Visa Bulletin For March 2024

The US Department of State has published the March 2024 visa bulletin. It provides information on what you should know if you are awaiting your priority date for green card processing. This visa bulletin includes information about immigrant numbers available in March, including “final action dates” and “dates for filing applications.”

It also outlines when you need to submit the necessary documentation to the NVC. If you want to file an adjustment of status application, you will need to use the “final action dates” charts. If you need to file more visas than there are known applicants, you can use the “dates for filing visa applications” charts.

Determination of priority dates

Consular officers submit qualified applicants for numerical visas to the DOS, and USCIS submits applicants for status adjustments. Allocations are calculated chronologically for the demand received through February 6.

If demand exceeds supply, the category(s) or foreign state(s) shall be declared oversubscribed. For oversubscribed categories, the final action date shall be the initial applicant (s) ‘s priority date (s).

Supplemental requests for numbers will be honored only if the priority day(s) fall within the new set of final action dates. Preference categories will be unavailable when there is an annual limit.

Family-based preferences visas

The United States has four family-based preferences for limiting the number of visas that can be issued. The first preference is unmarried sons and daughters (23,400 plus visas). The second preference goes to spouses and children of permanent residents (114,200 plus visas).

The third preference goes to married sons and daughters of US citizens (23,400 plus visas). The fourth preference goes to adult brothers and sisters of US citizens (65,000 plus additional numbers unused under the first three preferences).

Final action dates for family-based preferences

F2A numbers with no per-country limit for March are authorized to be issued to candidates in all countries with priority dates before 15 June 2020. F2A numbers with a per-country limit are authorized to issue candidates fee-only in all countries except Mexico with priority dates before 15 June 20 and 22 June 20. All Mexican F2A are exempt from the per-country limit.

The filing dates for family-based visa applications

The dates listed on the chart correspond to the submission dates for visa applications within a time frame that justifies immediate action in your visa application process.

If you are an immigrant visa applicant and you have a priority date before the application date listed on the chart, you will be able to compile and submit all of the documents you need to meet the requirements of your visa application.

You will receive detailed instructions on how to do this after you receive a notification from your National Visa Center (NVC). If your visa category is oversubscribed, your application date will be the first day you can submit your immigrant visa application to your NVC.

If your category is “current,” all applicants in your category can submit applications regardless of your priority date.

Final action dates for employment-based preferences

As soon as the employment third preference other workers (EW) cut-off dates reach the priority date for the latest EW petition approved before November 19, 1997, the number of 10,000 EW numbers available for any given fiscal year shall be reduced by a maximum of 5,000 each year beginning in the subsequent fiscal year.

The reduction shall be made for as long as possible to offset EW adjustments under NACARA. As the EW final action date reaches November 19, 1997, during the 2001 fiscal year, the annual limit of 5,000 reduction begins in the fiscal year 2002. For the fiscal year 2024, the reduction shall be limited to about 150.

The filing dates for employment-based visa applications

The dates on the chart correspond to when you need to submit your application within a certain time frame.

If you have an immigrant visa with a priority date before the application date listed on the chart, you can collect and submit the required documents to your Department of State’s national visa center. Your National Visa Center will provide detailed instructions on how to do this.

If there is an oversupply of immigrant visa applications for your category, your priority date will be the date of application of the first applicant who can’t submit documentation for their immigrant visa to your National Visa Center. If your category is “current,” you can file regardless of your priority date.

DV visas

Under the INA, Section 203(c) allows for up to 55,000 DV visas annually. This will allow additional immigration opportunities for individuals from countries with low admission rates during the preceding five years.

The NACARA provides that starting with DV-99 and for an indefinite period of time, up to 5,000 DV visas will be available for NACARA program use. Visa numbers made available by NACARA for FY 2023 will reduce the annual DV-2024 limit to about 54,850.

Section 5104 of the NDAA for fiscal year 2024 amends the NACARA’s provisions regarding the DV program. The number of visas available under this provision will be subtracted from the 55,000 DV visas allocated annually. These changes will not affect the number of DV visas available through FY 2025.

DV visas are divided into six geographic regions. No country may receive more than 7 percent of the available DV visas annually. Immigrant numbers are available for March for the DV category and are chargeable for all regions/eligible countries, as shown below.

When an allocation cut-off number is displayed, visas are only available for DV regional lottery rank number applicants as below:

Conclusion

Understanding the US visa bulletin requires immigration skills and experience. This is no surprise, as immigration is complex. Immigration information and rules constantly change, making understanding how they affect your situation difficult. To stay ahead of your situation, you should hire a good immigration lawyer.

At Gehi and Associates, we prioritize simplifying the complex details of immigration for our clients. This helps them understand how the rules affect their case and take advantage of available opportunities. If you are confused about immigration, contact us today for clarifications.