June 2023 Visa Bulletin (Archive)
There were very few changes to the Visa Bulletin this month! Most data stayed the same from May 2023 to June 2023. For family-based green card applications, there were no changes at all in wait times compared to last month. For employment-based green card applications, there were only a couple of changes in wait times. The wait time for an EB-3 green card (for other workers) stayed the same for all countries, except for Mainland China where the wait time decreased by 4.5 months. The wait time for an EB-5 green cards for (immigrant investors-unreserved) stayed the same for all countries, except for India where the wait time increased by just over 1 year.
Written by ImmigrationHelp News Team. Legally reviewed by Jonathan Petts
Written May 31, 2023
How To Read the June 2023 Visa Bulletin
The U.S. Department of State has published its June 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.
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.
If you want to learn more about the visa bulletin, preference categories, or priority dates, you can read our visa bulletin guide.
Note: For simplicity’s sake, our tables contain the language “All Other Countries” rather than USCIS’s language “All Chargeability Areas Except Those Listed,” but the meaning and intent is the same.
Family-Based Green Cards by Preference Category
There were no changes in green card backlogs for any of the family-based green card categories for the month of June. All wait times—for all categories—stayed the exact same from last month (May), to this month.
Backlog for F1 (first preference) Green Cards: Unmarried Children (at least 21 years old) of U.S. Citizens
There were no changes in the green card backlog in the F1 category compared to last month.
| Country | Cut-Off Date | Previous Cut-Off Date | Change in Wait Time | Current Estimated Wait Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| All other countries | Jan. 1, 2017 | Jan. 1, 2017 | No change | 6 Years, 3 Months and 6 Days |
| China - mainland born | Jan. 1, 2017 | Jan. 1, 2017 | No change | 6 Years, 3 Months and 6 Days |
| India | Jan. 1, 2017 | Jan. 1, 2017 | No change | 6 Years, 3 Months and 6 Days |
| Mexico | Dec. 1, 2002 | Dec. 1, 2002 | No change | 20 Years, 4 Months and 6 Days |
| Philippines | April 22, 2015 | April 22, 2015 | No change | 7 Years, 11 Months and 16 Days |
Backlog for F2A (second preference) Green Cards: Spouses and Children of Permanent Residents
There were no changes in the green card backlog in the F2A category compared to last month.
| Country | Cut-Off Date | Previous Cut-Off Date | Change in Wait Time | Current Estimated Wait Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| All other countries | Current | Current | No change | None |
| China - mainland born | Current | Current | No change | None |
| India | Current | Current | No change | None |
| Mexico | Current | Current | No change | None |
| Philippines | Current | Current | No change | None |
Backlog for F2B (second preference) Green Cards: Unmarried Sons and Daughters of Permanent Residents
There were no changes in the green card backlog in the F2B category compared to last month.
| Country | Cut-Off Date | Previous Cut-Off Date | Change in Wait Time | Current Estimated Wait Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| All other countries | Jan. 1, 2017 | Jan. 1, 2017 | No change | 6 Years, 3 Months and 6 Days |
| China - mainland born | Jan. 1, 2017 | Jan. 1, 2017 | No change | 6 Years, 3 Months and 6 Days |
| India | Jan. 1, 2017 | Jan. 1, 2017 | No change | 6 Years, 3 Months and 6 Days |
| Mexico | Jan. 1, 2002 | Jan. 1, 2002 | No change | 21 Years, 3 Months and 6 Days |
| Philippines | Oct. 1, 2013 | Oct. 1, 2013 | No change | 9 Years, 6 Months and 6 Days |
Backlog for F3 (third preference) Green Cards: Married Sons and Daughters of U.S. Citizens
There were no changes in the green card backlog in the F3 category compared to last month.
| Country | Cut-Off Date | Previous Cut-Off Date | Change in Wait Time | Current Estimated Wait Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| All other countries | Feb. 8, 2010 | Feb. 8, 2010 | No change | 13 Years, 1 Month and 30 Days |
| China - mainland born | Feb. 8, 2010 | Feb. 8, 2010 | No change | 13 Years, 1 Month and 30 Days |
| India | Feb. 8, 2010 | Feb. 8, 2010 | No change | 13 Years, 1 Month and 30 Days |
| Mexico | June 15, 2001 | June 15, 2001 | No change | 21 Years, 9 Months and 23 Days |
| Philippines | Nov. 8, 2003 | Nov. 8, 2003 | No change | 19 Years, 4 Months and 30 Days |
Backlog for F4 (fourth preference) Green Cards: Brothers and Sisters of Adult U.S. Citizens
There were no changes in the green card backlog in the F4 category compared to last month.
| Country | Cut-Off Date | Previous Cut-Off Date | Change in Wait Time | Current Estimated Wait Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| All other countries | Feb. 1, 2008 | Feb. 1, 2008 | No change | 15 Years, 2 Months and 6 Days |
| China - mainland born | Feb. 1, 2008 | Feb. 1, 2008 | No change | 15 Years, 2 Months and 6 Days |
| India | Feb. 22, 2006 | Feb. 22, 2006 | No change | 17 Years, 1 Month and 16 Days |
| Mexico | April 1, 2001 | April 1, 2001 | No change | 22 Years and 6 Days |
| Philippines | Apri 22, 2004 | Apri 22, 2004 | No change | 18 Years, 11 Months and 16 Days |
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
There were very few changes in wait times for employment-based green card applicants.
There were no changes for the following categories:
EB-1 green cards for priority workers
EB-2 green cards for members of the professions holding advanced degrees, etc.
