Visa bulletin for January 2023: what changed

1 final action date moved forward and 2 moved back compared with December 2022.

Source: Visa Bulletin for January 2023 (U.S. Department of State) · Checked October 14, 2026. Always confirm with the official bulletin and USCIS. Independent site. Not affiliated with the U.S. Department of State, USCIS or any government agency.

Dates are written as in the bulletin (22AUG25 = August 22, 2025). C = current, U = unavailable. ▲ moved forward and ▼ moved back since the previous bulletin; no symbol = no change.

Family-sponsored

For adjustment of status inside the U.S. in January 2023, USCIS says to use the dates for filing chart for family-based cases.

Family-sponsored: final action date · January 2023
CategoryAll countriesChina (mainland-born)IndiaMexicoPhilippines
F101DEC1401DEC1401DEC1415NOV0001MAR12
F2ACCCCC
F2B22SEP1522SEP1522SEP1501JUN0122OCT11
F322NOV0822NOV0822NOV0801NOV9708JUN02
F422MAR0722MAR0715SEP0501AUG0022AUG02

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Family-sponsored: date for filing · January 2023
CategoryAll countriesChina (mainland-born)IndiaMexicoPhilippines
F108AUG1608AUG1608AUG1601DEC0222APR15
F2ACCCCC
F2B01JAN1701JAN1701JAN1701JAN0201OCT13
F308NOV0908NOV0908NOV0915JUN0108NOV03
F415DEC0715DEC0722FEB0601APR0122APR04

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Employment-based

For adjustment of status inside the U.S. in January 2023, USCIS says to use the dates for filing chart for employment-based cases.

Employment-based: final action date · January 2023
CategoryAll countriesChina (mainland-born)El Salvador, Guatemala, HondurasIndiaMexicoPhilippines
EB-1C01FEB22C01FEB22CC
EB-201NOV2208JUN1901NOV2208OCT1101NOV2201NOV22
EB-3C01AUG18C15JUN12CC
EB-3 Other Workers01JUN2022DEC1301JUN2015JUN1201JUN2001JUN20
EB-422JUN2222JUN2215MAR1822JUN2215SEP2022JUN22
EB-4 Certain Religious WorkersUUUUUU
EB-5C22MAR15C08NOV19CC
EB-5 set-aside: rural (20%)CCCCCC
EB-5 set-aside: high unemployment (10%)CCCCCC
EB-5 set-aside: infrastructure (2%)CCCCCC

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Employment-based: date for filing · January 2023
CategoryAll countriesChina (mainland-born)El Salvador, Guatemala, HondurasIndiaMexicoPhilippines
EB-1C01JUN22C01JUN22CC
EB-201DEC2208JUL1901DEC2201MAY1201DEC2201DEC22
EB-3C01SEP18C01AUG12CC
EB-3 Other Workers08SEP2201NOV1508SEP2201AUG1208SEP2208SEP22
EB-422JUL2222JUL2215APR1822JUL2215OCT2022JUL22
EB-4 Certain Religious Workers22JUL2222JUL2215APR1822JUL2215OCT2022JUL22
EB-5C01JAN16C08DEC19CC
EB-5 set-aside: rural (20%)CCCCCC
EB-5 set-aside: high unemployment (10%)CCCCCC
EB-5 set-aside: infrastructure (2%)CCCCCC

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What the State Department says

Official notes published with the bulletin, quoted as written. They describe what the State Department expects, not a guarantee.

Visa availability in the employment first category for China and India

As readers were warned may happen in Item E of the December 2022 Visa Bulletin , it has become necessary to establish Employment First Preference final action and application filing dates for China and India, effective in January, to hold number use within the maximum allowed under the FY-2023 annual limit. Applicants from China and India are subject to a final action date of 01FEB22 and an application filing date of 01JUN22. This situation will be continually monitored, and any necessary adjustments will be made accordingly.

Expiration of employment fourth preference certain religious workers (SR) category

The continuing resolution signed on December 16, 2022 extended the Employment Fourth Preference Certain Religious Workers (SR) category until December 23, 2022. No SR visas may be issued overseas, or final action taken on adjustment of status cases, after midnight December 22, 2022. Visas issued prior to that date will be valid only until December 22, 2022, and all individuals seeking admission in the non-minister special immigrant category must be admitted (repeat admitted) into the United States no later than midnight December 22, 2022.

The final action date for this category has been listed as “Unavailable” for January.

If there is legislative action extending this category, it would immediately become available, subject to the same final action dates as the other Employment Fourth Preference categories per applicable foreign state of chargeability.

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

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