Visa Bulletin for November 2024

The U.S. Department of State has released the Visa Bulletin for November 2024, detailing the latest developments in visa availability for family-sponsored and employment-based categories. If you are an immigrant waiting for your priority date to become current, this bulletin is an essential resource. Here’s a breakdown of the most important updates.

Family-Sponsored Preference Categories

In the Family-Sponsored Visa categories, there has been limited movement across most preference categories. However, certain categories experienced some minor advancements. Here’s a snapshot:

• F1 (Unmarried sons and daughters of U.S. citizens): Little movement was observed, with most countries maintaining their previous dates.

• F2A (Spouses and minor children of permanent residents): This category remains current for all countries, offering a valuable opportunity for green card applicants.

• F2B (Unmarried adult children of permanent residents): Minor advances for countries like the Philippines and Mexico.

Employment-Based Preference Categories

The Employment-Based Visa categories reflect more significant movement this month. Let’s explore:

• EB-1 (Priority workers): This category remains current for all chargeability areas except for India and China, which are still experiencing backlogs.

• EB-2 (Advanced degree holders and individuals with exceptional ability): The cutoff date for India advanced to January 2015, offering hope for those with long-pending cases. For China, the date moved to March 2018.

• EB-3 (Skilled workers and professionals): The dates for India moved to October 2010, while China progressed to June 2019.

Key Insights

• India continues to face the most significant backlogs, particularly in the employment-based categories.

• The F2A category remains current, which is great news for spouses and children of permanent residents.

• The Employment-Based Visa categories saw more movement compared to family-sponsored categories, signaling a better chance for professionals and skilled workers to obtain their green cards sooner.

Conclusion

November’s Visa Bulletin shows progress, particularly for employment-based applicants. While family-sponsored categories remain largely stagnant, those in the EB-2 and EB-3 categories should be optimistic about their priority dates moving forward. If your priority date is near or current, now is a good time to ensure your paperwork is in order.

Stay updated on future bulletins, as they can significantly impact your immigration process!