For many immigrants pursuing a green card through a family-based or employment-based category, one of the most confusing parts of the process is the Visa Bulletin.
You may have an approved immigrant petition and still be unable to move forward with your green card application because an immigrant visa number is not yet available. You may also see two different dates in the Visa Bulletin—Final Action Dates and Dates for Filing—and wonder which one applies to your case.
Understanding the Visa Bulletin can help you understand where your case stands and what may happen next.
What Is the Visa Bulletin?
The Visa Bulletin is a monthly publication from the U.S. Department of State that provides information about the availability of immigrant visas for certain family-sponsored and employment-based immigration categories.
https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/legal/visa-law0/visa-bulletin.html
Because Congress places numerical limits on many immigrant visa categories, there may not always be enough immigrant visas available for everyone who qualifies. When demand exceeds the number of available visas, the government uses priority dates to determine which applicants are eligible to move forward.
The Visa Bulletin organizes this information by immigration category and, in many cases, by the applicant's country of chargeability.
The Department of State publishes a new Visa Bulletin each month, and the dates can move forward, remain unchanged, move backward, or sometimes become unavailable.
Why Does the Visa Bulletin Matter?
The Visa Bulletin can determine when an immigrant visa or green card process can move to the next stage.
For example, a person may have an approved family-based immigrant petition but if the person's priority date is not current, an immigrant visa number may not yet be available.
This is particularly important in categories with significant backlogs, including certain family-sponsored and employment-based categories.
What Is a Priority Date?
Your priority date generally establishes your place in line for an immigrant visa.
For many employment-based cases, the priority date is connected to the filing of the underlying immigrant petition or, in certain labor certification cases, the filing of the labor certification application.
For family-sponsored cases, the priority date is generally established when the qualifying immigrant petition is properly filed with USCIS.
The exact rules can vary depending on the immigration category and the type of case, so it is important to identify the correct priority date rather than assuming it is simply the date your most recent application was filed.
Example
Suppose an employment-based immigrant petition has a priority date of June 15, 2023.
If the applicable Visa Bulletin date is July 1, 2023, the applicant's priority date is earlier than the listed date and may be considered current for that particular stage of the process.
If the applicable Visa Bulletin date is January 1, 2023, however, the priority date has not yet reached the applicable cutoff date.
The difference of a few months can therefore have a significant effect on when a case can proceed.
What Does "Current" Mean?
You may see the letter "C" in the Visa Bulletin.
"C" means Current.
When a category is current, there is generally no cutoff date restricting visa availability based on the applicant's priority date, subject to the other requirements of the immigration process.
However, "current" does not mean that a person automatically qualifies for a green card. The applicant must still meet the requirements of the applicable immigration category and complete the required immigration process.
What Is a Final Action Date?
The Final Action Date is one of the most important dates in the Visa Bulletin.
Generally, when your priority date is earlier than the applicable Final Action Date, an immigrant visa number may be available for final action on your case, assuming you otherwise qualify.
For adjustment-of-status cases filed with USCIS, the applicable chart and filing rules must be checked for the specific month because USCIS determines whether applicants may use the Final Action Dates chart or the Dates for Filing chart.
The Department of State explains that, unless USCIS announces otherwise, applicants seeking adjustment of status generally use the Final Action Dates chart to determine when they may file.
What Are "Dates for Filing"?
The Visa Bulletin also contains a separate chart called Dates for Filing.
This date can allow certain applicants to begin the application process before an immigrant visa number is available for final approval.
For applicants processing their cases through a U.S. consulate or embassy, the Dates for Filing chart can indicate when they may submit required documentation to the National Visa Center.
For applicants filing an adjustment of status application inside the United States, however, the important question is whether USCIS has authorized use of the Dates for Filing chart for that particular month.
This is an important distinction.
You should not assume that because your priority date is current under the Dates for Filing chart, you can automatically file Form I-485. USCIS publishes its determination regarding which chart may be used for adjustment-of-status filings.
Final Action Dates vs. Dates for Filing
The simplest way to understand the difference is:
Filing date is when you can file for pending adjustment of status (which allows you to remain legal here while waiting for a green card and you can stop maintaining non-immigrant status IF you want). You can also apply and get a EAD and travel document if you want. May also attend the USCIS interview. For those in USA
Final action date is the date when you can only get a green card or immigrant visa to enter the country. For those both outside and inside USA.
These two dates can be different by months or even years.
That is why simply looking at one date in the Visa Bulletin can lead to the wrong conclusion about your case.
What Is Country of Chargeability?
The Visa Bulletin is not always based solely on the applicant's current citizenship.
For many preference categories, visa availability is affected by the applicant's country of chargeability, which is generally connected to the applicant's country of birth.
The Visa Bulletin contains separate columns for certain countries when those countries have significant demand. Commonly listed countries have included China, India, Mexico, and the Philippines, although the specific treatment and cutoff dates can change from month to month.
This means two people applying under the same immigration category may have very different waiting times depending on their applicable chargeability.
