Visa Bulletin For August 2022

Number 68
Volume X
Washington, D.C

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A. STATUTORY NUMBERS

This bulletin summarizes the availability of immigrant numbers during August for: “Final Action Dates” and “Dates for Filing Applications,” indicating when immigrant visa applicants should be notified to assemble and submit required documentation to the National Visa Center.

Unless otherwise indicated on the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) website at www.uscis.gov/visabulletininfo, individuals seeking to file applications for adjustment of status with USCIS in the Department of Homeland Security must use the “Final Action Dates” charts below for determining when they can file such applications. When USCIS determines that there are more immigrant visas available for the fiscal year than there are known applicants for such visas, USCIS will state on its website that applicants may instead use the “Dates for Filing Visa Applications” charts in this Bulletin. 

1.  Procedures for determining dates. Consular officers are required to report to the Department of State documentarily qualified applicants for numerically limited visas; USCIS reports applicants for adjustment of status. Allocations in the charts below were made, to the extent possible, in chronological order of reported priority dates, for demand received by July 1st. If not all demand could be satisfied, the category or foreign state in which demand was excessive was deemed oversubscribed. The final action date for an oversubscribed category is the priority date of the first applicant who could not be reached within the numerical limits. If it becomes necessary during the monthly allocation process to retrogress a final action date, supplemental requests for numbers will be honored only if the priority date falls within the new final action date announced in this bulletin. If at any time an annual limit were reached, it would be necessary to immediately make the preference category “unavailable”, and no further requests for numbers would be honored.

2.  Section 201 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) sets an annual minimum family-sponsored preference limit of 226,000.  The worldwide level for annual employment-based preference immigrants is at least 140,000.  Section 202 prescribes that the per-country limit for preference immigrants is set at 7% of the total annual family-sponsored and employment-based preference limits, i.e., 25,620.  The dependent area limit is set at 2%, or 7,320.

3.  INA Section 203(e) provides that family-sponsored and employment-based preference visas be issued to eligible immigrants in the order in which a petition in behalf of each has been filed. Section 203(d) provides that spouses and children of preference immigrants are entitled to the same status, and the same order of consideration, if accompanying or following to join the principal. The visa prorating provisions of Section 202(e) apply to allocations for a foreign state or dependent area when visa demand exceeds the per-country limit. These provisions apply at present to the following oversubscribed chargeability areas:  CHINA-mainland born, EL SALVADOR, GUATEMALA, HONDURAS, INDIA, MEXICO, and PHILIPPINES. 

4.  Section 203(a) of the INA prescribes preference classes for allotment of Family-sponsored immigrant visas as follows: 

FAMILY-SPONSORED PREFERENCES

First: (F1) Unmarried Sons and Daughters of U.S. Citizens:  23,400 plus any numbers not required for fourth preference.

Second: Spouses and Children, and Unmarried Sons and Daughters of Permanent Residents:  114,200, plus the number (if any) by which the worldwide family preference level exceeds 226,000, plus any unused first preference numbers:

A. (F2A) Spouses and Children of Permanent Residents:  77% of the overall second preference limitation, of which 75% are exempt from the per-country limit;

B. (F2B) Unmarried Sons and Daughters (21 years of age or older) of Permanent Residents:  23% of the overall second preference limitation.

Third: (F3) Married Sons and Daughters of U.S. Citizens:  23,400, plus any numbers not required by first and second preferences.

Fourth: (F4) Brothers and Sisters of Adult U.S. Citizens:  65,000, plus any numbers not required by first three preferences.

A.  FINAL ACTION DATES FOR FAMILY-SPONSORED PREFERENCE CASES

On the chart below, the listing of a date for any class indicates that the class is oversubscribed (see paragraph 1); "C" means current, i.e., numbers are authorized for issuance to all qualified applicants; and "U" means unauthorized, i.e., numbers are not authorized for issuance. (NOTE: Numbers are authorized for issuance only for applicants whose priority date is earlier than the final action date listed below.)

Family-
Sponsored 
All Chargeability 
Areas Except
Those Listed
CHINA-mainland 
born
INDIA MEXICO PHILIPPINES 
F1 01DEC14 01DEC14 01DEC14 15MAR00 01MAR12
F2A C C C 22APR19 C
F2B 22SEP15 22SEP15 22SEP15 01APR01 22OCT11
F3 22NOV08 22NOV08 22NOV08 15OCT97 08JUN02
F4 22MAR07 22MAR07 15SEP05 01JUN00 22AUG02

*NOTE:  For August, F2A numbers EXEMPT from per-country limits are available to applicants from all countries with priority dates earlier than 22APR19.  F2A numbers SUBJECT to per-country limits are available to applicants chargeable to all countries EXCEPT MEXICO with priority dates on or after 22APR19. (All F2A numbers provided for MEXICO are exempt from the per-country limit; there are no F2A numbers for MEXICO subject to per-country limit.) 

