July 2023 Visa Bulletin

Today, the U.S. Department of State (DOS) released the July 2023 Visa Bulletin. The most notable change in the latest visa bulletin is further retrogression in the employment-based, third preference (EB3) category. All cutoff dates listed refer to those in the final action chart (i.e., Chart A), unless otherwise specified.

Visa Bulletin Summary

Employment-Based, First Preference (EB1) Category

The EB1 category remains unchanged from the previous visa bulletin. There is no movement in the EB1 category, with China and India both retaining a cutoff date of February 1, 2022. The EB1 category remains current for all countries of chargeability.

Employment-Based, Second Preference (EB2) Category

There is no movement in the EB2 category. The cutoff date for EB2 India is still set at January 1, 2011, while China’s remains at June 8, 2019. All other countries of chargeability retain a cutoff date of February 15, 2022.

Employment-Based, Third Preference (EB3) Category

For EB3 India, the cutoff date retrogresses significantly, to January 1, 2009. This dramatic retrogression was necessary because all EB3 India immigrant visa numbers for the current fiscal year likely will be exhausted by the end of June 2023. Accordingly, no relief is expected in this category until the October 2023 Visa Bulletin, which will be the first bulletin of fiscal year 2024.

The cutoff date for EB3 China remains set at April 1, 2019. For all other countries of chargeability, the EB3 cutoff date retrogresses to February 1, 2022.

EB3 Other Workers

The only movement for EB3 other workers is for India, which sees its cutoff date retrogress to January 1, 2009. EB3 other workers for China retains a September 1, 2015, cutoff date. The EB3 other workers cutoff date for all other countries of chargeability remains at January 1, 2020.

Employment-Based, Fourth Preference (EB4) Category

There is no movement in the EB4 category, with all countries keeping a cutoff date of September 1, 2018.

Employment-Based, Fifth Preference (EB5) Category

There is no movement in the EB5 category. India’s EB5 unreserved (i.e., EB5 immigrant visa numbers not set aside for rural, high unemployment, and infrastructure projects) cutoff date remains set at April 1, 2017. For China, EB5 unreserved keeps a cutoff date of September 8, 2015. EB5 remains current for all other EB5 categories and countries of chargeability.

Conclusion

MurthyDotCom will continue to closely monitor and report on movement and predictions related to the monthly visa bulletin. Subscribe to the free MurthyBulletin to have weekly updates sent to your inbox.

Copyright © 2023, MURTHY LAW FIRM. All Rights Reserved