Family-Based Visa Categories
The Visa Bulletin contains several family-sponsored preference categories.
Examples include:
F1: Unmarried sons and daughters of U.S. citizens;
F2A: Spouses and children of lawful permanent residents;
F2B: Unmarried sons and daughters age 21 or older of lawful permanent residents;
F3: Married sons and daughters of U.S. citizens; and
F4: Brothers and sisters of adult U.S. citizens.
Immediate relatives of U.S. citizens—such as qualifying spouses, parents, and unmarried children under 21—are generally not subject to the same numerical limitations as family preference categories.
The Visa Bulletin therefore becomes particularly important in family preference cases where there is a statutory limit on the number of immigrant visas available.
Employment-Based Visa Categories
The Visa Bulletin also contains employment-based immigrant categories, including:
EB-1: Priority workers;
EB-2: Members of the professions holding advanced degrees or persons of exceptional ability;
EB-3: Skilled workers, professionals, and certain other workers;
EB-4: Certain special immigrants; and
EB-5: Immigrant investors.
The availability of these categories can vary substantially based on the applicant's country of chargeability and the demand for visas in that category.
For example, in the September 2026 Visa Bulletin, the employment-based Final Action Dates for several categories differed significantly between applicants chargeable to India, China, and other countries.
What Does "Retrogression" Mean?
One of the most frustrating developments in an immigration case is visa retrogression.
Retrogression occurs when a Visa Bulletin cutoff date moves backward rather than forward.
For example, suppose a category has a Final Action Date of October 1, 2023 one month and then moves backward to July 1, 2023 the following month.
An applicant whose priority date falls between those dates may have been eligible for further action under the earlier bulletin but may have to wait after the date moves backward.
Retrogression can occur when demand for available immigrant visa numbers is greater than anticipated.
The Department of State specifically warns that dates may need to retrogress as additional demand develops and that categories can become unavailable if annual or category limits are reached.
Does an Approved I-130 or I-140 Mean You Can Get a Green Card Immediately?
Not necessarily.
An approved I-130 or I-140 establishes an important part of the immigration process, but approval of the petition does not necessarily mean an immigrant visa number is immediately available.
If your category is subject to a numerical limit, you may still have to wait for your priority date to become current.
This is one reason why clients sometimes become confused when they receive an approval notice but are told that they still have to wait.
The petition approval and visa availability are related, but they are not the same thing.
How to Read the Visa Bulletin
When reviewing the Visa Bulletin, consider these questions in order:
1. What is your immigration category?
Determine whether your case falls under a family-sponsored or employment-based preference category.
2. What is your priority date?
Locate the priority date associated with your immigrant petition or qualifying filing.
3. What is your country of chargeability?
Determine which Visa Bulletin column applies to your case.
4. Which chart applies?
Look at both:
Final Action Dates; and
Dates for Filing.
If you are filing an adjustment of status application with USCIS, check USCIS's monthly announcement to determine which chart you may use.
5. Compare your priority date with the applicable date
If your priority date is earlier than the applicable cutoff date—or the category is "Current"—you may have reached an important point in the process.
But Visa Bulletin availability is only one part of determining whether you can file or obtain permanent residence.
What Happens When Your Priority Date Becomes Current?
When your priority date becomes current, the next step depends on where and how you are processing your immigrant case.
For someone inside the United States, this may involve adjustment of status through Form I-485, if the person is otherwise eligible.
For someone outside the United States, the process may involve consular processing through the National Visa Center and a U.S. embassy or consulate.
Becoming current does not automatically result in a green card. Other eligibility requirements, admissibility issues, documentation, background checks, and procedural requirements may still need to be addressed.
Why You Should Check the Visa Bulletin Every Month
Immigration timelines can change.
A priority date that is not current today may become current in a future month. On the other hand, a date that appears favorable one month can sometimes stop advancing or move backward.
For that reason, people with pending family-based or employment-based immigrant cases should monitor the Visa Bulletin regularly rather than assuming that the timeline will remain the same.
The Department of State publishes the Visa Bulletin monthly, along with historical bulletins that can be used to track changes over time.
Understanding Your Place in the Green Card Process
The Visa Bulletin can look complicated, but the basic questions are straightforward:
What is my immigration category?
What is my priority date?
Which country of chargeability applies to me?
Which Visa Bulletin chart applies to my case?
Has my priority date become current?
Answering those questions can provide a much clearer picture of where you are in the immigration process.
However, every immigration case has its own facts. A current priority date does not by itself guarantee eligibility for adjustment of status, an immigrant visa, or permanent residence.
If you are unsure whether your priority date is current, which Visa Bulletin chart applies to you, or what you should do next, speaking with an experienced immigration attorney can help you understand your options and avoid missing an important opportunity.
Jos Immigration Law helps individuals and families navigate the U.S. immigration process, including family-based and employment-based immigration matters. Contact our office to discuss your case and determine what the Visa Bulletin means for your immigration timeline.
This article is provided for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Laws, regulations, government policies, and litigation are subject to change.
