Everything You Need to Know about the December Visa Bulletin

The release of the December Visa Bulletin has brought few positive changes for immigrants in both the family sponsored and employment-based preference categories. In this blog post, we share with you everything you need to know regarding the movement (or lack thereof) of the categories for the month of December.

Whether you are applying for an immigrant visa at a U.S. Consulate overseas or applying for adjustment of status to permanent residence in the United States, you won’t want to miss these important updates.

Highlights of the December 2023 Visa Bulletin

Unfortunately, the December Visa Bulletin brings little to no changes across most employment-based categories and family-sponsored categories from the previous month of November. The Dates for Filing of all employment and family-sponsored categories remain unchanged from the previous month.

The Final Action Dates for family-sponsored categories also remain unchanged from the previous month.

With respect to the Final Action Dates for the employment categories, EB-2 China will advance by three weeks to October 22, 2019, and EB-3 China will advance to January 22, 2020. The Final Action Dates for the remaining employment-based categories remain unchanged from the previous month.

EB-4 Certain Religious Workers will become unavailable in the month of December.

Adjustment of Status Filing Chart December 2023

For the month of December 2023, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has confirmed that the Dates for Filing chart in the December 2023 Visa Bulletin will continue to be used in determining eligibility for I-485 adjustment of status filings (green card filings inside the US).

USCIS December 2023 Adjustment of Status Filing Charts

Employment-Based Categories

FINAL ACTION DATES FOR EMPLOYMENT-BASED PREFERENCE CASES

According to the Department of State’s December 2023 Visa Bulletin , the following Final Action cutoff dates will apply for employment-based categories:

EB-1: EB-1 India will remain at January 1, 2017, and China will remain at February 15, 2022. All other countries will remain current.
EB-2: EB-2 India will remain at January 1, 2012 and China will advance by three weeks to October 22, 2019. All other categories will remain the same.
EB-3: EB-3 Professional/Skilled Workers India will remain at May 1, 2012, and China will advance by three weeks to January 22, 2020. All other countries will remain at December 1, 2021.
EB-3 Other Workers: All countries remain the same.
EB-4: EB-4 Final Action Date will be January 1, 2019, for all categories. EB-4 Certain Religious Workers is unavailable in December.
EB-5: For EB-5 Unreserved categories (C5, T5, I5, and R5) India will remain at December 15, 2018, and China will remain at October 1, 2015. All other countries will remain current. The EB-5 set aside categories (Rural, High Unemployment, and Infrastructure) will also remain current.

Employment- based	All Chargeability Areas Except Those Listed	CHINA- mainland born	INDIA	MEXICO	PHILIPPINES
1st	C	15FEB22	01JAN17	C	C
2nd	15JUL22	22OCT19	01JAN12	15JUL22	15JUL22
3rd	01DEC21	22JAN20	01MAY12	01DEC21	01DEC21
Other Workers	01AUG20	01JAN16	01MAY12	01AUG20	01MAY20
4th	01JAN19	01JAN19	01JAN19	01JAN19	01JAN19
Certain Religious Workers	U	U	U	U	U
5th Unreserved (including C5, T5, I5, R5)	C	01OCT15	15DEC18	C	C
5th Set Aside: Rural (20%)	C	C	C	C	C
5th Set Aside: High Unemployment (10%)	C	C	C	C	C
5th Set Aside: Infrastructure (2%)	C	C	C	C	C

Final Action Dates for December 2023

EB-1 No changes

China: February 15, 2022
India: January 1, 2017
All other countries: Current

EB-2

China: October 22, 2019 *Advancement
India: January 1, 2012
All other countries: July 15, 2022

EB-3 Professionals and Skilled Workers

China: January 22, 2020 *Advancement
India: May 1, 2012
All other countries: December 1, 2021

EB-3 Other Workers No changes

China: January 1, 2016
India: May 1, 2012
Philippines: May 1, 2020
All other countries: August 1, 2020

EB-4

All countries: January 1, 2019
The EB-4 Non-Minister Religious Worker program is unavailable for all countries until it is reauthorized by legislation.

