Visa Bulletin of November 2022
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Today, the U.S. Department of State (DOS) published the November 2022 Visa Bulletin. Unfortunately, the bulletin remains almost identical to the October 2022 bulletin. All cutoff dates listed refer to the dates in the final action chart (i.e., Chart A) except if generally determined.
November 2022 Visa Bulletin Summary
As per the State Department’s Visa Bulletin of November 2022, the employment-based Dates for Filing – which will decide whether an adjustment of status application can be filed with USCIS in November – will be as per the following:
Employment-Based, First Preference (EB1) Category
The EB1 category remains current for all countries of chargeability.
Employment-Based, Second Preference (EB2) Category
There is no development in the EB2 category. EB2 India’s cutoff date remains set at 1st April 2012, while EB2 China keeps its June 8, 2019 cutoff date.
Employment-Based, Third Preference (EB3) Category
Also, there is no movement in the EB3 category. EB3 India’s cutoff date keeps on having a similar cutoff date as EB2 India, 1st April 2012. Moreover, EB3 China remained until 15th June 2018. The EB3 category stays current for any remaining nations of chargeability.
EB3 Other Workers
The cutoff date for EB3 other workers in India is the same as its EB3 cutoff date. For China, the cutoff date for EB3 different workers advanced to 1st December 2012. Also, for any remaining nations of chargeability, EB3 different workers remain set on 1st June 2020.
Employment-Based, Fourth Preference (EB4) Category
The EB4 cutoff dates remain unchanged from the October 2022 Visa Bulletin. Moreover, the EB4 cutoff date for El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras stays on 15th March 2018, and EB4 Mexico stays on 15th September 2020.
Critically, Congress expanded the EB4 program for specific religious workers in September 2022. Also, this category is available, and the cutoff dates are the same as the EB4 dates.
Employment-Based, Fifth Preference (EB5) Category
EB5 remains current for any remaining nations of chargeability, with the exemptions of China and India. China’s cutoff date for unreserved EB5 (i.e., EB5 immigrant visa numbers not put away for rural, high unemployment, and infrastructure projects) remains on 22nd March 2015, and India’s EB5 unreserved cutoff date is on 8th November 2019.
[Extended OPT for international STEM students legal, maintains US court]
Possible Future Imposition of Worldwide Final Action Date for EB-2
As per the November Visa Bulletin 2022 Predictions, there is the possibility that expanded demand in the EB-2 category might require the establishment of an overall Final Action cut-off date in the coming months, to keep numbers used within the FY 2023 limits. The State Department demonstrated that it would continue to monitor the situation and take appropriate action, if and as necessary.
Conclusion
Moreover, we will proceed to closely monitor and report on development and predictions related to the monthly visa bulletin.
