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January 2023 Visa Bulletin (Archive)

In a Nutshell

The application processing time for priority worker green cards for foreign nationals from mainland China and India has increased by five months and nine days. Application cut-off dates in all other family-based and employment-based green card categories did not change between the December and January Visa Bulletin. You can find current cut-off dates and backlog information in the charts below.

Written by ImmigrationHelp News Team. 
Updated January 8, 2023

How To Read the January 2023 Visa Bulletin

The U.S. Department of State has published its January 2023 Visa Bulletin, which shows the most recent priority date cut-offs for green card filings.

The Visa Bulletin can be confusing, so we’ve put all the information you need to know in easy-to-read charts below. To find the cut-off date for your category, you’ll need to know your preference category and your priority date.

  • Your preference category is based on:

    • Your familial connection if you’re applying for a family-based green card

    • Your professional credentials and education if you’re applying for an employment-based green card

  • Your priority date is the date USCIS received your green card application. You can find yours on the Notice of Action (Form I-797) that USCIS sent you via mail or email after receiving your application.

If your priority date is before the cut-off date listed in the relevant chart below — congratulations! — you can submit your green card application. If your priority date is after the cut-off date, you need to wait to submit your green card application.*

If you want to learn more about the visa bulletin, preference categories, or priority dates, you can read our Visa Bulletin guide.

*There are two different dates on the Visa Bulletin: Final Action Dates and Dates for Filing. Each month, USCIS announces which date U.S.-based green card applicants should reference. The information in the tables below will always reference whichever date USCIS has announced for the current month.

Family-Based Green Cards by Preference Category

The USCIS backlog for family-based green cards didn’t change from December 2022 to January 2023 in any preference category.

Backlog for F1 (first preference) Green Cards: Unmarried Children (at least 21 years old) of U.S. Citizens

CountryCut-Off DatePrevious Cut-Off DateChange in Wait Time
All other countriesAug. 8, 2016Aug. 8, 2016No change
China - mainland bornAug. 8, 2016Aug. 8, 2016No change
IndiaAug. 8, 2016Aug. 8, 2016No change
MexicoDec. 1, 2002Dec. 1, 2002No change
PhilippinesApril 22, 2015April 22, 2015No change

Backlog for F2A (second preference) Green Cards: Spouses and Children of Permanent Residents

CountryCut-Off DatePrevious Cut-Off DateChange in Wait Time
All other countriesCurrentCurrentNo change
China - mainland bornCurrentCurrentNo change
IndiaCurrentCurrentNo change
MexicoCurrentCurrentNo change
PhilippinesCurrentCurrentNo change

Backlog for F2B (second preference) Green Cards: Unmarried Sons and Daughters of Permanent Residents

CountryCut-Off DatePrevious Cut-Off DateChange in Wait Time
All other countriesJan. 1, 2017Jan. 1, 2017No change
China - mainland bornJan. 1, 2017Jan. 1, 2017No change
IndiaJan. 1, 2017Jan. 1, 2017No change
MexicoJan. 1, 2002Jan. 1, 2002No change
PhilippinesOct. 1, 2013Oct. 1, 2013No change

Backlog for F3 (third preference) Green Cards: Married Sons and Daughters of U.S. Citizens

CountryCut-Off DatePrevious Cut-Off DateChange in Wait Time
All other countriesNov. 8, 2009Nov. 8, 2009No change
China - mainland bornNov. 8, 2009Nov. 8, 2009No change
IndiaNov. 8, 2009Nov. 8, 2009No change
MexicoJune 15, 2001June 15, 2001No change
PhilippinesNov. 8, 2003Nov. 8, 2003No change

Backlog for F4 (fourth preference) Green Cards: Brothers and Sisters of Adult U.S. Citizens

CountryCut-Off DatePrevious Cut-Off DateChange in Wait Time
All other countriesDec. 15, 2007Dec. 15, 2007No change
China - mainland bornDec. 15, 2007Dec. 15, 2007No change
IndiaFeb. 22, 2006Feb. 22, 2006No change
MexicoApril 1, 2001April 1, 2001No change
PhilippinesApri 22, 2004Apri 22, 2004No change

What This Means for Family-Based Green Card Applicants

If your priority date is before the cut-off date listed above, you can submit your green card application. If your priority date is after the cut-off date, you need to wait to submit your green card application. Your priority date is the date USCIS received your Form I-130: Petition for Alien Relative. You can find your priority date on the Notice of Action (Form I-797) that USCIS sends you to confirm it has received your I-130 application.

