The US Department of State’s Bureau of Consular Affairs released its November 2024 Visa Bulletin on Thursday, highlighting important updates for green card applicants, especially in family-sponsored visa categories for Indian nationals. While employment-based visa categories remain unchanged from the previous month, there are significant advancements in the F4 visa category for Indian applicants.
Key Updates for Indian Applicants
In this bulletin, the Final Action cutoff date for the F4 visa category, which allows US citizens to sponsor their siblings, has moved forward by one week to March 8, 2006. Furthermore, the ‘Dates for Filing’ section for the F4 category has progressed by 1.5 months to August 1, 2006. This visa category enables US citizens to sponsor not only their siblings but also their spouses and minor children for immigration to the United States.
Understanding the Visa Bulletin
The US Visa Bulletin is published monthly to indicate the availability of visas across various green card categories, helping applicants understand when they may advance in their immigration process based on pending application volumes. Each month, the Department of State evaluates visa availability and makes necessary adjustments based on the number of applications in different categories.
Family-Sponsored Visa Category Updates
The November 2024 Visa Bulletin features various updates to family-sponsored visa categories for countries including Mexico, the Philippines, and India. Significant changes for Indian applicants in family categories are:
F4 Category: The Final Action date has progressed by one week to March 8, 2006, with the Dates for Filing advancing by 1.5 months to August 1, 2006.
Other family categories also experienced adjustments, including:
F1 Category (unmarried sons and daughters of US citizens): The cutoff date for Mexico advanced by 1 year and 10 months to November 22, 2004, while there were no changes for the Philippines and other regions.
Stay Updated on Everything Visa with VisaBud