Visa Bulletin January 2023 Predictions

For official December 2022 Visa Bulletin & Analysis, please click here: https://www.mygcvisa.com/visa-bulletin/2022/visa-bulletin-december-2022.aspx

Please see January 2023 Visa Bulletin Predictions below (for both Family Based and Employment Based categories for all countries):

Family Based:

Final Action Dates

Dates For Filing Applications

"Final Action Date" is the date when when USCIS/DOS may render their final decision on submitted applications. Your priority date should be before this date.

Family- Sponsored	All Chargeability Areas Except Those Listed	CHINA-mainland born	INDIA	MEXICO	PHILIPPINES
F1	01FEB15	01FEB15	01FEB15	22DEC00	22APR12
F2A	C	C	C	C	C
F2B	01NOV15	01NOV15	01NOV15	22JUN01	01DEC11
F3	08DEC08	08DEC08	08DEC08	08NOV97	01JUL02
F4	15APR07	15APR07	08OCT05	15SEP00	22SEP02

"Date for Filing Application" is the date when you can submit I-485/NVC applications to USCIS/DOS. Your priority date should be before this date.

Family- Sponsored	All Chargeability Areas Except Those Listed	CHINA-mainland born	INDIA	MEXICO	PHILIPPINES
F1	15AUG16	15AUG16	15AUG16	01FEB03	08JUN15
F2A	C	C	C	C	C
F2B	08JAN17	08JAN17	08JAN17	01FEB02	08NOV13
F3	15NOV09	15NOV09	15NOV09	08JUL01	01DEC03
F4	08JAN08	08JAN08	15MAR06	22MAY01	01MAY04

USCIS Extends and Expands Fee Exemptions and Expedited Processing for Afghan Nationals

Today, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services announced it is extending and expanding previously announced filing fee exemptions and expedited application processing for certain Afghan nationals. These actions will help Afghan nationals resettle, and in many cases reunite with family, in the United States by enabling USCIS to process their requests for work authorization, long-term status, status for immediate relatives, and associated services more quickly. We encourage you to use the webpages below to learn more about the eligibility details for each type of filing you may wish to pursue.

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Recommendations for Paper Filings to Avoid Scanning Delays

As we move toward an increasing electronic environment, we now scan and upload many documents into electronic database systems. To avoid delays and improve scanning efficiency, we recommend that you do not:

• Hole punch, staple, paper clip, binder clip, or otherwise attach documents to one another.
• Include photos or documents smaller than 4x6 inches for evidentiary purposes. Provide photocopies of these items instead. The only exception is when we request a passport photo with the filing.
• Include anything that contains electronic chips and batteries (such as musical greeting cards) or any non-paper materials such as cassette tapes, CD-ROMs, DVDs, toys, action figures, or thumb drives. We will not accept these types of materials. However, we will accept photographs or photocopies of these items.
• Submit forms or evidence documents bound with a

DHS Continues Temporary Protected Status and Related Documentation for Certain Beneficiaries of TPS

On Nov. 10, 2022, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) posted a Federal Register Notice announcing the continuation of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) and certain related documents for beneficiaries under the TPS designations that remain subject to the court orders in the Ramos et al. v. Nielsen and <a data-entity-substitution="canonical" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="993ecb44-848a-4f06-b6ec-86a3e0447ed7" href="https://www.uscis.gov/humanitarian/temporary-protected-status/update-on-bh

December 2022 Visa Bulletin Analysis

For December 2022 Visa Bulletin, please click here: https://www.mygcvisa.com/visa-bulletin/2022/visa-bulletin-december-2022.aspx

Please see below analysis of December 2022 Visa Bulletin:

Family Based:

Final Action Dates

Dates For Filing Applications

"Final Action Date" is the date when when USCIS/DOS may render their final decision on submitted applications. Your priority date should be before this date.

Family- Sponsored	All Chargeability Areas Except Those Listed	CHINA-mainland born	INDIA	MEXICO	PHILIPPINES
F1	No Change	No Change	No Change	No Change	No Change
F2A	No Change	No Change	No Change	No Change	No Change
F2B	No Change	No Change	No Change	No Change	No Change
F3	No Change	No Change	No Change	-14 Days	No Change
F4	No Change	No Change	No Change	No Change	No Change

"Date for Filing Application" is the date when you can submit I-485/NVC applications to USCIS/DOS. Your priority date should be before this date.

Family- Sponsored	All Chargeability Areas Except Those Listed	CHINA-mainland born	INDIA	MEXICO	PHILIPPINES
F1	No Change	No Change	No Change	No Change	No Change
F2A	No Change	No Change	No Change	No Change	No Change
F2B	No Change	No Change	No Change	No Change	No Change
F3	No Change	No Change	No Change	No Change	No Change
F4	No Change	No Change	No Change	No Change	No Change

December 2022 Visa Bulletin

For November 2022 Visa Bulletin, please click here: https://www.mygcvisa.com/visa-bulletin/2022/visa-bulletin-november-2022.aspx

For analysis of December 2022 Visa Bulletin, please click here: https://www.mygcvisa.com/visa-bulletin/2022/visa-bulletin-analysis-december-2022.aspx

December 2022 Visa Bulletin has been officially released (valid from December 1 to December 31 only). Please see below for more details.

Family Based:

Final Action Dates

Dates For Filing Applications

"Final Action Date" is the date when when USCIS/DOS may render their final decision on submitted applications. Your priority date should be before this date.

