The April 2024 Visa Bulletin has been released. As we hoped, the April 2024 Visa Bulletin joined in the newly realized trend and announced only positive shifts in priority dates. While this month didn’t see as monumental amount of shifts as the March 2024 Visa Bulletin brought with it, April brings news of significant positive shifts in key categories. Despite many categories having received news of positive change in the previous announcements, the April 2024 Visa Bulletin delivers news of those categories receiving even more positive shifts. We suspect this is a direct result of the USCIS weighing the results of the previous months’ announcements with a lens that favors higher visa processing and efficiency.
In our April 2024 Visa Bulletin Predictions article, we noted that there was significant reasoning for us to worry the oncoming of a Bulletin announcement that brings retrogression after three consecutive months of priority dates pushing forward. However, we also noted that the March 2024 Visa Bulletin became the last piece in the puzzle to confidently identify the rising trend in 2024 Visa Bulletin updates. It doesn’t come as a shock that April did not bring news of large shifts like the March 2024 Visa Bulletin brought. We did, however, also predict a possibility of the USCIS choosing to opt for a stagnancy in priority date shifts to cope with the slew of positive shifts from last month. While most dates remained stagnant, it came as a pleasant surprise that April did not become the trend breaker and announce a retrogression, but rather, found room for some positive shifts in priority dates.
The USCIS has brought only news of positive shifts in priority dates, much to many visa applicants joy. It is brightly evident that the USCIS has made visa processing a priority this year. With the H-1B FY 2025 lottery process launching into full swing during the same month as the April 2024 Visa Bulletin announcement, it makes sense that the USCIS would have decided that there was a need to slow down on Family Sponsored Visas and Employment Visas. It is great news that the USCIS still found room for dates to be pushed in high demand visa categories.
It is also very worthwhile to note that, at the end of 2023, we had been notified by the USCIS that the Certain Religious Workers category was no longer going to be authorized. However, we saw their priority dates get renewed and some months even saw a positive shift in those dates. Alas, the April 2024 Visa Bulletin brings news that the Certain Religious Workers category is now, officially, unauthorized.
Let’s take a look at the results of the April 2024 Visa Bulletin.
April 2024 Visa Bulletin Results
Here are the results of the April 2024 Visa Bulletin and the priority date changes for both family and employment-based categories.
Family-based
Final Action Date
- F2A All Other Chargeable Areas – June 22, 2020 to September 8, 2020 + 2 months & 17 days
- F2A China – June 22, 2020 to September 8, 2020 + 2 months & 17 days
- F2A India – June 22, 2020 to September 8, 2020 + 2 months & 17 days
- F2A Mexico – June 15, 2020 to August 15, 2020 + 1 month
- F2A Philippines – June 22, 2020 to September 8, 2020 + 2 months & 17 days
Date of Filing Application
- No changes
Employment-based
Final Action Date
- EB1 China – July 15, 2022 to September 1, 2022 + 1 month & 17 days
- EB1 India – October 1, 2020 to March 1, 20221 + 5 months
- EB2 All Other Chargeable Areas – November 22, 2022 to January 1, 2023 + 1 month & 10 days
- EB2 China – January 1, 2020 to February 1, 2020 + 1 month
- EB2 India – March 1, 2012 to April 1, 2012 + 1 month
- EB2 Mexico – November 22, 2022 to January 1, 2023 + 1 month & 10 days
- EB2 Philippines – November 22, 2022 to January 1, 2023 + 1 month & 10 days
- EB3 All Other Chargeable Areas – September 8, 2022 to November 22, 2022 + 2 months & 21 days
- EB3 India – July 1, 2012 to August 15, 2012 + 1 month & 14 days
- EB3 Mexico – September 8, 2022 to November 22, 2022 + 2 months & 21 days
- EB3 Philippines – September 8, 2022 to November 22, 2022 + 2 months & 21 days
- Other Workers All Other Chargeable Areas -September 8, 2020 to October 8, 2020 + 1 month
- Other Workers India – July 1, 2012 to August 15, 2012 + 1 month & 14 days
- Other Workers Mexico -September 8, 2020 to October 8, 2020 + 1 month
- Other Workers All Other Chargeable Areas -September 8, 2020 to October 8, 2020 + 1 month
- EB4 All Other Categories – December 1, 2019 to November 1, 2020 + 11 months
- EB4 China – December 1, 2019 to November 1, 2020 + 11 months
- EB4 India – December 1, 2019 to November 1, 2020 + 11 months
- EB4 Mexico – December 1, 2019 to November 1, 2020 + 11 months
- EB4 Philippines – December 1, 2019 to November 1, 2020 + 11 months
As we noted earlier, it is vital to note that the April 2024 Visa Bulletin brings news that the Certain Religious Workers category is no longer authorizing numbers for issuance.
