The US Department of State Visa Bulletin for December 2023 indicates no progress in the cutoff dates under the Dates for Filing Chart, according to Morgan Lewis. The US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will follow this chart for the named month, as per the bulletin procedures.
This means that, for the relevant month, USCIS will only accept applications to adjust status from those foreign nationals who have a ‘priority date’ that is prior to the ‘cut-off date’ listed in the Dates for Filing Chart. In the context of U.S. immigration law, the priority date is generally the date when an individual’s relative or employer properly filed the immigrant visa petition on their behalf with USCIS.
Considering the stagnation depicted in the December 2023 bulletin, it’s clear that there are more prospective immigrants than there are visas available. This scenario often leads to backlog and can signify a lengthy process for people waiting to adjust their status.
Corporations and law firms involved in immigration matters should note this lack of advancement and plan their proceedings accordingly. This could involve informing the clients about potential delays in their status adjustments, taking into account the affected timelines to avoid any detrimental impacts.
We will continue to provide updates on any progress or changes in the US Department of State Visa Bulletin as they are announced.