B.  DATES FOR FILING FAMILY-SPONSORED VISA APPLICATIONS

The chart below reflects dates for filing visa applications within a timeframe justifying immediate action in the application process. Applicants for immigrant visas who have a priority date earlier than the application date in the chart below may assemble and submit required documents to the Department of State’s National Visa Center, following receipt of notification from the National Visa Center containing detailed instructions. The application date for an oversubscribed category is the priority date of the first applicant who cannot submit documentation to the National Visa Center for an immigrant visa. If a category is designated “current,” all applicants in the relevant category may file applications, regardless of priority date.

The “C” listing indicates that the category is current, and that applications may be filed regardless of the applicant’s priority date. The listing of a date for any category indicates that only applicants with a priority date which is earlier than the listed date may file their application.

Visit www.uscis.gov/visabulletininfo for information on whether USCIS has determined that this chart can be used (in lieu of the chart in paragraph 4.A.) this month for filing applications for adjustment of status with USCIS.

Family-
Sponsored 
All Chargeability 
Areas Except
Those Listed
CHINA-
mainland 
born
INDIA MEXICO PHILIPPINES 
F1 08AUG16 08AUG16 08AUG16 01DEC01 22APR15
F2A C C C C C
F2B 01JAN17 01JAN17 01JAN17 08AUG01 01OCT13
F3 08NOV09 08NOV09 08NOV09 15APR01 08NOV03
F4 15DEC07 15DEC07 22FEB06 15MAR01 22APR04

 

5.  Section 203(b) of the INA prescribes preference classes for allotment of Employment-based immigrant visas as follows: 

EMPLOYMENT-BASED PREFERENCES

First:  Priority Workers:  28.6% of the worldwide employment-based preference level, plus any numbers not required for fourth and fifth preferences.

Second:  Members of the Professions Holding Advanced Degrees or Persons of Exceptional Ability:  28.6% of the worldwide employment-based preference level, plus any numbers not required by first preference.

Third:  Skilled Workers, Professionals, and Other Workers:  28.6% of the worldwide level, plus any numbers not required by first and second preferences, not more than 10,000 of which to "*Other Workers".

Fourth:  Certain Special Immigrants:  7.1% of the worldwide level.

Fifth:  Employment Creation:  7.1% of the worldwide level, of which 32% are reserved as follows: 20% reserved for qualified immigrants who invest in a rural area; 10% reserved for qualified immigrants who invest in a high unemployment area; and 2% reserved for qualified immigrants who invest in infrastructure projects. The remaining 68% are unreserved and are allotted for all other qualified immigrants.

A.  FINAL ACTION DATES FOR EMPLOYMENT-BASED PREFERENCE CASES

On the chart below, the listing of a date for any class indicates that the class is oversubscribed (see paragraph 1); "C" means current, i.e., numbers are authorized for issuance to all qualified applicants; and "U" means unauthorized, i.e., numbers are not authorized for issuance. (NOTE: Numbers are authorized for issuance only for applicants whose priority date is earlier than the final action date listed below.)

 

 

Employment-
based
All Chargeability 
Areas Except
Those Listed
CHINA-
mainland 
born
EL SALVADOR
GUATEMALA
HONDURAS
INDIA MEXICO PHILIPPINES
1st C C C C C C
2nd C 01APR19 C 01DEC14 C C
3rd C 22APR18 C 15FEB12 C C
Other Workers 08MAY19 01JUN12 08MAY19 15FEB12 08MAY19 08MAY19
4th C C 08NOV17 C 01APR20 C
Certain Religious Workers C C 08NOV17 C 01APR20 C
5th Unreserved
(including C5, T5, I5, R5)
C 22NOV15 C C C C
5th Set Aside:
Rural (20%)
C C C C C C
5th Set Aside:
High Unemployment (10%)
C C C C C C
5th Set Aside:
Infrastructure (2%)
C C C C C C

 

*Employment Third Preference Other Workers Category:  Section 203(e) of the Nicaraguan and Central American Relief Act (NACARA) passed by Congress in November 1997, as amended by Section 1(e) of Pub. L. 105-139, provides that once the Employment Third Preference Other Worker (EW) cut-off date has reached the priority date of the latest EW petition approved prior to November 19, 1997, the 10,000 EW numbers available for a fiscal year are to be reduced by up to 5,000 annually beginning in the following fiscal year. This reduction is to be made for as long as necessary to offset adjustments under the NACARA program. Since the EW final action date reached November 19, 1997 during Fiscal Year 2001, the reduction in the EW annual limit to 5,000 began in Fiscal Year 2002. For Fiscal Year 2022 this reduction will be limited to approximately 150.

