Visa Bulletin for July 2023

What the State Department said

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.

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.

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.