JANUARY 2024 VISA BULLETIN: DATES ADVANCE. WILL ADVANCEMENTS CONTINUE?

The Department of State has just issued the January 2024 Visa Bulletin, which is the third of the 2024 US fiscal year.  This blog post analyzes this month's Visa Bulletin. 

Visa Bulletin

Table A: Final Action Dates -- Applications with these dates may be approved for their Green Card (Permanent Residency card) or Immigrant Visa appointment.

Employment- based	All Chargeability  Areas Except Those Listed	CHINA- mainland  born	INDIA	MEXICO	PHILIPPINES
1st	C	01JUL22	01SEP20	C	C
2nd	01NOV22	01JAN20	01MAR12	01NOV22	01NOV22
3rd	01AUG22	01SEP20	01JUN12	01AUG22	01AUG22

Table B: Dates of Filing

The USCIS is expected to use the Table B Dates of Filing chart for I-485 employment-based filings. See: USCIS Visa Bulletin Dates

MU Law Analysis

This was a very positive Visa Bulletin.  Nearly every category advanced.  Philippine and All Other EB-3 leaped forward eight months, allowing thousands to obtain green cards.  China EB-3 advanced seven months.  Even India EB-3 moved forward by one month. 

Similar advancements happened in EB-2, with India and China EB-2 (each two months), and Philippine and All Other EB-2 (three and a half months) all progressing.  We even saw EB-1 advancements in India and China.  India EB-1 jumped three and a half years, and China moved ahead by four and a half months.

MU expected advancements.  We expect slow progress in the near future, with occasional bursts like in this January Visa Bulletin.  We still believe that there is some slack in the EB-3 numbers (non-India and China) and would not be surprised to see the EB-3 dates advance into late 2022 or even 2023 before the end of the summer.