B.  DATES FOR FILING OF EMPLOYMENT-BASED VISA APPLICATIONS

The chart below reflects dates for filing visa applications within a timeframe justifying immediate action in the application process. Applicants for immigrant visas who have a priority date earlier than the application date in the chart may assemble and submit required documents to the Department of State’s National Visa Center, following receipt of notification from the National Visa Center containing detailed instructions. The application date for an oversubscribed category is the priority date of the first applicant who cannot submit documentation to the National Visa Center for an immigrant visa. If a category is designated “current,” all applicants in the relevant category may file, regardless of priority date.

The “C” listing indicates that the category is current, and that applications may be filed regardless of the applicant’s priority date. The listing of a date for any category indicates that only applicants with a priority date which is earlier than the listed date may file their application.

Visit www.uscis.gov/visabulletininfo for information on whether USCIS has determined that this chart can be used (in lieu of the chart in paragraph 5.A.) this month for filing applications for adjustment of status with USCIS. 

Employment-
based
All Chargeability
Areas Except
Those Listed
CHINA-
mainland 
born
EL SALVADOR
GUATEMALA
HONDURAS
INDIA MEXICO  PHILIPPINES 
1st C C C C C C
2nd C 01MAY19 C 01JAN15  C C
3rd C 22MAY18 C 22FEB12 C C
Other Workers C 01AUG15 C 22FEB12 C C
4th C C 08DEC17 C C C
Certain Religious Workers C C 08DEC17 C C C
5th Unreserved
(including C5, T5, I5, R5)
C 22DEC15 C C C C
5th Set Aside:
(Rural - 20%)
C C C C C C
5th Set Aside:
(High Unemployment - 10%)
C C C C C C
5th Set Aside:
(Infrastructure - 2%)
C C C C C C

B.  DIVERSITY IMMIGRANT (DV) CATEGORY FOR THE MONTH OF AUGUST

Section 203(c) of the INA provides up to 55,000 immigrant visas each fiscal year to permit additional immigration opportunities for persons from countries with low admissions during the previous five years. The NACARA stipulates that beginning with DV-99, and for as long as necessary, up to 5,000 of the 55,000 annually allocated diversity visas will be made available for use under the NACARA program.  This will result in reduction of the DV-2022 annual limit to approximately 54,850. DV visas are divided among six geographic regions. No one country can receive more than seven percent of the available diversity visas in any one year.

For August, immigrant numbers in the DV category are available to qualified DV-2022 applicants chargeable to all regions/eligible countries as follows. When an allocation cut-off number is shown, visas are available only for applicants with DV regional lottery rank numbers BELOW the specified allocation cut-off number:

Region All DV Chargeability Areas Except
Those Listed Separately
 
AFRICA Current  
ASIA Current

 

EUROPE Current  
NORTH AMERICA (BAHAMAS)  Current  
OCEANIA Current  
SOUTH AMERICA,
and the CARIBBEAN
Current  

Entitlement to immigrant status in the DV category lasts only through the end of the fiscal (visa) year for which the applicant is selected in the lottery. The year of entitlement for all applicants registered for the DV-2022 program ends as of September 30, 2022. DV visas may not be issued to DV-2022 applicants after that date. Similarly, spouses and children accompanying or following to join DV-2022 principals are only entitled to derivative DV status until September 30, 2022. DV visa availability through the very end of FY-2022 cannot be taken for granted. Numbers could be exhausted prior to September 30.

