July Visa Bulletin: Big Advancements for Family Sponsored Categories, and EB-3 Retrogressions

It’s that time of the month again. Time to share the latest trends and projections of the July Visa Bulletin!

To help you prepare for your upcoming immigrant visa or green card filing, in this blog post, we share what you can expect to see in the upcoming month’s visa bulletin for family-sponsored and employment-based preference categories.

Here are some of the highlights from the July 2023 Visa Bulletin

Employment-based categories

EB-3 India will retrogress by more than 3.5 years to January 1, 2009. EB-3 for all countries except China will retrogress by 4 months to February 1, 2022.
EB-1, EB-2, and EB-5 cutoff dates will remain the same in July as before.
Dates for Filing cutoff dates in the employment-based categories remain the same as June.

Family-sponsored categories

Dates for Filing cutoff dates – Advancements in July:

F-1 Mexico will advance by 1 month to January 1, 2003 from December 1, 2002
F-1 China, India, World will advance by 8 months to September 1, 2017 from January 1, 2017
F2B Mexico will advance by 3 months to April 1, 2002 from January 1, 2002
F3 China, India, World will advance by 3 weeks to March 1, 2010 from February 8, 2010
F4 China and World will advance by 1 month to March 1, 2008 from February 1, 2008
F4 Mexico will advance by 2 weeks to April 15, 2001 from April 1, 2001

Final Action cutoff dates – Advancements in July:

F1 Mexico will advance by 3 weeks to April 22, 2001, from April 1, 2001
F2B Mexico will advance by 2 months to August 1, 2001, from June 1, 2001
F3 China, India, World will advance by 2 weeks to December 22, 2008, from December 8, 2008
F3 Mexico will advance by 2.5 months to January 15, 1998, from November 1, 1997
F4 China and World will advance by 2 weeks to April 22, 2007, from April 8, 2007

What is the Visa Bulletin?

The Department of State releases the visa bulletin on a monthly basis, which summarizes the availability of immigrant visa numbers for that particular month in the employment and family preference categories.

Adjustment of Status Filing Chart July 2023

The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has not yet published guidance regarding the appropriate chart to use for adjustment of status filings in the month of July. Once the announcement is made, USCIS will indicate whether they will accept adjustment of status applications based on the Final Action Dates chart or the Dates for Filing chart. As soon as we have that information, we will provide it in this blog post.

You may also find the information here once it is published:

USCIS July 2023 Adjustment of Status Filing Charts

July 2023 Visa Bulletin Dates for Filing Cutoff Dates

Employment-Based Categories

FINAL ACTION DATES FOR EMPLOYMENT-BASED PREFERENCE CASES

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

EB-1: All countries will remain current, except for India and China, which will have a cutoff date of February 1, 2022
EB-2: India will remain at January 1, 2011. China will remain at June 8, 2019. All other countries will remain at February 15, 2022
EB-3 Professionals and Skilled Workers: India will retrogress by 3.5 years to January 1, 2009, and China will remain at April 1, 2019. All other countries will retrogress by four months to February 1, 2022.
EB-3 Other Workers: India will retrogress by 3.5 years to January 1, 2009, China will remain at September 1, 2015. All other countries will remain at January 1, 2020.
EB-4: All countries will remain at September 1, 2018.
EB-5: For the EB-5 Unreserved categories (C5, T5, I5, and R5), China will remain at September 8, 2015, and India will remain at April 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	01FEB22	01FEB22	C	C
2nd	15FEB22	08JUN19	01JAN11	15FEB22	15FEB22
3rd	01FEB22	01APR19	01JAN09	01FEB22	01FEB22
Other Workers	01JAN20	01SEP15	01JAN09	01JAN20	01JAN20
4th	01SEP18	01SEP18	01SEP18	01SEP18	01SEP18
Certain Religious Workers	01SEP18	01SEP18	01SEP18	01SEP18	01SEP18
5th Unreserved (including C5, T5, I5, R5)	C	08SEP15	01APR17	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

*EMPLOYMENT-BASED FOURTH PREFERENCE CATEGORY (EB-4)

Beginning with the April 2023 Visa Bulletin, the final action and application filing dates for the Employment-Based Fourth Preference (EB-4) immigrant visa applicants from El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras are now provided in the column headed “All Chargeability Areas Except Those Listed.” This means that such countries have now been consolidated in that column. This change affects only EB-4 applicants.

Final Action Dates for July 2023

EB-1

China: February 1, 2022
India: February 1, 2022
All other countries: Current

EB-2

China: June 8, 2019
India: January 1, 2011
All other countries: February 15, 2022

EB-3 Professionals and Skilled Workers

China: April 1, 2019
India: January 1, 2009 * retrogression
All other countries: February 1, 2022 * retrogression

EB-3 Other Workers

China: September 1, 2015
India: January 1, 2009 * retrogression
All other countries: January 1, 2020

EB-4

All Countries: September 1, 2018

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

China: September 8, 2015
India: April 1, 2017
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 CHART FOR EMPLOYMENT-BASED PREFERENCE CASES

The July Dates for Filing cutoff dates remain unchanged from the June Visa Bulletin.

Employment- based	All Chargeability Areas Except Those Listed	CHINA- mainland born	INDIA	MEXICO	PHILIPPINES
1st	C	01JUN22	01JUN22	C	C
2nd	01DEC22	08JUL19	01MAY12	01DEC22	01DEC22
3rd	01MAY23	01JUN19	01AUG12	01MAY23	01MAY23
Other Workers	01FEB20	01JAN16	01AUG12	01FEB20	01FEB20
4th	01OCT18	01OCT18	01OCT18	01OCT18	01OCT18
Certain Religious Workers	01OCT18	01OCT18	01OCT18	01OCT18	01OCT18
5th Unreserved (including C5, T5, I5, R5)	C	01JAN16	08DEC19	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 July 2023

EB-1

China: June 1, 2022
India: June 1, 2022
All other countries: Current

EB-2

China: July 8, 2019
India: May 1, 2012
All other countries: December 1, 2022

EB-3 Professionals and Skilled Workers

China: June 1, 2019
India: August 1, 2012
All other countries: May 1, 2023

EB-3 Other Workers

China: June 1, 2019
India: August 1, 2012
All other countries: May 1, 2023

EB-4

All countries: October 1, 2018

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

China: January 1, 2016
India: December 8, 2019
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 July 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 July:

F-1 Mexico will advance by 1 month to January 1, 2003 from December 1, 2002
F-1 China, India, World will advance by 8 months to September 1, 2017 from January 1, 2017
F2B Mexico will advance by 3 months to April 1, 2002 from January 1, 2002
F3 China, India, World will advance by 3 weeks to March 1, 2010 from February 8, 2010
F4 China and World will advance by 1 month to March 1, 2008 from February 1, 2008
F4 Mexico will advance by 2 weeks to April 15, 2001 from April 1, 2001

Family- Sponsored	All Chargeability Areas Except Those Listed	CHINA- mainland born	INDIA	MEXICO	PHILIPPINES
F1	01SEP17	01SEP17	01SEP17	01JAN03	22APR15
F2A	C	C	C	C	C
F2B	01JAN17	01JAN17	01JAN17	01APR02	01OCT13
F3	01MAR10	01MAR10	01MAR10	15JUN01	08NOV03
F4	01MAR08	01MAR08	22FEB06	15APR01	22APR04

Dates for Filing July 2023

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

China, India, World: September 1, 2017* advancement
Mexico: January 1, 2003* advancement
Philippines: April 22, 2015

F-2A Spouses and Children of Permanent Residents

Current for all countries

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

China, India, World: January 1, 2017
Mexico: April 1, 2002* advancement
Philippines: October 1, 2013

F3 Married Sons and Daughters of U.S. Citizens

China, India, World: March 1, 2010* advancement
Mexico: June 15, 2001
Philippines: November 8, 2003

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

China, World: March 1, 2008* advancement
India: February 22, 2006
Mexico: April 15, 2001* advancement
Philippines: April 22, 2004

FINAL ACTION DATES FOR FAMILY-SPONSORED PREFERENCE CASES

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

F1 China, India, World will advance 2 weeks to December 15, 2014, from December 1, 2014
F1 Mexico will advance by 3 weeks to April 22, 2001, from April 1, 2001
F2B Mexico will advance by 2 months to August 1, 2001, from June 1, 2001
F3 China, India, World will advance by 2 weeks to December 22, 2008, from December 8, 2008
F3 Mexico will advance by 2.5 months to January 15, 1998, from November 1, 1997
F4 China and World will advance by 2 weeks to April 22, 2007, from April 8, 2007

Family- Sponsored	All Chargeability Areas Except Those Listed	CHINA-mainland born	INDIA	MEXICO	PHILIPPINES
F1	15DEC14	15DEC14	15DEC14	22APR01	01MAR12
F2A	08SEP20	08SEP20	08SEP20	01NOV18	08SEP20
F2B	22SEP15	22SEP15	22SEP15	01AUG01	22OCT11
F3	22DEC08	22DEC08	22DEC08	15JAN98	08JUN02
F4	22APR07	22APR07	15SEP05	01AUG00	22AUG02

Final Action Dates July 2023

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

China, India, World: December 15, 2014
Mexico: April 22, 2001* advancement
Philippines: March 1, 2012

F-2A Spouses and Children of Permanent Residents

China, India, World: September 8, 2020
Mexico: November 1, 2018
Philippines: September 8, 2020

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

China, India, World: September 22, 2015
Mexico: August 1, 2001* advancement
Philippines: October 22, 2011

F3 Married Sons and Daughters of U.S. Citizens

China, India, World: December 22, 2008* advancement
Mexico: January 15, 1998* advancement
Philippines: June 8, 2002

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

China, World: April 22, 2007* advancement
India: September 15, 2005
Mexico: August 1, 2000
Philippines: August 22, 2002

The Takeaway

Employment-Based

In the employment-based preference categories, the July Visa Bulletin brought bad news. EB-3 India will retrogress by more than 3.5 years to January 1, 2009. EB-3 for all countries except China will retrogress by 4 months to February 1, 2022.

EB-1, EB-2, and EB-5 cutoff dates will remain the same in July as before.

The Dates for Filing chart cutoff dates are identical to those in the June Visa Bulletin.

Family-Sponsored

On the other hand, the family-sponsored preference categories have shown moderate advancement.

The Dates for Filing chart provides the following advancements:

F-1 Mexico will advance by 1 month to January 1, 2003 from December 1, 2002
F-1 China, India, World advances by 8 months to September 1, 2017 from January 1, 2017
F2B Mexico advances by 3 months to April 1, 2002 from January 1, 2002
F3 China, India, World advances by 3 weeks to March 1, 2010 from February 8, 2010
F4 China and World advances by 1 month to March 1, 2008 from February 1, 2008
F4 Mexico advances by 2 weeks to April 15, 2001 from April 1, 2001

The Final Action chart provides the following advancements

F1 Mexico advances by 3 weeks to April 22, 2001, from April 1, 2001
F2B Mexico advances by 2 months to August 1, 2001, from June 1, 2001
F3 China, India, World advances by 2 weeks to December 22, 2008, from December 8, 2008
F3 Mexico advances by 2.5 months to January 15, 1998, from November 1, 1997
F4 China and World advances by 2 weeks to April 22, 2007, from April 8, 2007

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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