DOS Immigrant Visa Backlog Report: Increase in Applicants Scheduled for IV Interviews in October 2024

In this blog post, we discuss the release of the Department of State’s October 2024 Immigrant Visa Backlog report.

This is a monthly publication that provides data and statistics regarding the number of immigrant visa cases currently at the National Visa Center waiting for interviews, documentarily complete cases that have been scheduled for visa interviews, and those that are still awaiting visa interviews.

We also compare the increase in the backlog from September to October 2024.

According to the National Visa Center’s Immigrant Visa Backlog Report for the month of October 2024, there has been a modest decrease in the immigrant visa (IV) backlog from 385,800 pending cases in September to 363,242 cases in October — nearly a 5.8% decrease in the backlog.

Additionally, when comparing the September and October Immigrant Visa backlogs, we can see that the number of immigrant visa applicants whose cases were declared documentarily complete and ready to be scheduled for interviews decreased by 17,846 cases, from 431,110 (in September) to 413,264 (in October).

Additionally, 50,022 applicants whose cases were documentarily complete were scheduled for interviews in the month of October (in comparison to just 45,310 in September).

A case is considered documentarily complete by the National Visa Center, when the applicant has paid all necessary fees and submits all necessary documents to meet the formal visa application requirements, such that the case is ready to be scheduled for a visa interview. When a case becomes documentarily complete, the NVC sends applicants an email to notify them that their case is complete and pending scheduling at the local Consulate or Embassy.

September 2024 Immigrant Visa Backlog Report

Number of IV applicants whose cases are documentarily complete at NVC and ready for interview as of August 31	431,110
Number of documentarily complete IV applicants scheduled for September 2024 interview appointments	45,310
Number of eligible IV applicants still pending the scheduling of an interview after September 2024 appointment scheduling was completed	385,800

October 2024 Immigrant Visa Backlog Report

Number of IV applicants whose cases are documentarily complete at NVC and ready for interview as of September 30	413,264
Number of documentarily complete IV applicants scheduled for October 2024 interview appointments	50,022
Number of eligible IV applicants still pending the scheduling of an interview after October 2024 appointment scheduling was completed	363,242

Note: In Calendar Year 2019 on average, 60,866 applicants were pending the scheduling of an interview each month.

This data is a snapshot in time provided for informational purposes in order to be as transparent as possible. Given that these numbers change on a regular basis through our ongoing effort to reduce the backlog, they will be outdated soon after they are published each month.

Conclusion

The increase in visa interview scheduling from September to October 2024 signals a positive sign of what is to come in the coming months.

While the increase is modest (4,712 more cases were scheduled for interviews in October) this gradual improvement will continue to gain momentum as more priority dates become current for final action in the coming months.

Cases that are documentarily complete but whose priority dates are not yet current for final action will remain “warehoused” at the National Visa Center. Once these cases become current for final action they will be scheduled for interviews subject to the local Consulate’s availability.

Immigrant visa applicants are encouraged to contact the National Visa Center regularly to receive case updates and to confirm that their cases have been declared documentarily complete by the National Visa Center.

If your priority date is current for final action and you have been waiting an unreasonable period of time, we invite you to contact our office to discuss your options. This may include transferring your case to a neighboring Consulate, seeking expedited scheduling for urgent circumstances, or filing a mandamus lawsuit in federal court.

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