C.  THE DIVERSITY (DV) IMMIGRANT CATEGORY RANK CUT-OFFS WHICH WILL APPLY IN SEPTEMBER

For September, immigrant numbers in the DV category are available to qualified DV-2022 applicants chargeable to all regions/eligible countries as follows. When an allocation cut-off number is shown, visas are available only for applicants with DV regional lottery rank numbers BELOW the specified allocation cut-off number:

Region All DV Chargeability Areas Except
Those Listed Separately
 
AFRICA Current  
ASIA Current  
EUROPE Current  
NORTH AMERICA (BAHAMAS)  Current  
OCEANIA Current  
SOUTH AMERICA,
and the CARIBBEAN
Current  

D.  DIVERSITY VISA LOTTERY 2023 (DV-2023) RESULTS

The Kentucky Consular Center in Williamsburg, Kentucky has registered and notified the selectees who are eligible to participate in the DV-2023 Diversity Visa (DV) program.  Random selection of DV participants was conducted under the terms of section 203(c) of the Immigration and Nationality Act, which makes up to *55,000 permanent resident visas available annually to persons from countries with low rates of immigration to the United States.  Approximately 119,262 prospective applicants (i.e., selectees and their spouses and children) have been registered, notified, and may be eligible to make an application for an immigrant visa. Since selection is blind to the number of family members who might immigrate with the selectee, and it is likely that some of the selectees will not complete their cases or will be found ineligible for a visa, this larger figure should ensure that all DV-2023 numbers can be used during fiscal year 2023 (October 1, 2022, until September 30, 2023).

Entrants registered for the DV-2023 program were selected at random from 9,570,291 qualified entries received during the 35-day application period that ran from noon, Eastern Daylight Time on Wednesday, October 6, 2021, until noon, Eastern Standard Time on Tuesday, November 9, 2021.  The visas have been apportioned among six geographic regions with a maximum of seven percent available to persons born in any single country.  During the visa interview, principal applicants must provide proof of a high school education or its equivalent, or show two years of work experience in an occupation that requires at least two years of training or experience within the past five years.  Those selected will need to act on their immigrant visa applications quickly.  Applicants should follow the instructions in their notification letter and must fully complete all required steps.

Selectees who are physically present with legal status in the United States may apply to adjust their status by first contacting the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services for information on the requirements and procedures.  Once the total *55,000 visa numbers have been used, the program for fiscal year 2023 will end.  Selectees who do not receive visas by September 30, 2023, will derive no further benefit from their DV-2023 registration.  Similarly, spouses and children accompanying or following to join DV-2023 principal applicants are only entitled to derivative DV status until September 30, 2023.

Dates for the DV-2024 program registration period will be widely publicized in the coming months.  Those interested in entering the DV-2024 program should check the Department of State’s Diversity Visa web page in the coming months.

*The Nicaraguan and Central American Relief Act (NACARA) passed by Congress in November 1997 stipulated that up to 5,000 of the 55,000 annually-allocated diversity visas be made available for use under the NACARA program.  This will result in reduction of the DV-2023 annual limit to approximately 54,850.  

The following is the statistical breakdown by foreign state of chargeability of those registered for the DV-2023 program: 

AFRICA

ALGERIA  5,526

ESWATINI  5

MOZAMBIQUE  2

ANGOLA  422

ETHIOPIA  2,761

NAMIBIA  6

BENIN  404

GABON  45

NIGER  78

BOTSWANA  9

GAMBIA, THE  65

RWANDA  1,024

BURKINA FASO 137

GHANA  3,398

SENEGAL  253

BURUNDI  400

GUINEA  706

SIERRA LEONE  522

CABO VERDE  24

GUINEA-BISSAU  9

SOMALIA  1,541

CAMEROON  2,392

KENYA  3,417

SOUTH AFRICA  222

CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC  19

LIBERIA  1,221

SOUTH SUDAN  53

CHAD  257

LIBYA  397

SUDAN  4,863

COMOROS  3

MADAGASCAR  21

TANZANIA  165

CONGO, DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE  4,385

MALAWI  23

TOGO  1,036

CONGO, REPUBLIC OF THE  389

MALI  90

TUNISIA  168

COTE D’IVOIRE  552

MAURITANIA  174

UGANDA  1,044

DJIBOUTI  249

MAURITIUS  1

ZAMBIA  59

EGYPT  5,529

MOROCCO  4,469

ZIMBABWE  202

EQUATORIAL GUINEA  4

  Western Sahara  2

 

ERITREA  376

 

 

 

 

 

ASIA

 

 

AFGHANISTAN  2,724

JORDAN  937

QATAR  92

BAHRAIN  10

KOREA, NORTH  2

SAUDI ARABIA  658

BHUTAN  115

KUWAIT  118

SINGAPORE  11

BURMA  1,107

LAOS  13

SRI LANKA  2,019

CAMBODIA  397

LEBANON  249

SYRIA  381

INDONESIA  115

MALAYSIA  45

TAIWAN  188

IRAN  5,506

MALDIVES  1

THAILAND  685

IRAQ  1,300

MONGOLIA  296

UNITED ARAB EMIRATES  175

ISRAEL  66

NEPAL  3,808

YEMEN  2,807

JAPAN  194

OMAN  25

 

