August 2024 US visa bulletin: Slight progress in EB-2 and EB-3 for Indians, with barely any glimmer of hope otherwise
EB-1 category for India remains at February 1, 2022. Minimal advancement witnessed in EB-2 and Eb-3 preferences across the August visa bulletin.
USCIS has released the US Visa Bulletin for the upcoming month of the year. However, the August chart doesn't offer enough rays of hope after months of minimal advancement across categories. Despite just one month remaining in the fiscal year, the August bulletin has slightly reflected some upward progress in the EB-2 (Advanced Degree Professionals) and EB-3 (Skilled Workers) categories for India. Other than that, employment-based categories hold a stagnant path.
Meanwhile, the cutoff date for EB-1 India remains stuck at February 1, 2022, indicating that applicants will face significant delays before their priority dates match the current timeline.
Key Takeaways of August 2024 US Visa Bulletin
The US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) August Bulletin lays down the strict protocols, using official jargon to distinguish between “dates for filing” and “final action dates.”If you wish to proceed with the application procedure, your priority date must either fall on or before the cut-off date listed against your country's visa category.
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While the former determines the application's eligibility timelines, the latter highlights the estimated time for your application's approval.
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.
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Final Action Dates for Employment-based cases:
| Employment-based category | India | China | Mexico | Philippines |
| 1st | February 1, 2022 | November 1, 2022 | C | C |
| 2nd | July 15, 2012 | March 1, 2020 | March 15, 2023 | March 15, 2023 |
| 3rd | October 22, 2012 | September 1, 2020 | December 1, 2021 | December 1, 2021 |
| Other Workers | October 22, 2012 | January 1, 2017 | January 1, 2021 | May 1, 2020 |
| 4th | January 1, 2021 | January 1, 2021 | January 1, 2021 | January 1, 2021 |
| Certain Religious Workers | January 1, 2021 | January 1, 2021 | January 1, 2021 | January 1, 2021 |
| 5th Unreserved (including C5, T5, I5, R5) | December 1, 2020 | December 15, 2015 | C | C |
| 5th Set Aside Rural (20%) | C | C | C | C |
| 5th Set Aside: High Umexmployment (10%) | C | C | C | C |
| 5th Set Aside: Infrastructure (2%) | C | C | C | C |
Dates for filing Employment-based visa applications:
| Employment-based category | India | China | Mexico | Philippines |
| 1st | February 8, 2022 | January 1, 2023 | C | C |
| 2nd | July 22, 2012 | June 1, 2020 | March 22, 2023 | March 22, 2023 |
| 3rd | November 1, 2012 | July 1, 2021 | February 1, 2023 | January 1, 2023 |
| Other Workers | November 1, 2012 | June 1, 2017 | January 8, 2021 | May 15, 2020 |
| 4th | February 1, 2021 | February 1, 2021 | February 1, 2021 | February 1, 2021 |
| Certain Religious Workers | February 1, 2021 | February 1, 2021 | February 1, 2021 | February 1, 2021 |
| 5th Unreserved (Including C5, T5, I5, R5) | April 1, 2022 | January 1, 2017 | C | C |
| 5th Set Aside (Rural - 20%) | C | C | C | C |
| 5th Set Aside: High Unemployment (10%) | C | C | C | C |
| 5th Set Aside (Infrastructure - 2%) | C | C | C | C |
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.
Final Action Dates for family-sponsored applications:
| Family-sponsored category | India | China | Mexico | Philippines |
| F1 | October 22, 2015 | October 22, 2015 | May 8, 2012 | March 1, 2012 |
| F2A | November 15, 2021 | November 15, 2021 | February 1, 2021 | November 15, 2021 |
| F2B | May 1, 2016 | May 1, 2021 | July 15, 2004 | October 22, 2011 |
| F3 | April 1, 2010 | April 1, 2010 | March 1, 2000 | September 8, 2002 |
| F4 | January 22, 2006 | August 1, 2007 | February 9, 2001 | February 1, 2004 |
Dates for filing family-based visa applications:
| Family-sponsored category | India | China | Mexico | Philippines |
| F1 | September 1, 2017 | September 1, 2017 | April 1, 2005 | April 22, 2015 |
| F2A | June 15, 2024 | June 15, 2024 | June 15, 2024 | June 15, 2024 |
| F2B | January 1, 2017 | January 1, 2017 | May 1, 2005 | October 1, 2013 |
| F3 | January 1, 2011 | January 1, 2011 | June 15, 2001 | November 8, 2003 |
| F4 | June 15, 2006 | March 1, 2008 | April 30, 2001 | April 1, 2006 |
