US Department of State Releases December 2024 Visa Bulletin

The US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will use the Dates for Filing for Employment-Based Adjustment of Status Applications chart in December 2024. The Dates for Filing chart reflects no advancement.

The US Department of State has released its December Visa Bulletin outlining per-country priority date cutoffs that regulate immigrant visa availability and the flow of adjustment of status application and consular immigrant visa application filings and approvals.

WHAT DOES THE DECEMBER 2024 VISA BULLETIN SAY?

The bulletin includes both a Dates for Filing Visa Applications chart and an Application Final Action Dates chart. The former indicates when intending immigrants may file their applications for adjustments of status or immigrant visas, and the latter indicates when adjustment of status applications or immigrant visa applications may be approved, and permanent residence granted.

Each month, the USCIS chooses which chart it will follow. For December 2024, the USCIS will follow the Dates for Filing chart for employment-based (EB) filings for adjustment of status. This means that individuals seeking to file applications for adjustment of status with the USCIS in December 2024 must use the Dates for Filing chart below.

DATES FOR FILING CUTOFF DATES

To be eligible to file an EB adjustment application in December 2024, a foreign national must have a priority date that is earlier than the date listed below for their preference category and country. The “C” listing indicates that the category is current, and applications may be filed regardless of the applicant’s priority date. 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 FIRST PREFERENCE (EB-1)

The EB-1 cutoff date for All Chargeability Areas, Mexico, and the Philippines will remain current. This means that all applicants chargeable to these areas whose I-485 applications have not yet been filed can file their I-485 applications with the USCIS.

The EB-1 cutoff date for China will remain January 1, 2023. This means that China EB-1 applicants whose I-485 applications have not yet been filed and who have a priority date before January 1, 2023 can file their I-485 applications with the USCIS.

The EB-1 cutoff date for India will remain April 15, 2022. This means that India EB-1 applicants whose I-485 applications have not yet been filed and have a priority date before April 15, 2022 can file their I-485 applications with the USCIS.

EMPLOYMENT-BASED SECOND PREFERENCE (EB-2)

The EB-2 cutoff date for All Chargeability Areas, Mexico, and the Philippines will remain August 1, 2023. 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 August 1, 2023 can file their I-485 applications with the USCIS.

The EB-2 cutoff date for China will remain October 1, 2020. This means that China EB-2 applicants whose I-485 applications have not yet been filed and have a priority date before October 1, 2020 can file their I-485 applications with the USCIS.

The EB-2 cutoff date for India will remain January 1, 2013. This means that India EB-2 applicants whose I-485 applications have not yet been filed and have a priority date before January 1, 2013 can file their I-485 applications with the USCIS.

EMPLOYMENT-BASED THIRD PREFERENCE (EB-3)

The EB-3 cutoff date for All Chargeability Areas, Mexico, and the Philippines will remain March 1, 2023. 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 March 1, 2023 can file their I-485 applications with the USCIS.

The EB-3 cutoff date for China will remain November 15, 2020. This means that China EB-3 applicants whose I-485 applications have not yet been filed and have a priority date before November 15, 2020 can file their I-485 applications with the USCIS.

The EB-3 cutoff date for India will remain June 8, 2013. This means that India EB-3 applicants whose I-485 applications have not yet been filed and have a priority date before June 8, 2013 can file their I-485 applications with the USCIS.

OTHER WORKERS

The Other Workers cutoff date for All Chargeability Areas, Mexico, and the Philippines will remain May 22, 2021. This means that Other Worker applicants from these areas whose I-485 applications have not yet been filed and have a priority date before May 22, 2021 can file their I-485 applications with the USCIS.

The Other Workers cutoff date for China will remain January 1, 2018. This means that Other Worker applicants from China whose I-485 applications have not yet been filed and have a priority date before January 1, 2018 can file their I-485 applications with the USCIS.

The Other Workers cutoff date for India will remain June 8, 2013. This means that Other Worker applicants from India whose I-485 applications have not yet been filed and have a priority date before June 8, 2013 can file their I-485 applications with the USCIS.

SIGNIFICANT DEVELOPMENTS

The Dates for Filing chart in the December 2024 Visa Bulletin shows no advancement. The USCIS will continue to use the Dates for Filing chart throughout Fiscal Year 2025 so long as it determines there are more immigrant visas available for a fiscal year than there are known applicants for such visas. The EB-3 cutoff date for India advanced two weeks on the Final Action Dates chart, and the EB-2 cutoff date for India advanced one week on the Final Action Dates Chart.