 

 

 

EUROPE

 

 

ALBANIA  2,001

GREECE  28

NORTHERN IRELAND  4

ARMENIA  3,525

HUNGARY  66

NORWAY  4

AUSTRIA  34

ICELAND  4

POLAND  228

AZERBAIJAN  1,260

IRELAND  13

PORTUGAL  10

BELARUS  1,535

ITALY  154

  Macau  7

BELGIUM  32

KAZAKHSTAN  1,908

ROMANIA  228

BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA  47

KOSOVO  413

RUSSIA  5,505

BULGARIA  161

KYRGYZSTAN  2,846

SERBIA  134

CROATIA  12

LATVIA  48

SLOVAKIA 20

CYPRUS  8

LITHUANIA  91

SLOVENIA  2

CZECH REPUBLIC  19

MALTA  8

SPAIN  96

DENMARK  12

MOLDOVA  670

SWEDEN  26

  Faroe Islands  1

MONTENEGRO  28

SWITZERLAND  27

ESTONIA  17

NETHERLANDS  19

TAJIKISTAN  2,485

FINLAND  14

  Aruba  4

TURKEY  3,383

FRANCE  209

  Curacao  1

TURKMENISTAN  555

GEORGIA 2,071

  Sint Maarten  3

UKRAINE  3,808

GERMANY 512

NORTH MACEDONIA  258

UZBEKISTAN 5,511

 

 

 

NORTH AMERICA

 

 

BAHAMAS, THE  16

 

 

 

 

 

OCEANIA

 

 

AUSTRALIA  461

NAURU  3

SAMOA  5

  Cocos Keeling Islands  3

NEW ZEALAND 173

TONGA  78

FEDERATED STATES OF MICRONESIA  4

  Cook Islands  6

TUVALU  5

FIJI  1,718

PAPUA NEW GUINEA  21

VANUATU  21

KIRABATI  2

REPUBLIC OF PALAU  3

 

 

 

 

SOUTH AMERICA

 

 

ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA  3

DOMINICA  4

PERU  1,191

ARGENTINA  133

ECUADOR  466

SAINT KITTS AND NEVIS  2

BELIZE  4

GUATEMALA  84

SAINT LUCIA  3

BOLIVIA  46

GUYANA  15

SAINT VINCENT AND THE GRENADINES  1

CHILE  27

NICARAGUA  77

SURINAME  4

COSTA RICA  39

PANAMA  11

TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO  31

CUBA  1,358

PARAGUAY  9

URUGUAY  7

Natives of the following countries were not eligible to participate in DV-2023: Bangladesh, Brazil, Canada, China (including Hong Kong SAR), Colombia, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Haiti, Honduras, India, Jamaica, Mexico, Nigeria, Pakistan, Philippines, South Korea, United Kingdom (except Northern Ireland) and its dependent territories, Venezuela, and Vietnam.

E.  ESTABLISHMENT OF FAMILY SECOND A PREFERENCE FINAL ACTION DATE

Readers were advised in item G of the June 2022 Visa Bulletin that due to steady number use in the F2A category, a final action date might need to be established as early as August.  Number use has remained steady and is estimated to reach 75% of the overall F2A category limit in August.  Therefore, it has become necessary to establish a final action date to control further use of the 75% of F2A numbers exempt from per-country limits under the Immigration and Nationality Act.

F2A numbers exempt from per-country limits are available to applicants from all countries with priority dates earlier than 22APR19.  F2A numbers subject to per-country limits are available to applicants chargeable to all countries except Mexico with priority dates on or after 22APR19.  All F2A numbers provided for Mexico are exempt from the per-country limit.

The situation will continually be monitored, and numbers exempt from the per-country limit are expected to once again be available for all applicants beginning October 1, 2022, under the FY-2023 annual numerical limitations.

F.  FOR THE LATEST INFORMATION ON VISA PROCESSING AT U.S. EMBASSIES AND CONSULATES DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC, PLEASE VISIT THE BUREAU OF CONSULAR AFFAIRS WEBSITE AT TRAVEL.STATE.GOV

 

Department of State Publication 9514
CA/VO:   July 1, 2022

 

 

 

Agency

Green Card

Immigration Law

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