EB-3 green cards for skilled workers & professionals
EB-4 green cards for certain special immigrants
For EB-3 green cards for other workers the wait time stayed the same for all countries except for China (a 4.5 month decrease.) For EB-5 green cards for immigrant investors - unreserved the wait time stayed the same for all countries except for India (a 1 year and 2 month increase.)
Backlog for EB-1 Green Cards for Priority Workers
There were no changes in the green card backlog in the EB-1 category compared to last month.
| Country | Cut-Off Date | Previous Cut-Off Date | Change in Wait Time | Current Estimated Wait Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| All other countries | Current | Current | No change | None |
| China- mainland born | Feb. 1, 2022 | Feb. 1, 2022 | No change | 1 Year, 2 Months and 6 Days |
| India | Feb.1, 2022 | Feb. 1, 2022 | No change | 1 Year, 2 Months and 6 Days |
| Mexico | Current | Current | No change | None |
| Philippines | Current | Current | No change | None |
Backlog for EB-2 Green Cards for Members of the Professions Holding Advanced Degrees or Persons of Exceptional Ability
There were no changes in the green card backlog in the EB-2 category compared to last month.
| Country | Cut-Off Date | Previous Cut-Off Date | Change in Wait Time | Current Estimated Wait Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| All other countries | Feb. 15, 2022 | Feb. 15, 2022 | No change | 1 Year, 1 Month and 23 Days |
| China- mainland born | June 8, 2019 | June 8, 2019 | No change | 3 Years, 9 Months and 30 Days |
| India | Jan. 1, 2011 | Jan. 1, 2011 | No change | 12 Years, 3 Months and 6 Days |
| Mexico | Feb. 15, 2022 | Feb. 15, 2022 | No change | 1 Year, 1 Month and 23 Days |
| Philippines | Feb. 15, 2022 | Feb. 15, 2022 | No change | 1 Year, 1 Month and 23 Days |
Backlog for EB-3 Green Cards for Skilled Workers & Professionals
There were no changes in the green card backlog in the EB-3 category compared to last month.
| Country | Cut-Off Date | Previous Cut-Off Date | Change in Wait Time | Current Estimated Wait Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| All other countries | June 1, 2022 | June 1, 2022 | No change | 10 Months and 6 Days |
| China- mainland born | April 1, 2019 | April 1, 2019 | No change | 4 Years and 6 Days |
| India | June 15, 2012 | June 15, 2012 | No change | 10 Years, 9 Months and 23 Days |
| Mexico | June 1, 2022 | June 1, 2022 | No change | 10 Months and 6 Days |
| Philippines | June 1, 2022 | June 1, 2022 | No change | 10 Months and 6 Days |
Backlog for EB-3 Green Cards for Other Workers
There were no changes in wait times for EB-3 green card applicants for other workers for any country except China. Applicants from Mainland China saw a 4.5 month decrease in wait time for the "other workers" category of EB-3 green card applicants.
| Country | Cut-Off Date | Previous Cut-Off Date | Change in Wait Time | Current Estimated Wait Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| All other countries | Jan. 1, 2020 | Jan. 1, 2020 | No change | 3 Years, 3 Months and 6 Days |
| China- mainland born | September 1, 2015 | April 15, 2015 | Decreased by 4 Months and 17 Days | 7 Years, 7 Months and 6 Days |
| India | June 15, 2012 | June 15, 2012 | No change | 10 Years, 9 Months and 23 Days |
| Mexico | Jan. 1, 2020 | Jan. 1, 2020 | No change | 3 Years, 3 Months and 6 Days |
| Philippines | Jan. 1, 2020 | Jan. 1, 2020 | No change | 3 Years, 3 Months and 6 Days |
Backlog for EB-4 Green Cards for Certain Special Immigrants
There were no changes in the green card backlog in the EB-4 category compared to last month.
| Country | Cut-Off Date | Previous Cut-Off Date | Change in Wait Time | Current Estimated Wait Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| All other countries | Sept. 1, 2018 | Sept. 1, 2018 | No change | 4 Years, 7 Months and 6 Days |
| China- mainland born | Sept. 1, 2018 | Sept. 1, 2018 | No change | 4 Years, 7 Months and 6 Days |
| India | Sept. 1, 2018 | Sept. 1, 2018 | No change | 4 Years, 7 Months and 6 Days |
| Mexico | Sept. 1, 2018 | Sept. 1, 2018 | No change | 4 Years, 7 Months and 6 Days |
| Philippines | Sept. 1, 2018 | Sept. 1, 2018 | No change | 4 Years, 7 Months and 6 Days |
Backlog for EB-5 Green Cards for Immigrant Investors - Unreserved
There were no changes in wait times for EB-5 green card for immigrant investors for any country except India. Applicants from India saw a 1 year and 2 month increase in wait time for the EB-5 green card for immigrant investors
| Country | Cut-Off Date | Previous Cut-Off Date | Change in Wait Time | Current Estimated Wait Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| All other countries | Current | Current | No change | None |
| China- mainland born | Sept. 8, 2015 | Sept. 8, 2015 | No change | 7 Years, 6 Months and 30 Days |
| India | April 1, 2017 | June 1, 2018 | Increased by 1 Year and 2 Months | 6 Years and 6 Days |
| Mexico | Current | Current | No change | None |
| Philippines | Current | Current | No change | None |
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.
Note: For simplicity’s sake, our tables contain the language “All Other Countries” rather than USCIS’s language “All Chargeability Areas Except Those Listed,” but the meaning and intent are the same.