The February 2023 Visa Bulletin was released. There was little movement in this month’s Visa Bulletin. However, the priority date for Mexico F1 category advanced 141 days to 1 April 2001.
Commentary:
February 2023
For all countries except India, China, Philippines, and Mexico: F1 category remains at December 1 2014; F2A category priority date remains current, F2B remains at 22 September 2015, F4 category remains at 22 March 2007; EB1 remains current; EB2 remains at 1 November 2022; and EB3 remains current.
For India only: F2A category remains current, F2B remains at 22 September 2015, F4 remains at 15 September 2005; EB1 remains at 01 February 2022; EB2 remains at 8 October 2011; EB3 remains at 15 June 2012; All EB5 visas are current except for Unreserved which remains at 08 November 2019.
For China only: EB1 remains at 01 February 2022; EB2 remains at 8 June 2019; EB3 remains at 1 August 2018; All EB5 Non-Regional Center are now current except for the EB5 Unreserved (I5 and R5) remains at 22 March 2015.
Vietnam is not individually listed and should use all countries category.
Can file your immigrant applications if PD before:
F2A Current; F2B remains at 17 January 2017 for All Areas and china, except Mexico remains at 1 January 2002 and Philippines remains at 1 October 2013 ; F4 remains at 15 December 2007 for All Areas, except India remains at 22 February 2006, Mexico remains at 01 April 2001, and Philippines remains 22 April 2004 .
EB1 Current for all countries, except for China and India which have PDs at 01 June 2022; EB2 All countries except India and China remain at 01 December 2022; EB3 Current for all countries except India and China; EB2 India remains at 01 May 2012; EB3 India remains at 01 August 2012; EB2 China remains at 8 July 2019; EB3 China remains at 1 September 2018; EB5 China (C5, T5, I5, R5) remains at 1 January 2016; All other EB5 China remain Current; Vietnam is not individually listed and should use the all countries category.
Additional Notes copied from USCIS:
”
B. DIVERSITY IMMIGRANT (DV) CATEGORY FOR THE MONTH OF FEBRUARY
Section 203(c) of the INA provides up to 55,000 immigrant visas each fiscal year to permit additional immigration opportunities for persons from countries with low admissions during the previous five years. The NACARA stipulates that beginning with DV-99, and for as long as necessary, up to 5,000 of the 55,000 annually allocated diversity visas will be made available for use under the NACARA program. This will result in reduction of the DV-2023 annual limit to approximately 54,850. DV visas are divided among six geographic regions. No one country can receive more than seven percent of the available diversity visas in any one year.
For February, immigrant numbers in the DV category are available to qualified DV-2023 applicants chargeable to all regions/eligible countries as follows. When an allocation cut-off number is shown, visas are available only for applicants with DV regional lottery rank numbers BELOW the specified allocation cut-off number:
| Region | All DV Chargeability Areas Except Those Listed Separately |
|
|---|---|---|
| AFRICA | 35,000 | Except: Algeria 18,425 Egypt 16,150 Morocco 31,725 |
| ASIA | 15,500 | Except: Iran 5,500 Nepal 7,000 |
| EUROPE | 15,000 | Except: Russia 12,000 Uzbekistan 8,500 |
| NORTH AMERICA (BAHAMAS) | 5 | |
| OCEANIA | 1,100 | |
| SOUTH AMERICA, and the CARIBBEAN |
2,100 |
Entitlement to immigrant status in the DV category lasts only through the end of the fiscal (visa) year for which the applicant is selected in the lottery. The year of entitlement for all applicants registered for the DV-2023 program ends as of September 30, 2023. DV visas may not be issued to DV-2023 applicants after that date. Similarly, spouses and children accompanying or following to join DV-2023 principals are only entitled to derivative DV status until September 30, 2023. DV visa availability through the very end of FY-2023 cannot be taken for granted. Numbers could be exhausted prior to September 30.
C. THE DIVERSITY (DV) IMMIGRANT CATEGORY RANK CUT-OFFS WHICH WILL APPLY IN MARCH
For March, immigrant numbers in the DV category are available to qualified DV-2023 applicants chargeable to all regions/eligible countries as follows. When an allocation cut-off number is shown, visas are available only for applicants with DV regional lottery rank numbers BELOW the specified allocation cut-off number:
| Region | All DV Chargeability Areas Except Those Listed Separately |
|
|---|---|---|
| AFRICA | 45,000 | Except: Algeria 18,425 Egypt 16,150 Morocco 31,725 |
| ASIA | 18,750 | Except: Iran 5,500 Nepal 8,025 |
| EUROPE | 26,000 | Except: Russia 14,660 Uzbekistan 8,500 |
| NORTH AMERICA (BAHAMAS) | 13 | |
| OCEANIA | 1,100 | |
| SOUTH AMERICA, and the CARIBBEAN |
2,100 |
D. FAMILY-SPONSORED SECOND PREFERENCE VISA AVAILABILITY
Number use in the F2A category has remained steady throughout FY-2023 and it may be necessary to establish an F2A final action date as early as March to keep number use within the annual limit. This situation is being continually monitored and any necessary adjustments will be made accordingly.
E. RETROGRESSION IN THE WORLDWIDE FINAL ACTION AND APPLICATION FILING DATES IN THE EMPLOYMENT THIRD PREFERENCE “OTHER WORKERS” (EW) CATEGORY
Higher than expected number use in the Employment Third Preference “Other Workers” (EW) category, most notably amongst applicants with earlier priority dates, has necessitated further retrogressions in the worldwide final action date and application filing date for February to hold number use within the maximum allowed under the Fiscal Year 2023 annual limit. Except for China and India, all countries are subject to a final action date of 01JAN20 and an application filing date of 01FEB20. This situation will be continually monitored, and any necessary adjustments will be made accordingly.
F. EXTENSION OF EMPLOYMENT FOURTH PREFERENCE CERTAIN RELIGIOUS WORKERS (SR) CATEGORY
The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023, enacted on December 29, 2022, extended the Employment Fourth Preference Certain Religious Workers (SR) category until September 30, 2023. As indicated in item E of the January 2023 Visa Bulletin, the extension resulted in this category immediately becoming available, subject to the same final action dates as the other Employment Fourth Preference categories per applicable foreign state of chargeability.
G. FOR THE LATEST INFORMATION ON VISA PROCESSING AT U.S. EMBASSIES AND CONSULATES DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC, PLEASE VISIT THE BUREAU OF CONSULAR AFFAIRS WEBSITE AT TRAVEL.STATE.GOV
Department of State Publication 9514
CA/VO: January 11, 2023″