July 2024 Visa Bulletin Shows Regression in Global EB-3 Expiration Date | Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart, PC

The US State Department from July 2024 Visa Bulletin confirms earlier predictions of backlogs in the employment-based immigrant visa process for EB-3 professionals and workers. According to the State Department, high demand has “made it necessary to push back the global EB-3 end date” by more than 11 months – to December 1, 2021 – effective in July.

Quick hits

• The final action dates for EB-2 are being brought forward for all areas.
• The final action date for EB-3 for “worldwide” countries (i.e., countries not listed elsewhere), Mexico, and the Philippines will be pushed back by more than eleven months.

The final EB-1 action date for India will be postponed by eleven months to February 1, 2022, for China by two months to November 1, 2022, and for all other countries the current date will remain.

In the EB-2 category, the final action date for China is brought forward by one month to March 1, 2020. In all other countries, including India, the date is brought forward by two months. (India is brought forward to June 15, 2012; all other countries to March 15, 2023.)

As mentioned above, the EB-3 deadline for “worldwide” countries, Mexico, and the Philippines is moving forward by more than eleven months to December 1, 2021. The deadline for India, on the other hand, is moving forward by one month to September 22, 2012, and for China it remains at September 1, 2020.

While the table below shows that the final action dates for EB-1 and EB-2 will be brought forward from the dates listed in June 2024 Visa BulletinThe current update confirms predictions of setbacks and slowdowns leading to significant backlogs in the employment-based visa process.

Source: US State Department, July 2024 Visa Bulletin

In June 2024 Visa BulletinThe State Department noted that due to high demand, a “delay of the worldwide EB-3 end date (including Mexico and the Philippines)” in July would be necessary. The State Department confirmed in July 2024 Visa Bulletin that continued high demand in the EB-3 category will likely require a further postponement of the final action date or unavailability of the category in August.