EB-5 Unreserved (Regional Center and Non-Regional Center)

China: October 1, 2015
India: December 15, 2018
All other countries: Current

EB-5 Set-Asides

Rural: Current for all countries
High Unemployment: Current for all countries
Infrastructure: Current for all countries

DATES FOR FILING FOR EMPLOYMENT-BASED PREFERENCE CASES

According to the Department of State’s December 2023 Visa Bulletin , the following Dates for Filing cutoff dates will apply for employment-based categories, which will determine whether an adjustment of status application can be filed with USCIS in the month of December:

*Please note: these dates are unchanged from the November Visa Bulletin

EB-1: EB-1 China will remain at August 01, 2022, and India will remain at July 1, 2019 respectively. All other countries will remain current in December.
EB-2: EB-2 India will remain at May 15, 2012. China will remain at January 1, 2020. All other countries will remain at January 1, 2023.
EB-3 Professionals and Skilled Workers: EB-3 India will remain at August 1, 2012. China will remain at September 1, 2020. EB-3 Worldwide and Mexico will remain at February 1, 2023. EB-3 Philippines will remain at January 1, 2023.
EB-3 Other Workers: India will remain at August 1, 2012, China will remain at June 1, 2017. EB-3 Worldwide and Mexico will remain at December 15, 2020. EB-3 Philippines will remain at May 15, 2020.
EB-4: All countries will remain at March 1, 2019. EB-5 Certain Religious Workers is unavailable in December.
EB-5: For the EB-5 Unreserved categories (C5, T5, I5, and R5), India will remain at April 1, 2022, and China will remain at January 1, 2017. All other countries will remain current. The EB-5 “Set-Aside” categories (Rural, High Unemployment, and Infrastructure) will remain current.

Employment- based	All Chargeability Areas Except Those Listed	CHINA- mainland born	INDIA	MEXICO	PHILIPPINES
1st	C	01AUG22	01JUL19	C	C
2nd	01JAN23	01JAN20	15MAY12	01JAN23	01JAN23
3rd	01FEB23	01SEP20	01AUG12	01FEB23	01JAN23
Other Workers	15DEC20	01JUN17	01AUG12	15DEC20	15MAY20
4th	01MAR19	01MAR19	01MAR19	01MAR19	01MAR19
Certain Religious Workers	01MAR19	01MAR19	01MAR19	01MAR19	01MAR19
5th Unreserved (including C5, T5, I5, R5)	C	01JAN17	01APR22	C	C
5th Set Aside: (Rural – 20%)	C	C	C	C	C
5th Set Aside: (High Unemployment – 10%)	C	C	C	C	C
5th Set Aside: (Infrastructure – 2%)	C	C	C	C	C

Dates for Filing for December 2023

EB-1

China: August 1, 2022
India: July 1, 2019
All other countries: Current

EB-2

China: January 1, 2020
India: May 15, 2012
All other countries: January 1, 2023

EB-3 Professionals and Skilled Workers

China: September 1, 2020
India: August 1, 2012
Philippines: January 1, 2023
All other countries: February 1, 2023

EB-3 Other Workers

China: June 1, 2017
India: August 1, 2012
Philippines: May 15, 2020
All other countries: December 15, 2020

EB-4

All countries: March 1, 2019
The EB-4 Non-Minister Religious Worker program is unavailable for all countries until it is reauthorized by legislation.

