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What Is the Visa Bulletin?
If you or a family member has applied for an immigrant visa you may have heard of the “visa bulletin.” The visa bulletin provides information about the current waiting list for quota-restricted visas. It is especially important for citizens and green card holders who are looking to sponsor a family member or bring a spouse to USA, and the family members who are being sponsored by a U.S.-based relative.
The U.S. Department of State publishes an updated copy of the visa bulletin each month. It shows which green card applications can advance based on the filing date of their I-130 petition. The visa bulletin can also help you predict when you may be able to obtain a green card.
What Is the Purpose of the Visa Bulletin?
The Department of State is the governmental body that is responsible for the visa bulletin. The visa bulletin’s main objective is to give quota-restricted immigrants access to a current waiting list and visa availability information. The visa bulletin is easily accessible online and is regularly updated.
It is important to access the most recent bulletin to determine your priority and final action dates. A visa will not be issued unless the applicant’s priority date is earlier than the final action date or cut off date listed in the bulletin.
Your priority date is based on the filing date of your Form I-130: Petition for Alien Relative. The visa bulletin will note what priority dates are current and indicate when applicants can move ahead with filing visa applications.
Visa Bulletin Updates
The Department of State typically updates the visa bulletin on a monthly basis. These updates are based on calculations of the current backlog of petitions and the projected dates more immigrant visas will become available. You can use the visa bulletin to determine if your priority date is current.
Your priority date determines your exact position in line. When your priority date becomes current, you have technically reached the top of the list for available visas in your category. The monthly visa bulletin provides the current priority dates and final action dates. This information ultimately indicates who is eligible to claim their immigrant visa.
Visa Bulletin Categories
An applicant’s relationship to their sponsor determines their visa bulletin category. Priority for immigrant visas varies. The following family preference categories are included in the visa bulletin:
F1 – Unmarried sons and daughters (age 21 or over) of U.S. citizens
F2A – Spouses and unmarried children (under age 21) of lawful permanent residents
F2B – Unmarried adult sons and daughters of lawful permanent residents
F3 – Married sons and daughters (age 21 or over) of U.S. citizens
F4 – Brothers and sisters of U.S. citizens
If none of these categories apply to your familial situation, it may be because you are considered an “immediate relative” or you are not eligible for a family-sponsored visa.
Immediate relatives are the spouse, parent or unmarried child (under age 21) of a U.S. citizen. There is no yearly cap on the total number of visas awarded to immediate relatives. Since IR visas do not have an annual quota, they are not included in the visa bulletin.
The visa bulletin also lists the availability of employment-based visas for certain qualified immigrants. The employment-based visa categories listed in the visa bulletin are:
EB-1 – Priority workers
EB-2 – Professionals with advanced degrees
EB-3 – Professionals and other workers
EB-4 – Religious workers
EB-4 – Special immigrant juveniles
EB-5 – Investors
Additionally, countries like India, Mexico, Philippines and mainland China have separate columns in the visa bulletin. This is because these countries’ demand for green cards is greater than the 7% cap set for all other countries.
Your priority date is based on the filing date of your Form I-130: Petition for Alien Relative. The visa bulletin will note what priority dates are current and indicate when applicants can move ahead with filing visa applications.
Visa Bulletin Updates
The Department of State typically updates the visa bulletin on a monthly basis. These updates are based on calculations of the current backlog of petitions and the projected dates more immigrant visas will become available. You can use the visa bulletin to determine if your priority date is current.
Your priority date determines your exact position in line. When your priority date becomes current, you have technically reached the top of the list for available visas in your category. The monthly visa bulletin provides the current priority dates and final action dates. This information ultimately indicates who is eligible to claim their immigrant visa.
Visa Bulletin Categories
An applicant’s relationship to their sponsor determines their visa bulletin category. Priority for immigrant visas varies. The following family preference categories are included in the visa bulletin:
F1 – Unmarried sons and daughters (age 21 or over) of U.S. citizens
F2A – Spouses and unmarried children (under age 21) of lawful permanent residents
F2B – Unmarried adult sons and daughters of lawful permanent residents
F3 – Married sons and daughters (age 21 or over) of U.S. citizens
F4 – Brothers and sisters of U.S. citizens
If none of these categories apply to your familial situation, it may be because you are considered an “immediate relative” or you are not eligible for a family-sponsored visa.
Immediate relatives are the spouse, parent or unmarried child (under age 21) of a U.S. citizen. There is no yearly cap on the total number of visas awarded to immediate relatives. Since IR visas do not have an annual quota, they are not included in the visa bulletin.
The visa bulletin also lists the availability of employment-based visas for certain qualified immigrants. The employment-based visa categories listed in the visa bulletin are:
EB-1 – Priority workers
EB-2 – Professionals with advanced degrees
EB-3 – Professionals and other workers
EB-4 – Religious workers
EB-4 – Special immigrant juveniles
EB-5 – Investors
Additionally, countries like India, Mexico, Philippines and mainland China have separate columns in the visa bulletin. This is because these countries’ demand for green cards is greater than the 7% cap set for all other countries.
How Do I Check My Priority Date?
Your priority date is the date the I-130 petition was received by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). Your priority date can also be found on the I-797 document that USCIS sends the applicant after accepting the I-130 petition.
How Can I Expedite My Visa Application?
You may be eligible for an expedited consular interview if you have unexpected circumstances that meet certain special conditions, such as a medical emergency. You should submit documentation and proof of these conditions before you request an expedited appointment. You can only submit one request for an expedited appointment and, if it is found that your reasons are exaggerated or misrepresented, it could hurt your visa application.
Expedited Appointment Process
Step 1: Pay the application fee for the visa.
Step 2: Fill out and submit the Nonimmigrant Visa Electronic Application or DS-160 form.
Step 3: After submitting your DS-160 form online, you will be prompted to make an appointment reservation for the earliest available time slot. It is important to note that there may not be an expedited appointment available earlier than your current scheduled visa interview time.
Step 4: If your expedited application is approved, you will be notified via email to book your expedited appointment online.
Step 5: Go to your appointment at the U.S. embassy or consulate on the scheduled date and time, and bring the following items:
Appointment letter (hardcopy);
DS-160 confirmation page;
Current passport (and previous passports);
Updated personal picture.
Let Andrew T. Thomas, Attorneys at Law Help You Through the Immigration Process
At Andrew T. Thomas, Attorneys at Law, we believe that everyone should achieve their ideal standard of living, as simply as possible. Our law firm is committed to helping you track your citizenship, residency or visa applications.
We are pleased to offer our services to immigrants and noncitizens living inside and outside the country. Our mission is to successfully guide our clients through the challenging U.S. immigration process. For those already residing in the United States, we can help with your adjustment status application.
Call us at 972-200-2850 to learn how we can help you reunite with your family in the United States.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Is the 2024 Fiscal Year Limit for Family-Sponsored Preference Visas?
The 2024 fiscal year runs from October 1, 2023 until September 30, 2024. A limit of 226,000 family-sponsored preference visas are available for FY 2024 . The number of visas available annually is determined by Section 201 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA).
What Do I Need to Do if I Am Already in the US?
If you are eligible to apply for a green card, you may apply for an adjustment of status without leaving the country. This also allows you to apply for work and travel permits.
