Key Differences Between November vs December 2024 Visa Bulletins: Changes Explained

Visa Verge
By Visa Verge - Senior Editor 18 Min Read

The Visa Bulletin, published monthly by the U.S. Department of State, is essential for understanding when applicants in various immigration categories can expect to proceed with their cases. Each month’s bulletin details “Final Action Dates” and “Dates for Filing Applications” for family- and employment-based immigrant visa applicants, as well as the availability of Diversity Immigrant Visas (DV).

The December 2024 Visa Bulletin introduces several updates, adjustments, and clarifications over the November 2024 version. This analysis compares the two months’ bulletins to highlight notable changes, improvements, and any consistent elements. This review can help applicants and their families understand potential impacts on timelines and application processes.


Key Sections and Changes Overview

  1. Family-Sponsored Preference Immigrant Visas
  2. Employment-Based Preference Immigrant Visas
  3. Diversity Immigrant (DV) Visas
  4. Special Immigrant Visas (SIVs) and Religious Workers (SR) Category

Each category will be covered with a focus on “Final Action Dates” and “Dates for Filing Applications,” noting changes in cutoff dates across regions.

VisaVerge.com Visa Bulletin Explorer
Visa Bulletin Explorer – December 2024

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Detailed Information

Category Final Action Date Date for Filing Movement

1. Family-Sponsored Preference Immigrant Visas

Key Differences Between November vs December 2024 Visa Bulletins: Changes Explained
Key Differences Between November vs December 2024 Visa Bulletins

In the family-sponsored preference categories, visa availability is divided by preference levels, including the F1, F2A, F2B, F3, and F4 categories. Each category’s cutoff dates may move forward, remain the same, or become “current” (indicated by a “C”).

Final Action Dates for Family-Sponsored Preference Cases

Family-SponsoredAll Chargeability Areas Except Those ListedChina-Mainland BornIndiaMexicoPhilippines
F122OCT1522OCT1522OCT1522NOV0401MAR12
F2A01JAN2201JAN2201JAN2215APR2101JAN22
F2B01MAY1601MAY1601MAY1601JUL0522OCT11
F315APR1015APR1015APR1022OCT0008SEP02
F401AUG0701AUG0708MAR0601MAR0101FEB04

Observations and Changes from November to December:

  • F1 Category: No changes were observed; dates remained the same across all categories.
  • F2A Category: The cutoff dates for all countries except Mexico remained “current.” For Mexico, the final action date is still 15APR21.
  • F2B Category: No adjustments; the dates for each chargeability area are consistent with November.
  • F3 and F4 Categories: No changes in the final action dates, which remain the same in both months.

In summary, no new movements or retrogressions were observed in the final action dates for family-sponsored visas from November to December 2024.


Dates for Filing Family-Sponsored Visa Applications

Family-SponsoredAll Chargeability Areas Except Those ListedChina-Mainland BornIndiaMexicoPhilippines
F101SEP1701SEP1701SEP1701OCT0522APR15
F2A15JUL2415JUL2415JUL2415JUL2415JUL24
F2B01JAN1701JAN1701JAN1701JUL0601OCT13
F322APR1222APR1222APR1215JUN0108MAY04
F401MAR0801MAR0801AUG0630APR0122JUL07

Observations and Changes from November to December:

Again, the dates for filing applications for family-sponsored visas remained static across all categories and regions in December as compared to November.


2. Employment-Based Preference Immigrant Visas

Employment-based preferences are organized into five categories, from EB-1 (Priority Workers) to EB-5 (Employment Creation).