EB-5 Unreserved (Regional Center and Non-Regional Center)

China: January 1, 2017
India: April 1, 2022
All other countries: Current

EB-5 Set-Asides

Rural: Current for all countries
High Unemployment: Current for all countries
Infrastructure: Current for all countries

Family-Sponsored Categories

DATES FOR FILING FOR FAMILY-SPONSORED PREFERENCE CASES

According to the Department of State’s December 2023 Visa Bulletin, the following Dates for Filing cutoff dates will apply for family-sponsored categories, which will determine whether an adjustment of status application can be filed with USCIS in October:

*Please note: these dates are unchanged from the November Visa Bulletin

Family- Sponsored	All Chargeability Areas Except Those Listed	CHINA- mainland born	INDIA	MEXICO	PHILIPPINES
F1	01SEP17	01SEP17	01SEP17	01APR05	22APR15
F2A	01SEP23	01SEP23	01SEP23	01SEP23	01SEP23
F2B	01JAN17	01JAN17	01JAN17	01AUG04	01OCT13
F3	01MAR10	01MAR10	01MAR10	15JUN01	08NOV03
F4	01MAR08	01MAR08	22FEB06	15APR01	22APR04

Dates for Filing December 2023

F-1 Unmarried Sons and Daughters of U.S. Citizens

Mexico: April 1, 2005
Philippines: April 22, 2015
All other countries: September 1, 2017

F-2A Spouses and Children of Permanent Residents

All countries: September 1, 2023

F-2B Unmarried Sons and Daughters (21 years of age or older) of Permanent Residents

Mexico: August 1, 2004
Philippines: October 1, 2013
All other countries: January 1, 2017

F3 Married Sons and Daughters of U.S. Citizens

Mexico: June 15, 2001
Philippines: November 8, 2003
All other countries: March 1, 2010

F-4 Brothers and Sisters of Adult U.S. Citizens

India: February 22, 2006
Mexico: April 15, 2001
Philippines: April 22, 2004
All other countries: March 1, 2008

FINAL ACTION DATES FOR FAMILY-SPONSORED PREFERENCE CASES

According to the Department of State’s December 2023 Visa Bulletin, the following Final Action cutoff dates will apply for family-sponsored categories:

Family- Sponsored	All Chargeability Areas Except Those Listed	CHINA-mainland born	INDIA	MEXICO	PHILIPPINES
F1	01JAN15	01JAN15	01JAN15	01MAY01	01MAR12
F2A	08FEB19	08FEB19	08FEB19	01FEB19	08FEB19
F2B	22SEP15	22SEP15	22SEP15	01MAY02	22OCT11
F3	08JAN09	08JAN09	08JAN09	22MAR98	08JUN02
F4	22APR07	22APR07	08OCT05	15SEP00	22AUG02

Final Action Dates December 2023

*Unchanged from the November Visa Bulletin

F-1 Unmarried Sons and Daughters of U.S. Citizens

Mexico: May 1, 2001
Philippines: March 1, 2012
All other countries: January 1, 2015

F-2A Spouses and Children of Permanent Residents

Mexico: February 1, 2019
All other countries: February 8, 2019

F-2B Unmarried Sons and Daughters (21 years of age or older) of Permanent Residents

Mexico: May 1, 2002
Philippines: October 22, 2011
All other countries: September 22, 2015

F3 Married Sons and Daughters of U.S. Citizens

Mexico: March 22, 1998
Philippines: June 8, 2002
All other countries: January 8, 2009

F-4 Brothers and Sisters of Adult U.S. Citizens

Mexico: September 15, 2000
India: October 8, 2005
Philippines: August 22, 2002
All other countries: April 22, 2007

Conclusion

As with the previous month, the December Visa Bulletin brings very little movement in both the family sponsored and employment-based preference categories. The Dates for Filing charts remain unchanged from the previous month.

The Final Action Dates for family-sponsored applicants also experienced no movement from the previous month.

The Final Action Dates for employment-based categories remain the same, except for EB-2 China which advanced by three weeks to October 22, 2019, and EB-3 China which advanced by three weeks to January 22, 2020.

EB-4 Certain Religious Workers has become unavailable in the month of December.

As always, we will continue to monitor the trends and progressions of the Visa Bulletin and report them right here on our blog.

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