The United States Department of State (DOS) issued its December bulletin which indicates that there will be a worldwide cutoff for the EB-2 category. The bulletin also notes the increased demand this year and the number use of the EB-1, while the total numbers available in the fiscal year 2023 will decrease over FY 2022.
What does this mean?
The final issuance of immigrant visas will be:
EB-1: All countries will remain current.
EB-2: All countries will retrogress to November 1, 2022, except China (June 8, 2019, which is the same as before) and India (October 8, 2011, which is a six-month change).
EB-3 Professional and Skilled Workers: All countries will remain current except China will advance by six weeks to August 1, 2018, and India will advance two months to June 15, 2012.
EB-5 Unreserved categories: All countries will remain current, but the cutoff dates for India are November 8, 2019, and China are March 22, 2015. All “set-asides” remain current.
Other news worth noting
The USCIS expects to announce the cutoff dates for adjustment status applications in December. The announcement will clarify whether the deadline uses the Dates for Filing chart or the Final Action dates.
Other changes may also come without warning, so applicants and potential applicants should complete their cases as quickly as possible.