Final Action Dates for Employment-Based Preference Cases

Employment-BasedAll Chargeability Areas Except Those ListedChina-Mainland BornIndiaMexicoPhilippines
EB-1C08NOV2201FEB22CC
EB-215MAR2322MAR2001AUG1215MAR2315MAR23
EB-315NOV2201APR2008NOV1215NOV2215NOV22
Other Workers01DEC2001JAN1708NOV1201DEC2001DEC20
EB-401JAN2101JAN2101JAN2101JAN2101JAN21
Certain Religious Workers01JAN2101JAN2101JAN2101JAN2101JAN21
EB-5 UnreservedC15JUL1601JAN22CC
EB-5 Rural Set-AsidesCCCCC
EB-5 High Unemployment Set-AsidesCCCCC
EB-5 Infrastructure Set-AsidesCCCCC

Key Observations:

  • EB-1 Category: India and China remain backlogged with dates unchanged, while all other areas remain “current.”
  • EB-2 Category: The cutoff dates stayed static for all regions; China and India continue to have earlier dates.
  • EB-3 Category: All countries saw no change, with China and India maintaining earlier cutoff dates.
  • Other Workers: No changes in dates; this category retains backlogs for certain regions.
  • EB-4 and Certain Religious Workers: No changes, with dates continuing to be at 01JAN21 across all chargeability areas.
  • EB-5 Unreserved and Set-Asides: No change in December; all areas remain current or unchanged from November.

The employment-based final action dates remained stable from November to December, with no progressions or retrogressions noted.


Dates for Filing Employment-Based Visa Applications

Employment-BasedAll Chargeability Areas Except Those ListedChina-Mainland BornIndiaMexicoPhilippines
EB-1C01JAN2315APR22CC
EB-201AUG2301OCT2001JAN1301AUG2301AUG23
EB-301MAR2315NOV2008JUN1301MAR2301MAR23
Other Workers22MAY2101JAN1808JUN1322MAY2122MAY21
EB-401FEB2101FEB2101FEB2101FEB2101FEB21
Certain Religious Workers01FEB2101FEB2101FEB2101FEB2101FEB21
EB-5 UnreservedC01OCT1601APR22CC
EB-5 Rural Set-AsidesCCCCC
EB-5 High Unemployment Set-AsidesCCCCC
EB-5 Infrastructure Set-AsidesCCCCC

No movements were noted in the dates for filing employment-based visa applications from November to December 2024. All regions and categories retained the same dates as previously published.


3. Diversity Immigrant (DV) Visa Category

The Diversity Visa (DV) program awards up to 55,000 visas per fiscal year to applicants from countries with low admission rates.

Rank Cutoff Numbers for Diversity Visa Applications

For December 2024, the cutoff rank numbers for DV-2025 remain largely unchanged for Africa, Asia, Europe, North America, Oceania, South America, and the Caribbean. However, there were some slight rank cutoff increases for certain regions:

  • Africa: The cutoff rank moved from 15,000 to 22,500, with Algeria, Egypt, and Morocco now capped at 22,000.
  • Asia: Increased cutoff rank for Nepal, rising from 2,950 in November to 3,500 in December.
  • Europe: Rank cutoff increased to 12,000, with Russia now at 11,750 and Uzbekistan at 7,750.
  • Other Regions: Minor increases for North America, Oceania, and South America/Caribbean.

Summary of DV Visa Availability Changes

  • Most regions saw minor increases in cutoff ranks, suggesting greater availability for DV-2025 applicants in December as compared to November.

4. Special Immigrant Visas (SIVs) and Religious Workers (SR) Category

Religious Workers (SR) Program Update

  • The SR program, for special religious worker immigrant visas, was extended to December 20, 2024. Visas issued before this date will expire, requiring applicants to enter the U.S. before midnight on December 19, 2024.

Conclusion

The December 2024 Visa Bulletin introduced minimal changes across family- and employment-based final action and filing dates compared to November, indicating stability. The Diversity Visa program saw increased cutoff ranks for most regions, providing additional access for December applicants. Additionally, the SR category extension allows religious workers additional time to secure their visas.

This analysis provides an accessible and thorough comparison of the November and December Visa Bulletins, highlighting shifts that affect a range of applicants and categories. For those tracking visa progress, these changes signal a period of consistency with minor opportunities for those in the DV and SR categories.

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