Visa Bulletin For September 2024

The Visa Bulletin for September 2024, issued by the U.S. Department of State, outlines the availability of immigrant visa numbers for family-sponsored and employment-based categories, indicating when applicants can submit documentation to the National Visa Center (NVC) and file for adjustment of status. This bulletin is critical for applicants, as it sets the "Final Action Dates" and "Dates for Filing" for various preference categories, dictating when visas can be processed.

Key Sections of the Bulletin:

1. Final Action Dates and Filing Dates for Immigrant Visas

• The Final Action Dates chart lists the cutoff dates for each preference category. When a category is oversubscribed, only applicants with a priority date earlier than the listed date can receive a visa.

• The Dates for Filing chart shows when applicants can submit their required documentation to the NVC. If a category is "current," all applicants in that category may file regardless of priority date.

2. Family-Sponsored Immigrant Visa Limits

• The fiscal year 2024 limit for family-sponsored immigrant visas is 226,000. Within this total, there are various preference categories, such as:

  • F1: Unmarried sons and daughters of U.S. citizens.

  • F2: Spouses, children, and unmarried sons/daughters of permanent residents.

  • F3: Married sons and daughters of U.S. citizens.

  • F4: Brothers and sisters of adult U.S. citizens.

• For each of these categories, the bulletin provides specific cut-off dates to manage visa allocation effectively.

3. Employment-Based Immigrant Visa Limits

• The worldwide limit for employment-based immigrant visas in fiscal year 2024 is 160,791. The bulletin categorizes these visas into:

  • EB-1: Priority workers.

  • EB-2: Professionals holding advanced degrees or exceptional ability.

  • EB-3: Skilled workers, professionals, and other workers.

  • EB-4: Certain special immigrants.

  • EB-5: Employment creation visas (investors).

• Specific rules for allocating visas under each of these categories include provisions for the use of any unused visa numbers from other categories.

4. Per-Country Limits and Oversubscription

• Per-country limits are set at 7% of the combined total family-sponsored and employment-based preference limits, amounting to 27,075 for FY 2024. Dependent area limits are set at 2%, or 7,736.

• Certain countries, like China, India, Mexico, and the Philippines, frequently experience oversubscription due to high demand, which leads to longer waiting periods. When demand exceeds the available visa numbers, the final action dates for these countries are retrogressed or pushed back.

5. Diversity Visa (DV) Program

• The Diversity Visa (DV) Program provides up to 55,000 visas annually to applicants from countries with low rates of immigration to the United States. The bulletin lists the cut-off numbers for various regions to ensure a fair distribution.

• For September 2024, the cutoff numbers for regions such as Africa, Asia, Europe, and others are detailed, dictating when applicants can proceed with their visa application process.

6. Procedures and Priority Date Management

• Consular officers and USCIS report qualified applicants to the Department of State, which allocates visa numbers based on the priority dates of petitions. The priority date is the date when the immigration petition was filed and serves as the applicant's place in line for visa processing.

• The bulletin also describes procedures for when annual visa limits are reached, indicating that if demand exceeds supply, some categories may be marked as "unavailable."

Additional Notes:

• Retrogression: In some cases, due to high demand, the final action dates for specific categories may be retrogressed, or moved backward, affecting applicants' ability to proceed with their applications.

• Special Immigrant Visas (SIVs): The bulletin addresses specific visas for U.S. government employees abroad under the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), along with certain procedures for obtaining these visas.

Conclusion

The Visa Bulletin is an essential resource for individuals navigating the U.S. immigration process. By outlining the Final Action Dates, Filing Dates, and visa allocation rules for both family-sponsored and employment-based immigrants, it serves as a guideline for when applicants can move forward with their visa applications. Understanding the categories, limits, and priority date system is crucial for managing expectations and planning for the green card process.