Visa Bulletin December 2024- What Changes in Family Based Categories and Employment-based Categories

The U.S. Department of State published the Visa Bulletin in December 2024, establishing per-country cut-off dates to regulate immigrant visa availability and processing Adjustment of Status (AOS) applications and consular Immigrant Visa application filings and approvals. To be considered “current,” the priority date of a person applying for permanent residence must be before the cut-off date specified in the monthly Visa Bulletin.

Quick Summary:

1. The Final Action date for India EB-2 will move forward by two weeks to August 1, 2012.
2. The USCIS will use the dates for filing tables for family-based and employment-based categories.
3. Final action dates for all other countries will remain the same in December.
4. All employment-based Dates for Filing will remain changed in December.

Family-Sponsored Categories

Final Action: 

  • F1 – Mexico and the Philippines will remain at November 22, 2004, and March 1, 2012. All other countries will remain at October 22, 2015.
  • F2A – Mexico will remain at April 15, 2021 and All other countries will remain at January 1, 2022.
  • F2B – Mexico and the Philippines will remain at  July 1, 2005, and October 22, 2011. All other countries will remain at May 1, 2016.
  • F3 -Mexico and the Philippines will remain at  October 22, 2000, and September 8, 2002. All other countries will remain at April 15, 2010.
  • F4- Mexico and the Philippines will remain at March 1, 2001, and February 1, 2004
  • F4 – India will remain at March 8, 2006,  All other countries will remain at August 1, 2007

Dates for Filing: 

  • F1 – Mexico and the Philippines will remain at October 1, 2005, and April 22, 2015. All other countries will remain at September 1, 2017.
  • F2A – All countries will remain at July 15, 2024
  • F2B – Mexico and the Philippines will remain at July 1, 2006, and October 1, 2013. All other countries will remain at January 1, 2017.
  • F3 –  Mexico and the Philippines will remain at June 15, 2001, and May 8, 2004. All other countries will remain at April 22, 2012.
  • F4- Mexico and the Philippines will remain at April 30, 2001, and July 22, 2007.
  • F4 – India will remain at August 1, 2006. All other countries will remain at March 1, 2008.

Employment-Based Categories


Final Action Dates : 

EB-1

  • China: November 8, 2022
  • India: February 1, 2022
  • All other countries: Current

EB-2

  • China: March 22, 2020
  • India: August 1, 2012
  • All other countries: March 15, 2023

EB-3 Professionals and Skilled Workers

  • China: April 1, 2020
  • India: November 8, 2012
  • All other countries: November 15, 2022

EB-3 Other Workers

  • China: January 1, 2017
  • India: November 8, 2012
  • All other countries: December 1, 2020

EB-4

  • All countries: January 1, 2021

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

  • China: July 15, 2016
  • India: January 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

Dates for Filing:

EB-1

  • China: January 1, 2023
  • India: April 15, 2022
  • All other countries: Current

EB-2

  • China: October 1, 2020
  • India: January 1, 2013
  • All other countries: August 1, 2023

EB-3 Professionals and Skilled Workers

  • China: November 15, 2020
  • India: June 8, 2013
  • All other countries: March 1, 2023

EB-3 Other Workers

  • China: January 1, 2018
  • India: June 8, 2013
  • All other countries: May 22, 2021

EB-4

  • All countries: February 1, 2021

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

  • China: October 1, 2016
  • 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

A.FINAL ACTION DATES FOR FAMILY-SPONSORED PREFERENCE CASES

Family-sponsored All Chargeability
Areas Except
Those Listed
CHINA-
mainland
born
INDIA MEXICO PHILIPPINES
F1 22OCT15 22OCT15 22OCT15 22NOV04 01MAR12
F2A 01JAN22 01JAN22 01JAN22 15APR21 01JAN22
F2B 01MAY16 01MAY16 01MAY16 01JUL05 22OCT11
F3 15APR10 15APR10 15APR10 22OCT00 08SEP02
F4 01AUG07 01AUG07 08MAR06 01MAR01 01FEB04

B.DATES FOR FILING FAMILY-SPONSORED VISA APPLICATIONS

Family-sponsored All Chargeability
Areas Except
Those Listed
CHINA-
mainland
born
INDIA MEXICO PHILIPPINES
F1 01SEP17 01SEP17 01SEP17 01OCT05 22APR15
F2A 15JUL24 15JUL24 15JUL24 15JUL24 15JUL24
F2B 01JAN17 01JAN17 01JAN17 01JUL06 01OCT13
F3 22APR12 22APR12 22APR12 15JUN01 08MAY04
F4 01MAR08 01MAR08 01AUG06 30APR01 22JUL07

A. FINAL ACTION DATES FOR EMPLOYMENT-BASED PREFERENCE CASES

Employment-
based
All Chargeability 
Areas Except
Those Listed
CHINA-
mainland 
born
INDIA MEXICO PHILIPPINES
1st C 08NOV22 01FEB22 C C
2nd 15MAR23 22MAR20 01AUG12 15MAR23 15MAR23
3rd 15NOV22 01APR20 08NOV12 15NOV22 15NOV22
Other Workers 01DEC20 01JAN17 08NOV12 01DEC20 01DEC20
4th 01JAN21 01JAN21 01JAN21 01JAN21 01JAN21
Certain Religious Workers 01JAN21 01JAN21 01JAN21 01JAN21 01JAN21
5th Unreserved
(including C5, T5, I5, R5)
C 15JUL16 01JAN22 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

B.DATES FOR FILING OF EMPLOYMENT-BASED VISA APPLICATIONS

Employment-
based
All Chargeability
Areas Except
Those Listed
CHINA-
mainland 
born
INDIA MEXICO  PHILIPPINES 
1st C 01JAN23 15APR22 C C
2nd 01AUG23 01OCT20 01JAN13 01AUG23 01AUG23
3rd 01MAR23 15NOV20 08JUN13 01MAR23 01MAR23
Other Workers 22MAY21 01JAN18 08JUN13 22MAY21 22MAY21
4th 01FEB21 01FEB21 01FEB21 01FEB21 01FEB21
Certain Religious Workers 01FEB21 01FEB21 01FEB21 01FEB21 01FEB21
5th Unreserved
(including C5, T5, I5, R5)
C 01OCT16 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

B.DIVERSITY IMMIGRANT (DV) CATEGORY FOR THE MONTH OF DECEMBER

Region All DV Chargeability Areas Except
Those Listed Separately
 
AFRICA 15000 Except:  Algeria     10,000
              Egypt        10,050
              Morocco  10,050
ASIA 3000 Except:  Iran    2,950
              Nepal 2,950
EUROPE 6000 Except:  Russia        5,950
               Uzbekistan  4,900
NORTH AMERICA (BAHAMAS)  2  
OCEANIA 550  
SOUTH AMERICA,
and the CARIBBEAN
825  

B. THE DIVERSITY (DV) IMMIGRANT CATEGORY RANK CUT-OFFS WHICH WILL APPLY IN JANUARY

Region All DV Chargeability Areas Except
Those Listed Separately
 
AFRICA 22,500 Except: Algeria    22,000
              Egypt      22,000
              Morocco 22,000
ASIA 5,500 Except:  Iran       5,400
              Nepal  3,500
EUROPE 12,000 Except:  Russia          11,750
              Uzbekistan    7,750
NORTH AMERICA (BAHAMAS)  20  
OCEANIA 1100  
SOUTH AMERICA,
and the CARIBBEAN
1750  

USCIS will use the Dates for Filing chart to accept status application adjustments in December 2024.

** The content above is provided for informational purposes only. It should not be construed as legal advice on any subject matter. Use of this information does not create an attorney-client relationship. For Legal Advice,  don’t hesitate to get in touch with Us

Published On: November 11th, 2024 / Categories: News & Updates, US Visa Bulletin News /

Share it

Subscribe to the latest on US Immigration

We want to ensure that every person in the immigrant community stays abreast about the latest updates from USCIS with legal interpretation and nuances using articles, videos, podcasts and ebooks.

Add notice about your Privacy Policy here.