The U.S. Department of State has released its January 2024 Visa Bulletin which summarizes the availability of immigrant numbers for “Final Action Dates” and “Dates for Filing Applications” for January to notify the immigrant visa applicants to submit their required documentation to the National Visa Center (NVC).
Final Action Cut-off Dates
The recent visa bulletin shows minimal changes. All mentioned cutoff dates pertain to the final action chart, commonly known as Chart A, unless stated differently.
Employment-Based
All Chargeability Areas Except those listed
China-Mainland born
India
Mexico
Philippines
1st (EB-1: Extraordinary People, Outstanding Researchers and Professors, and Multinational Executives, and Managers)
C
01JUL22
01SEP20
C
C
2nd (EB-2: Exceptional People and Advanced Degree Holders)
01NOV22
01JAN20
01MAR12
01NOV22
01NOV22
3rd (EB-3: Bachelor’s Degree Holders, Skilled Workers, and Unskilled Workers)
01AUG22
01SEP20
01JUN12
01AUG22
01AUG22
Other Workers
01SEP20
01JAN17
01JUN12
15SEP20
01MAY20
Employment-Based First Preference (EB1)
The EB1 cut off for China and India will advance to July 1, 2022 and September 1, 2020. All other chargeable countries are currently up-to-date in the EB1 category.
Employment-Based Second Preference (EB2)
The EB2 cutoff for China will advance to January 1, 2020, while India will move forward by 3 months to March 1, 2012. Additionally, the cutoff dates for EB2 in other chargeable countries, Mexico, and the Philippines, will also advance to November 1, 2022.
Employment-Based Third Preference (EB3)
China’s cutoff will advance to September 1, 2020, while India will move forward by a month to June 1, 2012. For other chargeable countries, the EB3 cutoff will also advance to August 1, 2022.
Other Workers
China’s cutoff will advance by a year to January 1, 2017, while India and Philippines will move forward to June 1, 2012 and May 1, 2020, respectively. The cutoff for other chargeable countries and Mexico will also advance to September 1, 2020 and September 15, 2020.
Dates for Filing of Employment-Based Visa Applications
To be eligible to file an EB adjustment application for January 2024, a foreign individual should possess a priority date that is earlier than the date listed below for their designated country and category. The “C” listing denotes a current category, thus allowing submissions without concern for the priority date of the individual. The listing of a date for any category indicates that only applicants with a priority date that is earlier than the listed date may file their applications.
Employment-Based
All Chargeability Areas Except those listed
China-Mainland born
India
Mexico
Philippines
1st (EB-1: Extraordinary People, Outstanding Researchers and Professors, and Multinational Executives, and Managers)
C
01JAN23
01JAN21
C
C
2nd (EB-2: Exceptional People and Advanced Degree Holders)
15FEB23
01JUN20
15MAY12
15FEB23
15FEB23
3rd (EB-3: Bachelor’s Degree Holders, Skilled Workers, and Unskilled Workers)
01FEB23
01JUL21
01AUG12
01FEB23
01JAN23
Other Workers
15DEC20
01JUN17
01AUG12
15DEC20
15MAY20
Employment-Based First Preference (EB-1)
All Chargeability Areas, Mexico, and Philippines’ EB-1 remain current while China and India will advance to January 1, 2023 and January 1, 2021, respectively. This means that all applicants who are chargeable to these areas whose I-485 applications have not yet been filed and have a priority date before January 1, 2023 and January 1, 2021 can file their I-485 applications with the USCIS.
Employment-Based Second Preference (EB-2)
The EB-2 cutoff application date for All Chargeability Areas, Mexico, and the Philippines will move forward by a month to February 15, 2023 which means that all applicants who are chargeable to these areas whose I-485 applications have not yet been filed and have a priority date before February 15, 2023 can file their I-485 applications with the USCIS.
Further, EB-2 cut off date for India stays at May 15, 2012, while China’s cut-off application date will advance to June 1, 2020.
Employment-Based Third Preference (EB-3)
The EB-3 cutoff dates for All Chargeability Areas and Mexico remain February 1, 2023 which means that all applicants who are chargeable to these areas whose I-485 applications have not yet been filed and have a priority date before February 1, 2023 can file their I-485 applications with the USCIS.
Further, EB3 cut-off dates for the Philippines and India remain January 1, 2023, and August 1, 2012, respectively. The EB-3 cut off dates for China will then advance to July 1, 2021.
Other Workers
All Chargeability Areas, Mexico, and the Philippines whose applications have not yet been filed and have a priority date before December 15, 2020 and May 15, 2020 can file their I-485 applications with the USCIS.
The Other Workers cutoff dates for China will remain June 1, 2017 while the cut off date for India will also remain August 1, 2012.
