March 2024 Visa Bulletin – Modest Movement for EB-1 India and China and Worldwide EB-2 and EB-3 Professionals; USCIS to Honor Final Action Dates for Employment-Based Categories
The EB-1 China Final Action Date will advance by two weeks to July 15, 2022, and the EB-1 India Final Action Date will advance by one month to October 1, 2020. The EB-2 Final Action Date for all countries except India and China will advance by one week, to November 22, 2022. India and China will remain unchanged at March 1, 2012, and January 1, 2020, respectively. The EB-3 Professional/Skilled Worker Final Action Dates for India and China will remain the same at July 1, 2012, and September 1, 2020, respectively. The EB-5 China and India Unreserved Final Action Dates will remain at December 15, 2015 and December 1, 2020, respectively.
A closer look
According to the State Department’s March Visa Bulletin, Final Action cutoff dates for issuance of an immigrant visa or approval of an adjustment of status application will be as follows:
- EB-1: India will advance by one month to October 1, 2020. China will advance by two weeks to July 15, 2022. All other countries will continue to be current.
- EB-2: India will remain at March 1, 2012, and China will remain at January 1, 2020. The remaining countries will advance by one week, to November 22, 2022.
- EB-3 Professionals and Skilled Workers: China will remain at September 1, 2020, and India will remain at July 1, 2012. The remaining countries will advance by one week, to September 8, 2022.
- EB-5: For the EB-5 Unreserved categories (C5, T5, I5, and R5), China will remain at December 15, 2015, and India will remain at December 1, 2020. All other countries will remain current. The EB-5 set-aside categories (Rural, High Unemployment, and Infrastructure) will also remain current.
USCIS to Honor Employment-Based Final Action Dates Chart in March
USCIS has announced on its own Visa Bulletin web page that the agency will accept employment-based adjustment of status applications based on the Visa Bulletin Final Action Dates chart in March. To be eligible to file an employment-based adjustment application in March, foreign nationals must have a priority date that is earlier than the date listed below for their preference category and country. This is the first time since the beginning of the fiscal year that USCIS has selected the Final Action Dates chart.
Expiration of EB-4 Non-Minister Religious Worker Program
The EB-4 Non-Minister Religious Worker Program is set to expire on March 8, 2024. If there is no action in Congress to extend it beyond that date, the category will become “unavailable” as of March 8, and no immigrant visas or adjustment of status applications can be approved under the category until a reauthorization is passed.
Final Action Dates for March 2024
EB-1
China: July 15, 2022
India: October 1, 2020
All other countries: Current
EB-2
China: January 1, 2020
India: March 1, 2012
All other countries: November 22, 2022
EB-3 Professionals and Skilled Workers
China: September 1, 2020
India: July 1, 2012
All other countries: September 8, 2022
EB-3 Other Workers
China: January 1, 2017
India: July 1, 2012
Philippines: May 1, 2020
All other countries: September 8, 2020
EB-4
All countries: December 1, 2019*
*The EB-4 Non-Minister Religious Worker program will become unavailable for all countries on March 8, 2024, unless it is reauthorized by legislation.
EB-5 Unreserved (Regional Center and Non-Regional Center)
China: December 15, 2015
India: December 1, 2020
All other countries: Current
EB-5 Set-Asides
Rural: Current for all countries
High Unemployment: Current for all countries
Infrastructure: Current for all countries