Sons and Daughters (21 years or older) of Permanent Residents – 23% of overall second preference.

F3: Married Sons + Daughters of US Citizens – 23,400 + numbers left out by first and second preferences.

F4: Brothers and Sisters of Adult US Citizens – 65,000 + surplus numbers of first three preferences.

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Final Action Dates for family-sponsored applications:

Dates for filing family-based visa applications: