Department of State Releases the August 2023 Visa Bulletin

July 13, 2023

The U.S. Department of State has released the Visa Bulletin for August 2023. As the end of the government’s 2023 fiscal year draws closer (fiscal year 2024 begins October 1, 2023), and the number of available immigrant visas dwindle, there have been a few important updates to the Visa Bulletin since the issuance of the July 2023 Visa Bulletin.

Although many of the immigrant visa categories have either progressed or remained the same as they were under the July 2023 Visa Bulletin, a handful of employment-based categories were subjected to retrogression. Particularly, the most dramatic retrogression seen when comparing the July 2023 and August 2023 Visa Bulletins is for Indian nationals in the EB-1 category. Unfortunately, because there are more applicants than there are available immigrant visas for this category, the Department of State was forced to retrogress the final action date from February 1, 2022 (July 2023 Visa Bulletin) to January 1, 2012 (August 2023 Visa Bulletin).

Other employment-based categories also experienced either retrogression, or a change from “C” (meaning the category is current and applications may be filed regardless of the applicant’s priority date) to a specific date. Notably, the EB-1 category for “All Chargeability Areas Except Those Listed”, Mexico, and the Philippines are no longer current, and the EB-3 category for “All Chargeability Areas Except Those Listed”, Mexico, and the Philippines retrogressed to May 1, 2020.

For the month of August 2023, USCIS has instructed family-based applicants to refer to the Dates of Filing chart, and employment-based applicants should refer to the Final Action Dates chart in order to determine whether they may file for adjustment of status. The relevant charts are below. Please note that where a specific date has been given for a particular category, applicants with a priority date before that date may file for adjustment of status.

Family-Based Green Card Applicants: Dates for Filing Chart

Employment-Based Green Card Applicants: Final Action Dates Chart

If you have any questions about the August 2023 Visa Bulletin and how it may impact your case, please contact the attorney at LHSCD handling your case. To set up a consultation with one of our attorneys, please fill out our Consultation Request Form.

Written by: Megan Nova Moleski

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