The U.S. Department of State released its Visa Bulletin for December 2023. That’s a big deal if you’re waiting for your priority date to be current so that your green card application can move forward.
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 the Department of State calculates the current backlog for various categories and uses this data to create a projected date. Those immigrants who have a priority date on or before that date can begin the next step in their process, by either filing for adjustment of statues or filing at a consulate abroad for an immigrant visa.
The dates below are the “dates of filing” which tell you when you can begin the next step. The visa bulletin also posts “final action dates” which determine when the application can actually be adjudicated. The difference between these two dates is usually roughly the time that USCIS expects to take to process the applications.
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 | Movement |
| All Other Areas | 1-Sept-17 | 1-Sept-17 | No Change |
| China | 1-Sept-17 | 1-Sept-17 | No Change |
| India | 1-Sept-17 | 1-Sept-17 | No Change |
| Mexico | 1-Apr-05 | 1-Apr-05 | No Change |
| Philippines | 22-Apr-15 | 22-Apr-15 | No Change |
F-2A: SPOUSES AND UNMARRIED CHILDREN (UNDER AGE 21) OF U.S. GREEN CARD HOLDERS
| Country | New Cut-Off Date | Old Cut-Off Date | Movement |
| All Other Areas | 1-Sept-23 | 1-Sept-23 | No Change |
| China | 1-Sept-23 | 1-Sept-23 | No Change |
| India | 1-Sept-23 | 1-Sept-23 | No Change |
| Mexico | 1-Sept-23 | 1-Sept-23 | No Change |
| Philippines | 1-Sept-23 | 1-Sept-23 | No Change |
F-2B: UNMARRIED CHILDREN (AGE 21 OR OLDER) OF U.S. GREEN CARD HOLDERS
| Country | New Cut-Off Date | Old Cut-Off Date | Movement |
| All Other Areas | 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-Aug-04 | 1-Aug-04 | No Change |
| Philippines | 1-Oct-13 | 1-Oct-13 | No Change |
F-3: MARRIED CHILDREN OF U.S. CITIZENS
| Country | New Cut-Off Date | Old Cut-Off Date | Movement |
| All Other Areas | 1-Mar-10 | 1-Mar-10 | No Change |
| China | 1-Mar-10 | 1-Mar-10 | No Change |
| India | 1-Mar-10 | 1-Mar-10 | No Change |
| Mexico | 15-June-01 | 15-June-01 | No Change |
| Philippines | 8-Nov-03 | 8-Nov-03 | No Change |
F-4: SIBLINGS OF U.S. CITIZENS
| Country | New Cut-Off Date | Old Cut-Off Date | Movement |
| All Other Areas | 1-Mar-08 | 1-Mar-08 | No Change |
| China | 1-Mar-08 | 1-Mar-08 | No Change |
| India | 22-Feb-06 | 22-Feb-06 | No Change |
| Mexico | 15-April-01 | 15-April-01 | No Change |
| Philippines | 22-Apr-04 | 22-Apr-04 | No Change |
EB-1: EXTRAORDINARY PEOPLE, OUTSTANDING RESEARCHERS AND PROFESSORS, AND MULTINATIONAL EXECUTIVES AND MANAGERS
| Country | New Cut-Off Date | Old Cut-Off Date | Movement |
| All Other Areas | Current | Current | No Change |
| China | 1-Aug-22 | 1-Aug-22 | No Change |
| India | 1-July-19 | 1-July-19 | No Change |
| Mexico | Current | Current | No Change |
| Philippines | Current | Current | No Change |
EB-2: EXCEPTIONAL PEOPLE AND ADVANCED DEGREE HOLDERS
| Country | New Cut-Off Date | Old Cut-Off Date | Movement |
| All Other Areas | 1-Jan-23 | 1-Jan-23 | No Change |
| China | 1-Jan-20 | 1-Jan-20 | No Change |
| India | 15-May-12 | 15-May-12 | No Change |
| Mexico | 1-Jan-23 | 1-Jan-23 | No Change |
| Philippines | 1-Jan-23 | 1-Jan-23 | No Change |
EB-4: “SPECIAL IMMIGRANTS” CATEGORY
| Country | New Cut-Off Date | Old Cut-Off Date | Movement |
| All Other Areas | 1-Mar-19 | 1-Mar-19 | No Change |
| China | 1-Mar-19 | 1-Mar-19 | No Change |
| India | 1-Mar-19 | 1-Mar-19 | No Change |
| Mexico | 1-Mar-19 | 1-Mar-19 | No Change |
| Philippines | 1-Mar-19 | 1-Mar-19 | No Change |
EB-5: “INVESTORS” CATEGORY
| Country | New Cut-Off Date | Old Cut-Off Date | Movement |
| All Other Areas | No wait | No wait | No Change |
| China | 1-Jan-17 | 1-Jan-17 | No Change |
| India | 1-April-22 | 1-April-22 | No Change |
| Mexico | No wait | No wait | No Change |
| Philippines | No wait | No wait | No Change |