September 2023 Visa Bulletin

The September 2023 Visa Bulletin was released. There were no significant movements in this month's Visa Bulletin. India EB-1 final action dates remain at January 01 2012. See below for more details

Commentary:

September 2023

Final Action Dates Update

For all countries except India, China, Philippines, and Mexico: F1 category remains at January 01 2015; F2A category advanced 85 days to January 01 2018, F2B remains at September 22 2015, F4 category remains at April 22 2007; EB1 has changed from current to August 01, 2023; EB2 advanced 91 days to July 01 2022; and EB3 remains at May 01 2020.

For India only: F2A category advanced 85 days to January 01 2018, F2B remains at September 22 2015, F4 remains at September 15 2005; EB1 remains at January 01 2012; EB2 remains at January 01 2011; EB3 remains at January 01 2009; All EB5 visas are current except for Unreserved which remains at April 01 2017.

For China only: EB1 remains at February 01 2022; EB2 remains at July 08 2019; EB3 advanced 92 days to September 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 regressed to September 01 2023; F2B remains at January 01 2017 for All Areas, China, and India except Mexico which remains at August 01 2004 and Philippines remains at October 01 2013; F4 remains at March 01 2008 for All Areas and China except India remains at February 22 2006, Mexico remains at April 15 2001, and Philippines remains April 22 2004.

EB-1 PDs remain current for all countries, Mexico, and Philippines except for China and India whose PDs remain at June 01 2022; EB-2 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 October 08 2019; EB-3 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 advanced 61 days to November 01 2019; EB-2 India remains at May 01 2012; EB-3 India remains at August 01 2012; EB-2 China remains at October 08 2019; EB-3 China advanced 61 days to November 01 2019; EB-5 China (C5, T5, I5, R5) remains at January 01 2016; All other EB-5 China remain Current; Vietnam is not individually listed and should use the all countries category.

"B. DIVERSITY IMMIGRANT (DV) CATEGORY FOR THE MONTH OF SEPTEMBER

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 54,833. 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 September, 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:

RegionAll DV Chargeability Areas Except
Those Listed Separately

AFRICA

Current

Except: Algeria 45,000
Egypt 43,200
Morocco 63,400

ASIA

21,000

Except: Iran 16,000
Nepal 21,000

EUROPE

32,000

Except: Russia 32,000
Uzbekistan 17,000

NORTH AMERICA (BAHAMAS)

Current

OCEANIA

2,500

SOUTH AMERICA,
and the CARIBBEAN

3,150

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 OCTOBER

For October, immigrant numbers in the DV category are available to qualified DV-2024 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:

RegionAll DV Chargeability Areas Except
Those Listed Separately

AFRICA

10,000

Except: Algeria 7,500
Egypt 5,500
Morocco 5,600

ASIA

2,000

Except: Iran 1,750
Nepal 1,300

EUROPE

4,500

Except: Russia 4,400
Uzbekistan 1,250

NORTH AMERICA (BAHAMAS)

OCEANIA

225

SOUTH AMERICA,
and the CARIBBEAN

375

D. DIVERSITY VISA LOTTERY 2024 (DV-2024) RESULTS

The Kentucky Consular Center in Williamsburg, Kentucky has registered and notified the selectees who are eligible to participate in the DV-2024 Diversity Visa (DV) program. Random selection of DV participants was conducted under the terms of section 203(c) of the Immigration and Nationality Act, which makes up to *55,000 permanent resident visas available annually to persons from countries with low rates of immigration to the United States. Approximately 143,000 prospective applicants (i.e., selectees and their spouses and children) have been registered, can confirm their selection, and may be eligible to make an application for an immigrant visa. Since selection is random and blind to the number of family members who might immigrate with the selectee, and it is likely that some of the selectees will not complete their cases or will be found ineligible for a visa, this larger figure should ensure that all DV-2024 numbers can be used during fiscal year 2024 (FY24: October 1, 2023, until September 30, 2024).

