Below is an archive of the Visa Bulletin for December 2022.
If you don’t know what a “visa bulletin” or a “priority date” is, we’ve got you covered. Start by checking out the Boundless guide on How to Read the Visa Bulletin.
If you’re already familiar with those terms, scroll down to our summary of key developments or to the filing category that’s most relevant to you:
- F-1: Unmarried Children (Age 21 and Older) of U.S. Citizens
- F-2A: Spouses and Unmarried Children (Under Age 21) of U.S. Green Card Holders
- F-2B: Unmarried Children (Age 21 or Older) of U.S. Green Card Holders
- F-3: Married Children of U.S. Citizens
- F-4: Siblings of U.S. Citizens
- EB-1: Extraordinary People, Outstanding Researchers and Professors, and Multinational Executives and Managers
- EB-2: Exceptional People and Advanced Degree Holders
- EB-3: Bachelor’s Degree Holders, Skilled Workers, and Unskilled Workers
- EB-4: Special Immigrants
- EB-5: Investors
Every month, USCIS announces whether applicants already living in the United States should file their “adjustment of status” applications based on the “Final Action Dates” or the “Dates for Filing.”
For December, family-based and employment-based applicants must use the “Dates for Filing” (available on the State Department’s website).
Check back here soon for Visa Bulletin predictions!
Family-Based Green Card Backlogs
F-1: UNMARRIED CHILDREN (AGE 21 AND OLDER) OF U.S. CITIZENS
Country | New Cut-off Date | Old Cut-off Date | Change in Wait Time |
---|---|---|---|
General Category | 8-Aug-16 | 8-Aug-16 | No Change |
China | 8-Aug-16 | 8-Aug-16 | No Change |
India | 8-Aug-16 | 8-Aug-16 | No Change |
Mexico | 1-Dec-02 | 1-Dec-02 | No Change |
Philippines | 22-Apr-15 | 22-Apr-15 | No Change |
This category sees no change for all countries.
F-2A: SPOUSES AND UNMARRIED CHILDREN (UNDER AGE 21) OF U.S. GREEN CARD HOLDERS
Country | New Cut-off Date | Old Cut-off Date | Change in Wait Time |
---|---|---|---|
General Category | No wait | No wait | No Change |
China | No wait | No wait | No Change |
India | No wait | No wait | No Change |
Mexico | No wait | No wait | No Change |
Philippines | No wait | No wait | No Change |
This category sees no change, with all countries remaining current.
F-2B: unmarried children (age 21 or older) of U.S. green card holders
Country | New Cut-off Date | Old Cut-off Date | Change in Wait Time |
---|---|---|---|
General Category | 1-Jan-17 | 1-Jan-17 | No Change |
China | 1-Jan-17 | 1-Jan-17 | No Change |
India | 1-Jan-17 | 1-Jan-17 | No Change |
Mexico | 1-Jan-02 | 1-Jan-02 | No Change |
Philippines | 1-Oct-13 | 1-Oct-13 | No Change |
This category sees no change for all countries.
F-3: married children of U.S. citizens
Country | New Cut-off Date | Old Cut-off Date | Change in Wait Time |
---|---|---|---|
General Category | 8-Nov-09 | 8-Nov-09 | No Change |
China | 8-Nov-09 | 8-Nov-09 | No Change |
India | 8-Nov-09 | 8-Nov-09 | No Change |
Mexico | 15-June-01 | 15-June-01 | No Change |
Philippines | 8-Nov-03 | 8-Nov-03 | No Change |
This category sees no change for all countries.
F-4: siblings of U.S. citizens
Country | New Cut-off Date | Old Cut-off Date | Change in Wait Time |
---|---|---|---|
General Category | 15-Dec-07 | 15-Dec-07 | No Change |
China | 15-Dec-07 | 15-Dec-07 | No Change |
India | 22-Feb-06 | 22-Feb-06 | No Change |
Mexico | 01-April-01 | 15-June-01 | -2 months |
Philippines | 22-Apr-04 | 22-Apr-04 | No Change |
This category sees no change for all countries except Mexico, which sees a 2-month regression.
EB-1: extraordinary people, outstanding researchers and professors, and multinational executives and managers
Country | New Cut-off Date | Old Cut-off Date | Change in Wait Time |
---|---|---|---|
General Category | No wait | No wait | No Change |
China | No wait | No wait | No Change |
Central America | No wait | No wait | No Change |
India | No wait | No wait | No Change |
Mexico | No wait | No wait | No Change |
Philippines | No wait | No wait | No Change |
This category sees no change for all countries.
EB-2: exceptional people and advanced degree holders
Country | New Cut-off Date | Old Cut-off Date | Change in Wait Time |
---|---|---|---|
General Category | 1-Dec-22 | No wait | Change |
China | 8-July-22 | 8-July-19 | No Change |
Central America | 1-Dec-22 | No wait | Change |
India | 1-May-12 | 1-Apr-12 | -1 months |
Mexico | 1-Dec-22 | No wait | Change |
Philippines | 1-Dec-22 | No wait | Change |
This category sees no change for China, a 1-month change for India, and a change from “no wait” to a Dec. 1, 2022 cut-off for the General Category, Central America, Mexico, and Philippines.
EB-3: bachelor’s degree holders, skilled workers, and unskilled workers
Country | New Cut-off Date | Old Cut-off Date | Change in Wait Time |
---|---|---|---|
General Category | No wait | No wait | No Change |
China | 1-Sept-18 | 15-July-18 | -1 months, 2 weeks |
Central America | No wait | No wait | No Change |
India | 1-Aug-12 | 1-July-12 | -1 month |
Mexico | No wait | No wait | No Change |
Philippines | No wait | No wait | No Change |
This category sees no change for all countries except China, which sees a change of 1 month and 2 weeks, and India, which sees a 1-month change.
The EB-4 “special immigrants” category saw a change from “no wait” to a July 22, 2022 cut-off date for the General Category, China, India, and the Philippines. The EB-5 “investors” category saw no changes.
Category | Country | New Cut-off Date | Old Cut-off Date | Change in Wait Time |
---|---|---|---|---|
EB-4: Special Immigrants | General Category | 22-Jul-22 | No wait | Change |
China | 22-Jul-22 | No wait | Change | |
Central America | 15-April-18 | 15-April-18 | No Change | |
India | 22-Jul-22 | No wait | Change | |
Mexico | 15-Oct-20 | 15-Oct-20 | No Change | |
Philippines | 22-Jul-22 | No wait | Change | |
Vietnam | No wait | No wait | No Change | |
EB-5: Investors | General Category | No wait | No wait | No Change |
China | 01-Jan-16 | 01-Jan-16 | No Change | |
Central America | No wait | No wait | No Change | |
India | 8-Dec-19 | 8-Dec-19 | No Change | |
Mexico | No wait | No wait | No Change | |
Philippines | No wait | No wait | No Change | |
Vietnam | No wait | No wait | No change |
Why This Matters
If you’re in line for a green card, it’s important to keep track of actual changes (and likely future developments) in the Visa Bulletin. It’s always a good idea to prepare all the documents needed for your green card application ahead of time, so you can be ready to file as quickly as possible once the Visa Bulletin shows that a green card is available to you. By failing to file in a month when a green card is available, you risk facing a surprise backward movement (“retrogression”) in the next Visa Bulletin, which would close your window of opportunity for filing a green card application. Stay tuned for next month’s update! As always, we’ll highlight all the important changes for you.