July 2024 Visa Bulletin

On June 9, 2021, the US Department of State published the Visa Bulletin for July 2021. So, what is new in the bulletin? Let’s find out.

July 21021 Visa Bulletin Overview

According to the Visa Bulletin’s “Final Action Dates” table, USCIS (US Citizenship and Immigration Services) USCIS stated on June 18, 2021, that it would accept employment-based Forms I-485, Applications to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status, next month.

Updates by Status

Final action cutoff dates for granting of an immigrant visa will be as following, as per the State Department’s July Visa Bulletin:

EB1 Category (Employment-Based, First Preference)

Employment First Preference visas (EB-1) are intended for people who have been recognized as priority employees. EB-1 visas are divided into three categories:

• EB-1A visas are reserved for those who have demonstrated exceptional education, athletics, the arts, business, or science.
• Outstanding researchers and teachers are eligible for EB-1B visas.
• Multinational executives and managers are eligible for EB-1C visas.

Updated Cut-off Dates:

All nations will remain current, including China and India.

EB2 Category (Employment-Based, Second Preference)

Foreign employees with advanced degrees, extraordinary aptitude, and/or who wish to immigrate in the national interest are eligible for Employment Second Preference (EB-2) visas.

• The EB-2 visa is for professionals with a baccalaureate degree or an advanced degree and a minimum of five years of experience.
• Professionals with extraordinary abilities must possess a level of competence that is well
• Aliens requesting a national interest waiver must show that their immigration to the United States would benefit the country in the long run due to their extraordinary abilities in the arts, sciences, or business.

Updated Cut-off Dates:

All nations, excluding India and China, will maintain their current status. India will gain six months until June 1, 2011, while China will gain seven months, to December 1, 2017.

Employment-Based, Third Preference (EB3)

Skilled and unskilled workers and professionals are eligible for Employment Third Preference visas (EB-3 visas). These terms are defined as:

•  Professionals are those whose jobs need at least a four-year university or college education.
•  Skilled employees are individuals with work experience of two years
• Unskilled workers will fill non-seasonal jobs requiring less than two years of work experience.

Updated Cut-off Dates:

All nations, except India and China, will maintain their existing status. India’s cutoff dates will be moved forward fourteen months to January 1, 2013, while China’s will be moved forward four months to January 1, 2019.

Updated Cut-off Dates For Other Workers:

The cutoff dates for EB3 other employees are the same as the EB3 cutoff dates for every nation except for China. The cutoff date for the EB3 category for other employees in China has been moved to December 1, 2009.

EB4 Category (Employment-Based, Fourth Preference)

Special immigrants are eligible for Employment Fourth Preference visas (EB-4 visas). The majority of these visas are reserved for religious employees.

Updated Cut-off Dates:

All dates are current for chargeable nations except for Mexico, El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras. Mexico’s EB4 cutoff date has been pushed out to February 1, 2020. El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras’ EB4 deadlines have been moved forward to December 1, 2018.

 EB5 Category (Employment-Based, Fifth Preference)

Foreign investors are eligible for Employment Fifth Preferences visas (EB-5 visas). EB-5 visa candidates must spend $900,000 or $1.8 million in a US business organization that produces at least ten full-time job opportunities to qualify.

Updated Cut-off Dates:

Except for Vietnam and China, the Non-Regional Center program will continue to stay in effect. Vietnam will gain nearly two years until April 1, 2020, while China will gain seven weeks till November 8, 2015. However, the Regional Center program is scheduled to expire on June 30 unless Congress reauthorizes it through legislation. If reauthorized, the Regional Center program’s final action dates will be the same as the Non-Regional Center program’s.

Impact of President Biden’s Rescission of Proclamation 10014 on the Issuance of Immigrant Visas

President Biden, in February 2021, decided to revoke Presidential Proclamation 10014 and remove the temporary suspension of the granting of visas for most immigrant and non-immigrant visa categories. Still, due to COVID-19 safety risks, operational capacity at US embassies and consulates worldwide remains a challenge.

While certain embassies prioritize immigrant visa processing for spouses of US citizens, public health and safety considerations remain crucial, according to the Department of State. Furthermore, the suspension of most visa procedures has resulted in significant backlogs at US embassies and consulates.

Candidates who were earlier liable to Proclamation 10014’s immigrant visa restriction may resume pre-processing their applications. Still, their cases will not be confirmed for an interview until Embassies and Consulates continue normal operations. Because this is likely to take some time, candidates should expect lengthy delays. In addition, those who have previously been denied an immigrant visa must wait for instructions from the US Consulate that is overseeing their case.

Read More

• How Do I Speak to a Live Person at USCIS?
• How Many Citizenships Can You Have?
• How Do I Know Which USCIS Service Center?
• How Do I Know If USCIS Received My Application?
• What “Country of Residence” and How to Know Yours When on a Visa
• How to Check Dropbox Eligibility with the App

Conclusion

We’ll keep you up to date by attentively keeping a check on the developments and forecasts relating to the monthly visa bulletin.

Frank Gogol

I’m a firm believer that information is the key to financial freedom. On the Stilt Blog, I write about the complex topics — like finance, immigration, and technology — to help immigrants make the most of their lives in the U.S. Our content and brand have been featured in Forbes, TechCrunch, VentureBeat, and more.

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