Entrants registered for the DV-2024 program were selected at random from 22,185,619 qualified entries received during the 35-day application period that ran from noon, Eastern Daylight Time on Wednesday, October 5, 2022, until noon, Eastern Standard Time on Tuesday, November 8, 2022. The visas will be apportioned among the six geographic regions to ensure a maximum of seven percent are issued to persons chargeable to any single country. During the visa interview, principal applicants must provide proof of a high school education or its equivalent, or two years of work experience in an occupation that requires at least two years of training or experience within the past five years. Those selected will need to act on their immigrant visa applications quickly. Applicants should follow the instructions in their notification letter and must fully complete all required steps.

Selectees who are physically present with legal status in the United States may apply to adjust their status by first contacting the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services for information on the requirements and procedures. Once the total *55,000 visa numbers have been used, the program for fiscal year 2024 will end. Selectees who do not receive visas or status by September 30, 2024, will derive no further benefit from their DV-2024 registration. Similarly, spouses and children accompanying or following to join DV-2024 principal applicants are only entitled to derivative DV status until September 30, 2024.

Dates for the DV-2025 program registration period will be widely publicized in the coming months. Those interested in entering the DV-2025 program should check the Department of State’s Diversity Visa web page in the coming months.

*The Nicaraguan and Central American Relief Act (NACARA) passed by Congress in November 1997 stipulated that up to 5,000 of the 55,000 annually-allocated diversity visas be made available for use under the NACARA program. This will result in reduction of the DV-2024 annual limit to approximately 54,850.

The following is the statistical breakdown by foreign state of chargeability of those registered for the DV-2024 program:

