Visa bulletin for April 2024: what changed

Pursuant to H.R. 7463, signed on March 1, 2024, the non-minister special immigrant program expires on March 22, 2024. No SR visas may be issued overseas, or final action taken on adjustment of status cases, after midnight March 21, 2024. Visas issued prior to that date will be valid only until March 21, 2024, and all individuals seeking admission in the non-minister special immigrant category must be admitted (repeat admitted) into the United States no later than midnight March 21, 2024.

The SR category is listed as “Unavailable” for all countries for April. In the event there is legislative action extending the category, it is likely it will become available effective immediately. If extended, the category will be subject to the same final action dates as the listed Employment-Based Fourth Preference categories per applicable foreign state of chargeability.

FAMILY-sponsored categories (potential movement):

Worldwide dates:

F1: Up to three months F2A (excluding Mexico): Up to six months F2B: Up to ten weeks F3: Several months F4: Up to four weeks

Mexico:

F1: Up to four months F2A: Up to three months F2B: Several months F3: Up to six months F4: Up to three months

Philippines:

F3: Several months F4: Several months

EMPLOYMENT-based categories: Very little to no forward movement is expected in the coming months since the final action dates for many categories advanced for April 2024.

The above final action date projections for the Family and Employment categories indicate what is likely to happen throughout Quarter Three and Quarter Four of FY24. Readers should never assume that recent trends in final action date movements are guaranteed for the future, or that retrogressions will not be required at some point to maintain number use within the applicable annual limits. The determination of the actual monthly final action dates is subject to fluctuations in applicant demand and other variables.