The July 2023 Visa Bulletin was released. There was little movement in this month’s Visa Bulletin. Most notable, India EB3 final action dates regressed 1261 days to January 01 2009. See below for more details
Commentary:
July 2023
Final Action Dates Update
For all countries except India, China, Philippines, and Mexico: F1 category remains at December 15 2014; F2A category priority date remains at September 08 2020, F2B remains at September 22 2015, F4 category remains April 08 2007; EB1 remains at February 01 2022; EB2 remains at February 15 2022; and EB3 regressed 120 days at February 01 2022.
For India only: F2A category remains at September 08 2020, F2B remains at September 22 2015, F4 remains at September 15 2005; EB1 remains at February 01 2022; EB2 remains at January 01 2011; EB3 regressed 1261 days at January 01 2009; All EB5 visas are current except for Unreserved remains at April 01 2017.
For China only: EB1 remains at February 01 2022; EB2 remains at June 08 2019; EB3 remains at April 01 2019; All EB5 visas are current except for the Unreserved (I5 and R5) which remains at September 08 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 January 01 2017 for All Areas, China, and India except Mexico which advanced 90 days to April 01 2002 and Philippines remains at October 01 2013; F4 advanced 29 days to February 01 2008 for All Areas and China except India remains at February 22 2006, Mexico advanced 14 days to April 15 2001, and Philippines remains April 22 2004.
EB1 PDs are Current for all countries, Mexico, and Philippines except for China and India whose PDs remain at June 01 2022; EB2 PDs remain at December 01 2022 for all countries, Mexico, and Philippines except for India whose PD remains at May 01 2012 and China whose PD remains at remain at July 08 2019; EB3 PDs remain at May 01 2023 for all countries, Mexico, and Philippines except for India whose PD remains at August 01 2012 and China whose PD remains at June 01 2019; EB2 India remains at May 01 2012; EB3 India remains at August 01 2012; EB2 China remains at July 08 2019; EB3 China remains at June 01 2019; EB5 China (C5, T5, I5, R5) remains at January 01 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 JULY
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 July, 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 | 63,500 | Except: Algeria 40,000 Egypt 43,200 Morocco 63,000 |
| ASIA | 21,000 | Except: Iran 12,500 Nepal 19,400 |
| EUROPE | 32,000 | Except: Russia 32,000 Uzbekistan 15,000 |
| NORTH AMERICA (BAHAMAS) | Current | |
| OCEANIA | 1,650 | |
| SOUTH AMERICA, and the CARIBBEAN |
2,900 |
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 AUGUST
For August, 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 | 63,500 | Except: Algeria 45,000 Egypt 43,200 Morocco 63,400 |
| ASIA | 21,000 | Except: Iran 14,000 Nepal 20,500 |
| EUROPE | 32,000 | Except: Russia 32,000 Uzbekistan 15,000 |
| NORTH AMERICA (BAHAMAS) | Current | |
| OCEANIA | 1,650 | |
| SOUTH AMERICA, and the CARIBBEAN |
2,900 |
D. FAMILY-SPONSORED SECOND PREFERENCE AVAILABILITY
In the April 2023 Visa Bulletin, it was necessary to establish a final action date in the F2A category. Number use has remained steady, and there is a strong likelihood that it will be necessary to retrogress the final action date next month to keep number use within the FY-2023 annual limit.
Additionally, number use in the F2B category has been steady throughout the fiscal year, and it may become necessary to retrogress the final action dates for Rest of World countries, India, and China in the coming months to keep number use within the FY-2023 annual limit. These situations will be continually monitored, and any necessary adjustments will be made accordingly.
E. RETROGRESSION IN THE EMPLOYMENT-BASED THIRD PREFERENCE (EB-3) FOR REST OF WORLD COUNTRIES, MEXICO, AND PHILIPPINES
In the May 2023 Visa Bulletin, the EB-3 final action dates for Rest of World, Mexico, and the Philippines were established to keep number use within the FY 2023 annual limit. This was in part due to higher than expected demand from applicants with priority dates earlier than the established final action dates. The Department and USCIS continue to see increased demand from these applicants, necessitating retrogression. As a result, the Rest of World, Mexico, and Philippines EB-3 final action dates have retrogressed to 01FEB22. This situation will be continually monitored, and any necessary adjustments will be made accordingly.
F. RETROGRESSION IN THE EMPLOYMENT-BASED THIRD PREFERENCE (EB-3) FOR INDIA
As readers were informed was possible in Item E of the June 2023 Visa Bulletin, it has become necessary to retrogress the EB-3 final action date for India effective in July. India’s EB-3 number use has been consistently robust throughout the fiscal year, and it is estimated that applicants chargeable to India will use all EB-3 numbers made available to them during this fiscal year, taking into account INA 202(a)(5) and INA 202(e), by the end of June. Thus, applicants from India are subject to a final action date of 01JAN09. This situation will be continually monitored, and any necessary adjustments will be made accordingly.
G. FOR THE LATEST INFORMATION ON VISA PROCESSING AT U.S. EMBASSIES AND CONSULATES, PLEASE VISIT THE BUREAU OF CONSULAR AFFAIRS WEBSITE AT TRAVEL.STATE.GOV
Department of State Publication 9514
CA/VO: June 2, 2023″