AFRICA

ALGERIA 5,142

ERITREA 211

MOZAMBIQUE 7

ANGOLA 582

ESWATINI 2

NAMIBIA 10

BENIN 1,002

ETHIOPIA 3,034

NIGER 93

BOTSWANA 16

GABON 86

RWANDA 1,604

BURKINA FASO 191

GAMBIA, THE 156

SENEGAL 504

BURUNDI 876

GHANA 2,088

SIERRA LEONE 735

CABO VERDE 15

GUINEA 1,362

SOMALIA 2,383

CAMEROON 3,485

GUINEA-BISSAU 21

SOUTH AFRICA 199

CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC 30

KENYA 3,760

SOUTH SUDAN 59

CHAD 490

LIBERIA 2,208

SUDAN 5,435

COMOROS 10

LIBYA 257

TANZANIA 348

CONGO, DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE 2,580

MADAGASCAR 25

TOGO 2,105

CONGO, REPUBLIC OF THE 660

MALAWI 42

TUNISIA 221

COTE D’IVOIRE 672

MALI 119

UGANDA 1,515

DJIBOUTI 333

MAURITANIA 274

ZAMBIA 85

EGYPT 5,509

MAURITIUS 4

ZIMBABWE 216

EQUATORIAL GUINEA 19

MOROCCO 4,250

ASIA

AFGHANISTAN 4,536

JORDAN 1,188

SAUDI ARABIA 619

BAHRAIN 8

KUWAIT 162

SINGAPORE 6

BHUTAN 347

LAOS 27

SRI LANKA 2,622

BURMA 1,667

LEBANON 214

SYRIA 692

CAMBODIA 340

MALAYSIA 32

TAIWAN 279

INDONESIA 104

MALDIVES 1

THAILAND 467

IRAN 5,077

MONGOLIA 300

UNITED ARAB EMIRATES 211

IRAQ 1,348

NEPAL 3,863

YEMEN 3,485

ISRAEL 71

OMAN 20

JAPAN 200

QATAR 74

EUROPE

ALBANIA 2,667

GREECE 66

NORWAY 9

ANDORRA 2

HUNGARY 102

POLAND 497

ARMENIA 3,869

ICELAND 5

PORTUGAL 39

AUSTRIA 34

IRELAND 18

Macau 4

AZERBAIJAN 2,046

ITALY 256

ROMANIA 267

BELARUS 2,418

KAZAKHSTAN 2,728

RUSSIA 5,514

BELGIUM 35

KOSOVO 463

SERBIA 186

BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA 31

KYRGYZSTAN 4,464

SLOVAKIA 33

BULGARIA 142

LATVIA 97

SLOVENIA 2

CROATIA 30

LITHUANIA 106

SPAIN 137

CYPRUS 25

MALTA 1

SWEDEN 31

CZECH REPUBLIC 46

MOLDOVA 950

SWITZERLAND 30

DENMARK 16

MONACO 1

TAJIKISTAN 3,580

ESTONIA 33

MONTENEGRO 21

TURKEY 3,684

FINLAND 29

NETHERLANDS 39

TURKMENISTAN 1,313

FRANCE 327

Aruba 1

UKRAINE 4,286

French Polynesia 1

Curacao 1

UZBEKISTAN 5,555

New Caledonia 4

Sint Maarten 1

GEORGIA 3,194

NORTH MACEDONIA 258

GERMANY 466

NORTHERN IRELAND 1

NORTH AMERICA

BAHAMAS, THE 15

OCEANIA

AUSTRALIA 795

NAURU 32

SOLOMON ISLANDS 22

Christmas Island 1

NEW ZEALAND 256

TONGA 246

Cocos Keeling Islands 3

Cook Islands 69

TUVALU 11

FEDERATED STATES OF MICRONESIA 1

PAPUA NEW GUINEA 15

VANUATU 29

FIJI 2,936

REPUBLIC OF PALAU 4

KIRABATI 21

SAMOA 9

SOUTH AMERICA

ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA 1

CUBA 3,081

PARAGUAY 9

ARGENTINA 127

DOMINICA 6

PERU 742

BARBADOS 4

ECUADOR 814

SAINT LUCIA 3

BELIZE 5

GUATEMALA 146

SAINT VINCENT AND THE GRENADINES 2

BOLIVIA 85

GUYANA 9

TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO 37

CHILE 51

NICARAGUA 117

URUGUAY 7

COSTA RICA 68

PANAMA 17

Natives of the following countries were not eligible to participate in DV-2024: Bangladesh, Brazil, Canada, China (including Hong Kong SAR), Colombia, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Haiti, Honduras, India, Jamaica, Mexico, Nigeria, Pakistan, Philippines, South Korea, United Kingdom (except Northern Ireland) and its dependent territories, Venezuela, and Vietnam.

E. AVAILABILITY OF EMPLOYMENT-BASED VISAS DURING SEPTEMBER

Employment-based number use by both USCIS and Department of State has been steady during the fiscal year. As a result, most employment-based preference category limits and/or the overall employment-based preference limit for FY 2023 are expected to be reached during September. If at any time an annual limit were reached, it would be necessary to immediately make the preference category “unavailable”, and no further requests for numbers would be honored.

F. DETERMINATION OF THE NUMERICAL LIMITS ON IMMIGRANTS REQUIRED UNDER THE TERMS OF THE IMMIGRATION AND NATIONALITY ACT (INA)

The State Department is required to make the determination of the worldwide numerical limitations, as outlined in Section 201(c) and (d) of the INA, on an annual basis. These calculations are based in part on data provided by U.S. Citizen and Immigration Services (USCIS) regarding the number of immediate relative adjustments in the preceding year and the number of aliens paroled into the United States under Section 212(d)(5) in the second preceding year. Without this information, it is impossible to make an official determination of the annual limits. To avoid delays in processing while waiting for the USCIS data, the Visa Office (VO) bases allocations on reasonable estimates of the anticipated amount of visa numbers to be available under the annual limits, in accordance with Section 203(g) of the INA. On August 2nd, USCIS provided the required data to the VO.

The Department of State has determined the Family and Employment preference numerical limits for FY-2023 in accordance with the terms of Section 201 of the INA. These numerical limitations for FY-2023 are as follows:

Worldwide Family-Sponsored preference limit: 226,000
Worldwide Employment-Based preference limit: 197,091

Under INA Section 202(a), the per-country limit is fixed at 7% of the family and employment annual limits. For FY-2023 the per-country limit is 29,616. The dependent area annual limit is 2%, or 8,462.

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: August 4, 2023"