MAY 2023 VISA BULLETIN: EB-3 RETROGRESSION

The Department of State just issued the May 2023 Visa Bulletin. This blog post analyzes this month's Visa Bulletin.

Visa Bulletin 

Table A: Final Action Dates -- Applications with these dates may be approved for their Green Card (Permanent Residency card) or Immigrant Visa appointment.

 

EB	All Other	CHINA	INDIA	PHILIPPINES
EB-1	C	01FEB22	01FEB22	C
EB-2	15FEB22	08JUN19	01JAN11	15FEB22
EB-3	01JUN22	01APR19	15JUN12	01JUN22
Other workers	01JAN20	15APR15	15JUN12	01JAN20

USCIS

The USCIS is expected to use Table A: Final Action Dates chart for I-485 employment-based filings. A Beneficiary must be current on the above Table A chart in order to file their I-485, Adjustment of Status applications. See: USCIS Visa Bulletin Dates

MU Law Analysis 

The May 2023 Visa Bulletin retrogressed Philippines and Worldwide EB-3 to June 1, 2022.  This means that unless the Beneficiary has a priority date earlier than June 1, 2022, they will unfortunately not be able to proceed with a visa appointment.  MU Law expects that this June 1, 2022 date will not progress until at least October 1, 2023.  The October 2023 Visa Bulletin, which should be released by the State Department in mid-September 2023, will be the next time that we may see forward movement in the EB-3 category. 

On the good news front, China EB-3 actually progressed five months to April 1, 2019.  China EB-2, India EB-3 and India EB3 remained unchanged.  Philippine and ROW EB-3 Other Workers, which is the category for occupations such as Nurse Aides, remains retrogressed but held steady to January 2020.