May 2023 Visa Bulletin
Data verified October 22, 2026
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F1, F3, and F4 approval dates for most countries advance 2 weeks.
One-page glance, for sharing or printing →C = Current. U = Unavailable.
C = Current. U = Unavailable.
C = Current. U = Unavailable.
C = Current. U = Unavailable.
What changed in the May 2023 bulletin
- F4 Most countries · China The same move for most countries and China.
- F3 Most countries · China · India The same move for most countries, China, and India.
- F1 Most countries · China · India The same move for most countries, China, and India.
- EB-3 Most countries · Mexico · the Philippines A cutoff date returns.
- EB-2 Most countries · Mexico · the Philippines The same move for most countries, Mexico, and the Philippines.
- EB-3 Other Workers China Cutoff now April 15, 2015.
- EB-3 China Cutoff now April 1, 2019.
- EB-5 China Cutoff now September 8, 2015.
In brief
- 29 of 150 cutoff entries moved; 3 moved back.
- Largest move: EB-3 for 3 countries, no longer open to everyone.
- Approval dates (from the official Final Action Dates chart) moved in 3 family-sponsored categories and 4 employment-based categories.
EB-3 approval date for most countries is no longer open to everyone.
From the Department’s notes for May 2023
7 sections, reproduced verbatim from the U.S. Department of State’s May 2023 Visa Bulletin. The Department’s words, not ours.
A. STATUTORY NUMBERS FOR PREFERENCE IMMIGRANT VISAS
This bulletin summarizes the availability of immigrant numbers during May for: “Final Action Dates” and “Dates for…
From the bulletin:
This bulletin summarizes the availability of immigrant numbers during May 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 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 April 7th. 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, 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.
In plain words: “Unavailable” (“U”) means paused; “retrogress” means move back; “chargeability area” means country of birth; “final action date” means approval date; “date for filing” means filing date.
C. THE DIVERSITY (DV) IMMIGRANT CATEGORY RANK CUT-OFFS WHICH WILL APPLY IN JUNE
From the bulletin:
For June , immigrant numbers in the DV category are available to qualified DV-2023 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
63,500
Except: Algeria 35,900
Egypt 30,000
Morocco 55,000
ASIA
18,750
Except: Iran 10,000
Nepal 17,775
EUROPE
30,000
Except: Russia 29,350
Uzbekistan 12,500
NORTH AMERICA (BAHAMAS)
15
OCEANIA
1,550
SOUTH AMERICA,
and the CARIBBEAN
2,740
In plain words: “chargeability area” means country of birth.
D. VISA AVAILABILITY IN THE EMPLOYMENT-BASED FIRST PREFERENCE (EB-1) FOR CHINA AND INDIA
From the bulletin:
Increased rest of world demand and number use in EB-1 will most likely necessitate retrogression in the final action dates for China and India in the coming months to hold number use within the maximum allowed under the FY-2023 annual limits. This situation will be continually monitored, and any necessary adjustments will be made accordingly.
In plain words: “retrogress” means move back; “final action date” means approval date.
E. FURTHER RETROGRESSION IN THE EMPLOYMENT-BASED SECOND PREFERENCE (EB-2) FOR REST OF WORLD COUNTRIES, MEXICO, AND PHILIPPINES
From the bulletin:
In the April 2023 Visa Bulletin , the EB-2 final action dates for Rest of World, Mexico, and the Philippines retrogressed to keep number use within the FY 2023 annual limit. This was due to higher than expected demand from applicants with priority dates earlier than the established final action dates. The Department and USCIS continue to see increased demand from these applicants, necessitating further retrogression. As a result, the Rest of World, Mexico, and Philippines EB-2 final action dates have retrogressed to 15FEB22. This situation will be continually monitored, and any necessary adjustments will be made accordingly.
In plain words: “retrogress” means move back; “final action date” means approval date.
F. VISA AVAILABILITY IN THE EMPLOYMENT-BASED SECOND PREFERENCE (EB-2) AND THE EMPLOYMENT-BASED FIFTH PREFERENCE (EB-5) FOR INDIA
From the bulletin:
Despite recent retrogressions, there continues to be high demand for EB-2 and EB-5 visa numbers by applicants with priority dates earlier than the established final action dates. As a result, it will be necessary to retrogress the India Employment Second Preference and Employment Fifth Preference final action dates as early as next month to keep visa issuances within their annual per-country limit. Every effort will be made in October to return the final action dates to at least the final action dates announced for April.
In plain words: “retrogress” means move back; “final action date” means approval date.
G. VISA AVAILABILITY IN THE EMPLOYMENT-BASED THIRD PREFERENCE (EB-3) FOR REST OF WORLD COUNTRIES, MEXICO, AND PHILIPPINES
From the bulletin:
As readers were informed was possible in Item E of the March 2023 Visa Bulletin , it has become necessary to establish EB-3 final action dates for Rest of World, Mexico, and Philippines, effective in May, to hold number use within the maximum allowed under the FY-2023 annual limit. Applicants from Rest of World, Mexico, and Philippines are subject to a final action date of 01JUN22. This situation will be continually monitored, and any necessary adjustments will be made accordingly.
In plain words: “final action date” means approval date.
H. VISA AVAILABILITY IN THE EMPLOYMENT-BASED THIRD PREFERENCE “OTHER WORKERS” (EW) CATEGORY
From the bulletin:
Higher than expected number use in the EW category, most notably amongst applicants with early priority dates, will likely necessitate further corrective action in the Rest of World, Mexico, and Philippines final action dates in the coming months to hold number use within the maximum allowed under the Fiscal Year 2023 annual limit. This situation will be continually monitored, and any necessary adjustments will be made accordingly.
I. FOR THE LATEST INFORMATION ON VISA PROCESSING AT U.S. EMBASSIES AND CONSULATES, PLEASE VISIT THE BUREAU OF CONSULAR AFFAIRS WEBSITE AT TRAVEL.STATE.GOV
In plain words: “final action date” means approval date.
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Understanding the two charts
Approval dates
For issuing green cards: the approval date (from the official Final Action Dates chart). If your priority date is earlier than the date shown for your category and country, a visa number is available and your case can be approved. “Open to everyone” means every priority date can move forward this month; “Paused” means no visa numbers are available this month.
Filing dates
For submitting I-485 applications: the filing date (from the official Dates for Filing chart). It is the earliest priority date at which you may assemble and submit documents, ahead of approval, when USCIS says to use this chart for the month. It lets applicants get in line earlier while waiting for a visa number.