Employment-Based Green Cards by Preference Category

Priority worker (EB-1) green card applicants from mainland China and India will have to wait an additional six months and three weeks to have their applications processed. The USCIS backlog for all other employment-based green card preference categories didn’t change from December 2022 to January 2023.

Backlog for EB-1 Green Cards for Priority Workers 

CountryCut-Off DatePrevious Cut-Off DateChange in Wait Time
All other countriesCurrentCurrentNo change
China- mainland bornJune 1, 2002CurrentIncreased by 5 months, 9 days
El Salvador/Guatemala/HondurasCurrentCurrentNo change
IndiaJune 1, 2002CurrentIncreased by 5 months, 9 days
MexicoCurrentCurrentNo change
PhilippinesCurrentCurrentNo change

Backlog for EB-2 Green Cards for Members of the Professions Holding Advanced Degrees or Persons of Exceptional Ability

CountryCut-Off DatePrevious Cut-Off DateChange in Wait Time
All other countriesDec. 1, 2022Dec. 1, 2022No change
China- mainland bornJuly 8, 2019July 8, 2019No change
El Salvador/Guatemala/HondurasDec. 1, 2022Dec. 1, 2022No change
IndiaMay 1, 2012May 1, 2012No change
MexicoDec. 1, 2022Dec. 1, 2022No change
PhilippinesDec. 1, 2022Dec. 1, 2022No change

Backlog for EB-3 Green Cards for Skilled Workers, Professionals, and Other Workers

CountryCut-Off DatePrevious Cut-Off DateChange in Wait Time
All other countriesCurrentCurrentNo change
China- mainland bornSept. 1, 2018Sept. 1, 2018No change
El Salvador/Guatemala/HondurasCurrentCurrentNo change
IndiaAug. 1, 2012Aug. 1, 2012No change
MexicoCurrentCurrentNo change
PhilippinesCurrentCurrentNo change

Backlog for EB-4 Green Cards for Certain Special Immigrants

CountryCut-Off DatePrevious Cut-Off DateChange in Wait Time
All other countriesJuly 22, 2022July 22, 2022No change
China- mainland bornJuly 22, 2022July 22, 2022No change
El Salvador/Guatemala/HondurasApril 15, 2018Apri 15, 2018No change
IndiaJuly 22, 2022July 22, 2022No change
MexicoOct. 15, 2020Oct. 15, 2020No change
PhilippinesJuly 22, 2022July 22, 2022No change

Backlog for EB-5 Green Cards for Immigrant Investors - Unreserved

CountryCut-Off DatePrevious Cut-Off DateChange in Wait Time
All other countriesCurrentCurrentNo change
China- mainland bornJan. 1, 2016Jan. 1, 2016No change
El Salvador/Guatemala/HondurasCurrentCurrentNo change
IndiaDec. 8, 2019Dec. 8, 2019No change
MexicoCurrentCurrentNo change
PhilippinesCurrentCurrentNo change

What This Means for Employment-Based Green Card Applicants

If your priority date is before the cut-off date listed above, you can submit your green card application. If your priority date is after the cut-off date, you need to wait to submit your green card application. Your priority date is the date USCIS received your PERM application or (if not required) the date USCIS received your Form I-140 or Form I-526, employment-based visa petition. You can find your priority date on the Notice of Action (Form I-797) that USCIS sends you to confirm it has received your employment-based visa application.

How We Calculate Changes in Wait Time

When the cut-off date changes from one month’s Visa Bulletin to the next, you’ll see a change in wait time listed in the tables above. Here’s the formula we use to calculate this change in wait time:

Prior month’s cut-off date – Current cut-off date = Change in wait time

In our calculations, “Current” equals the date that the U.S. Department of State actually released the Visa Bulletin. Each Visa Bulletin represents a snapshot in time; the data isn’t updated in real-time, but rather gathered and released monthly. Using the actual release date of the Visa Bulletin allows us to best estimate the change in wait time and current wait time for various green card preference categories.

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