Date of Filing Application
- EB1 India – January 1, 2021 to April 1, 2021 + 3 months
- EB3 India – August 1, 2012 to September 15, 2012 + 1 month & 14 days
- Other Workers India – August 1, 2012 to September 15, 2012 + 1 month & 14 days
- EB4 All Other Chargeable Areas – January 1, 2020 to December 1, 2020 + 11 months
- EB4 China – January 1, 2020 to December 1, 2020 + 11 months
- EB4 India – January 1, 2020 to December 1, 2020 + 11 months
- EB4 Mexico – January 1, 2020 to December 1, 2020 + 11 months
- EB4 Philippines – January 1, 2020 to December 1, 2020 + 11 months
- Certain Religious Workers All Other Chargeable Areas – January 1, 2020 to December 1, 2020 + 11 months
- Certain Religious Workers China – January 1, 2020 to December 1, 2020 + 11 months
- Certain Religious Workers India – January 1, 2020 to December 1, 2020 + 11 months
- Certain Religious Workers Mexico – January 1, 2020 to December 1, 2020 + 11 months
- Certain Religious Workers Philippines – January 1, 2020 to December 1, 2020 + 11 months
Why Has the USCIS Only Announced Positive Shifts in Priority Dates in 2024?
As the April 2024 Visa Bulletin announcement marks another month of positive shifts in priority dates, we begin to wonder: why has the USCIS only announced positive changes in priority dates this year? It is almost unprecedented to see such significant changes consecutively, month after month. As we stated in our January 2024 Visa Bulletin Results and Analysis article, it is not shocking that the year starts off at a high and faces retrogression as the results of the start of the year are weighed. However, we haven’t seen any action from the USCIS to pull back priority dates this year.
Despite the H-1B FY 2025 lottery season starting during the same week as the announcement of the April 2024 Visa Bulletin, this announcement, too, has only brought news of priority dates shifting positively. Beyond that, the USCIS has been hard at work this year, introducing new systems and processing capabilities to increase the efficiency of visa granting. Why now? What triggered this wave of change?
A recent announcement for the H-1B FY 2025 lottery season may be the answer we have been looking for. As the lottery season kicks off, the USCIS announced monumental shift in its mindset and actions going forward. The department recognized the corruption and unfair practices it was riddled with and wants to actively strive for creating a more efficient and just system for visa applicants. This is a change we are all elated to see.
We can only look to the future with hopeful eyes as the USCIS continues to implement changes that combat the corruption and roadblock riddled system it used to sport.
May 2024 Visa Bulletin Predictions
The April 2024 Visa Bulletin announcement brings news of yet another Bulletin announcement this year that reported only positive date shifts, adding a fourth member to the growing trend in the Visa Bulletin announcements of 2024.
Each Bulletin announcement makes us all more hopeful that the next one will bring even more positive shifts with it. However, visa demand only gets higher and higher with each year. This renewed hope can also lead to a large influx of visa applications as prospective applicants see the consecutive positive news and grow more hopeful that their chances for a visa being granted will increase. Is there reason for us to worry that the USCIS will pull back priority dates in its next announcement when faced with increased visa applications?
While it is clear that the USCIS is working tirelessly behind the scenes to increase their visa processing capacity, if visa application numbers grow at the same pace, there could be reason for the USCIS to pull back in their efforts.
It is always wise to stay cautious and expect that the next month may bring news of a stagnant priority dates or even retrogression. After seeing only positive shifts in the past few months, we cannot dismiss the possibility that the USCIS sees enough reason to pull back on their steadfast efforts after weighing the results of the first quarter of the year.
That all being said, we cannot dismiss the hope that the USCIS find their efforts fruitful and sees room for more pushes in priority dates. Let us remain hopeful that the May 2024 Visa Bulletin follows in the steps of its predecessors and announces more positive shifts in priority dates.
Check back soon for our detailed May 2024 Visa Bulletin Predictions article. See the U.S. Department of State website to view the April 2024 Visa Bulletin.
