The United States Department of State has eased its December Visa Bulletin, demonstrating little progression in specific job-based (EB) visa classifications. These updates are necessary for foreign candidates facing significant backlogs in green card procedures.
The past bulletin pointed out significant modifications for green card seekers, primarily within family-sponsored classifications for foreign citizens.
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Family-Sponsored Green Cards And Employment-Based Preferences
The current visa bill explicitly summarizes family-sponsored requests and stipulates immigrant visa classifications and priority dates. This information is essential for candidates tracking their green card procedure, as it assists in stipulating qualifications for filing.
Family-sponsored Visa Caps For 2024
For the fiscal year 2024, the limit for family-sponsored green cards is 226,000. Every classification has specific allocations, and there are per-nation caps to ensure an equitable allocation of visas among candidates from various countries. Below is a summary of the significant family-sponsored preferences:
- First preference (F1): Sons and daughters of United States nationals who are unmarried – 23,400 visas, with extra from the fourth preference.
- Second preference (F2): Partners and kids of permanent residents and sons and daughters who are not married.
- F2A: Partners and children of permanent residents receive 77 percent of the F2 cap, with 75 percent excluded from each nation’s limit.
- F2B: Sons and daughters of permanent residents who are 21 years old and above and not married for 23 percent of the F2 cap.
- Third preference (F3): Sons and daughters of United States nationals who are married – 23,400 visas with any leftover from the first and second preferences.
- Fourth preference (F4): Siblings of adult United States nationals – 65,000 visas and any unused numbers from the past classifications.
Updates In Employment-based (EB) Classifications
The December bulletin is crucial for people seeking green cards via employment-based classification. It stipulates the earliest dates for visa provision and the authorization of changes of status requests.
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December Cut-off Dates For Employment-based Visas
- EB-1 (priority employees): The last action date for foreigners will remain consistent on 1st February 2022.
- EB-2( Developed degree experts): A two-week progression puts the new cut-off date at 1st August 2012.
- EB-3 (Experts and experienced employees): Advancement is restricted, with a one-week adjustment to 8th November 2012.
- EB-3 (other employees): This class matches with EB-3 experts and was developed on 8th November 2012.
- EB-5 (Immigrant investors): The cut-off for the EB-5 Unreserved classes is 1st January 2022. The term’ unreserved classes’ refers to categories within the EB-5 visa classification not subject to specific restrictions, such as those for rural, high unemployment, and infrastructure. These categories remain open for all nations.
Upcoming USCIS Announcement On Changes Of Status
The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is anticipated to declare whether it will approve changes of status requests for December depending on the Final Action Dates or Dates for filing chart. This chart, published in the Visa Bulletin, guides you on when to file your application and when it may be approved.
It is crucial to regularly check the USCIS visa bulletin website for updates on this issue, as it will specify when candidates can present change requests.
Knowing The U.S. Visa Bulletin
The Visa Bulletin, posted monthly by the Department of State, is a crucial guide for candidates on visa obtainability for different green card classifications.
It demonstrates the time a candidate can progress in the relocation procedure, depending on the number of awaiting and visa requests. Every month, changes are carried out to portray the obtainability of visas in different classes, enabling candidates to plan accordingly.
