Employment-Based Green Card January 2023 Bulletin

It’s the new year, but the same green card lottery – and the odds are still long. This January, the U.S. Department of State released its Employment-Based Green Card Visa Bulletin. It is not looking good for the Indian and Chinese nationals seeking permanent residency in the United States.

The Eb-1 category has been retrogressed for these two countries. When you thought 2022 couldn’t get any worse, 2023 is kicking off with some seriously unfavorable news.

For EB-2 and EB-3 categories, the Final Action Dates and Dates for Filing remained steady from last month. So, it’s not all bad news – at least there hasn’t been any further retrogression.

However, it’s important to remember that the Visa Bulletin is a snapshot in time, and things can change quickly. So, if you plan to apply for a green card in the EB-2 or EB-3 categories, now is the time to start.

Moreover, the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has confirmed that it will use the Dates for Filing chart published in the January 2023 Visa Bulletin to determine eligibility for filing an adjustment of status application.

For those unfamiliar with final action dates and dates for filing, the Final Action Dates Chart determines when an I-485 or IV can be approved, while the Dates for Filing Chart determines when an applicant can file an I-485.

Always keep an eye on both charts and the monthly changes so you don’t miss out.

All in all, it’s a tough start to the year for employment-based green card seekers but doesn’t give up hope just yet. The Department of State will release its monthly Visa Bulletin throughout the year, and there may be some good news.

According to the January 2023 Visa Bulletin, employment dates for filing will be as follows:

EB 1: Current status will be maintained for all countries except China and India. The new cut-off date for China will be June 1, 2022, and for India, it will be June 1, 2022.
EB 2: All countries, including China and India, will remain the same. Dates of filing for all the countries is December 1, 2022, except for India and China. Dates of filing for India is July 8, 2019, and for China, it is May 1, 2012.
EB 3: All countries will maintain the current status, including India and China.

According to the December Visa Bulletin, final action dates will be as follows:

EB 1: The current status of all countries will be maintained except China and India. The new final action dates for China and India will be February 1, 2022.
EB 2: There will be no change to the current status for all countries except India and China. The new final action dates for China will be June 8, 2019, and for India, it will be October 8, 2011.
EB 3: Nothing will change for all countries except India and China. The new final action dates for China will be August 1, 2018, and for India, it will be June 15, 2012.

So, as you can see, the news isn’t great, but there’s still hope. Keep an eye on the monthly Bulletin and stay updated with the changes.