Family- Sponsored	All Chargeability  Areas Except Those Listed	CHINA-mainland  born	INDIA	MEXICO	PHILIPPINES
F1	01DEC14	01DEC14	01DEC14	15NOV00	01MAR12
F2A	C	C	C	C	C
F2B	22SEP15	22SEP15	22SEP15	01JUN01	22OCT11
F3	22NOV08	22NOV08	22NOV08	01NOV97	08JUN02
F4	22MAR07	22MAR07	15SEP05	01AUG00	22AUG02

"Date for Filing Application" is the date when you can submit I-485/NVC applications to USCIS/DOS. Your priority date should be before this date.

Family- Sponsored	All Chargeability  Areas Except Those Listed	CHINA- mainland  born	INDIA	MEXICO	PHILIPPINES
F1	08AUG16	08AUG16	08AUG16	01DEC02	22APR15
F2A	C	C	C	C	C
F2B	01JAN17	01JAN17	01JAN17	01JAN02	01OCT13
F3	08NOV09	08NOV09	08NOV09	15JUN01	08NOV03
F4	15DEC07	15DEC07	22FEB06	01APR01	22APR04

USCIS Hosts Special Naturalization Ceremonies in Honor of Veterans Day

Agency Committed to Removing Barriers to Naturalization

WASHINGTON— U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services will host several Veterans Day-themed naturalization ceremonies across the country, welcoming veterans, service members, and military spouses as America's newest citizens.

More than 3,900 naturalization candidates, including members of the U.S military, veterans, and their families will take the Oath of Allegiance in 50 ceremonies. These events will honor the sacrifices they have made by serving our country, and also highlight our agency's commitment to providing immigration services to the military community.

"USCIS is grateful to all members of the U.S. military, veterans, and their families who have put their faith and trust in America. We are honored to have a role in supporting non-citi

USCIS Announces Online Filing for Affirmative Asylum Applications

WASHINGTON—U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services announced today that Form I-589, Application for Asylum and for Withholding of Removal, is available to file online for certain affirmative asylum applicants. USCIS continues to accept the latest paper version of this form by mail.

"The expansion of online filing is a priority for USCIS as we make our operations more efficient and effective for the agency and our stakeholders, applicants, petitioners, and requestors," said USCIS Director Ur M. Jaddou. "The option to file affirmative asylum applications online is part of USCIS' ongoing move to minimize reliance on paper records and further transition to an electronic environment."

At this time, the option to file an online Form I-589 is only available for certain affirmative asylum applicants.

DHS Announces Countries Eligible for H-2A and H-2B Visa Programs

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS), in consultation with the Department of State (DOS), has announced the lists of countries whose nationals are eligible to participate in the H-2A and H-2B visa programs in the next year. The notice listing the eligible countries will be published in the Federal Register on Nov. 10, 2022.

Effective Nov. 10, 2022, the secretary of homeland security, with the concurrence of the secretary of state, has decided to:

• Add the Kingdom of Eswatini (Eswatini) to the list of countries eligible to participate in the H-2A and H-2B programs.

DHS maintains its authority to amend the eligible countries lists at any time through public

DHS Begins Limited Implementation of DACA under Final Rule

WASHINGTON— On Monday, October 31, 2022, the Department of Homeland Security's final rule (PDF) to preserve and fortify Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) went into effect. The final rule's implementation means that DACA is now based on a formal regulation, thereby preserving and fortifying the program while the program remains the subject of litigation in court. Previously, DACA was based on a policy memorandum that then-DHS Secretary Janet Napolitano issued on August 15, 2012. Since its inception in 2012, DACA has allowed over 800,000 young people to remain with their families in the only country many of them have ever known and continue to contribute to their communities in the United States.

Under the final rule, USCIS will continue to accept and process

New Processing Time Method for Orphan and Hague Applications and Petitions

Starting in mid-November, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will change how we calculate processing times for orphan and Hague cases. These changes provide stakeholders better information about the total time it may take to receive a decision on their application or petition and are consistent with an agency-wide shift in how processing times for other cases are calculated. Most importantly, USCIS remains committed to processing intercountry adoption cases as quickly and efficiently as possible.

Changes Starting in Mid-November

We are transitioning our orphan and Hague case processing times from the previous method ("cycle time") to a new method ("80% completion"). For more information on these methods, see Background, below.

Starting in mid-November, our website will reflect the following times, which we will u

ACICS Loss of Recognition May Affect Certain Students Applying for English Language Study and 24-month STEM OPT Extension Programs, H-1B, and I-140 Applicants

On Aug. 19, the U.S. Department of Education (ED) announced that it no longer recognizes the Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools (ACICS) as an accrediting agency. This determination immediately affects two immigration-related student programs:

• English language study programs, as the programs are required to be accredited under the Accreditation of English Language Training Programs Act; and 
• F-1 students applying for a 24-month science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) optional practical training (OPT) extension, as the regulations require

USCIS Will Only Consider CW-1 Petitions Approved and with Starting Validity on or after June 18, 2020, when Applying the Temporary Departure Requirement

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services is clarifying its Aug. 25, 2020, policy on implementing the requirement that workers leave the United States for at least 30 days after two renewals of their CNMI-Only Transitional Worker (CW-1) visa classification.

Effective immediately, the only CW-1 petitions we will classify as consecutive petitions for purposes of the temporary departure requirement are approved CW-1 petitions that have a starting validity date on or after June 18, 2020. Any extension of CW-1 status granted on or after June 18, 2020, will be considered a consecutive petition if the extension has a starting validity date on or after that date (and not ba