August 2023 Visa Bulletin

Today, the U.S. Department of State (DOS) released the August 2023 Visa Bulletin. Several categories retrogress in the latest visa bulletin, although at least some of the backlogs should start clearing up in October, when the new fiscal year begins. 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 only country with no retrogression in the EB1 category is China, which keeps a cutoff date of February 1, 2022. Meanwhile, EB1 India retrogresses by more than a decade, to a cutoff date of January 1, 2012! For all other countries, the EB1 category retrogresses to August 1, 2023.

Fortunately, this retrogression is expected to be short lived. In October, the EB1 category will likely be current again for all countries, other than India and China. And, in the October 2023 Visa Bulletin, the cutoff date for EB1 India is expected to rebound at least to a February 1, 2022, cutoff date.

Employment-Based, Second Preference (EB2) Category

The cutoff date for EB2 India remains at January 1, 2011. For China, the cutoff date moves to July 8, 2019. EB2 for all other countries of chargeability advances to April 1, 2022.

Employment-Based, Third Preference (EB3) Category

For EB3 India, the cutoff date does not move, keeping a January 1, 2009, cutoff date. The cutoff date for EB3 China advances to June 1, 2019. For all other countries of chargeability, the EB3 cutoff date retrogresses to May 1, 2020.

EB3 Other Workers

With the exception of China, the cutoff dates for EB3 other workers are the same for each country as its respective EB3 cutoff dates. For China, the cutoff date for the EB3 other workers category remains at September 1, 2015.

Employment-Based, Fourth Preference (EB4) Category

Once again, there is no movement in the EB4 category, with all countries maintaining 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 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.

Family-Based, Second Preference, A (FB2A)

The FB2A category, which is reserved for spouses and children of lawful permanent residents, retrogresses further in August. For Mexico, the FB2A cutoff date is September 1, 2016. An October 8, 2017, cutoff date is set for all other 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.

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