September 2023 Visa Bulletin (Archive)

How To Read the September 2023 Visa Bulletin

The U.S. Department of State has published its September 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 very few changes in green card backlogs for the family-based green card categories for the month of September.

The green card backlog in the F2A category saw a 1 month decrease for all countries while all other categories saw no change in wait times.

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.

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

There was about a 1 month decrease in then green card backlog in the F2A category compared to last month.

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.

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.

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.

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 for the month of September

There were no changes for the following categories:

• EB-1 green cards for priority workers

• EB-3 green cards for other workers

• EB-4 green cards for certain special immigrants

• EB-5 green cards for immigrant investors - unreserved

EB-2 green cards saw a 3 month decrease in wait times for Mexico, the Philippines, and "all other countries."

EB-3 green cards (skilled workers & professionals), saw a 3 month decrease for China (main land born).

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.

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

There were quite a few decreases in wait times in the green card backlog in the EB-2 category compared to last month.

Mexico, the Philippines, and the "all other countries" category saw a 3 month decrease while China (main land born) and India saw no change.

Backlog for EB-3 Green Cards for Skilled Workers & Professionals

There was only one change in the green card backlog in the EB-3 category (skilled workers and professionals), compared to last month.

China (main land born) saw a 3 month decrease. All other countries saw no change.

Backlog for EB-3 Green Cards for Other Workers

There were no changes in the green card backlog in the EB-3 category (other workers), compared to last month.

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.

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

There were no changes in the green card backlog in the EB-5 category (immigrant investors), compared to last month.

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.