The Peng Law · Reference
Visa Bulletin
The Department of State publishes priority-date cut-offs every month. They decide when a green-card applicant may file Form I-485 or move to consular processing. The charts below track the current bulletin.
Chart A — Final Action Dates
A priority date earlier than the date shown means a visa number is available and the final step of the green-card process can be completed.
| Category | All Chargeability | China (Mainland) | India |
|---|---|---|---|
| EB-1 Extraordinary Ability / Multinational Manager | Current | Jul 1, 2023 | Feb 1, 2023 109 days |
| EB-2 Advanced Degree / NIW | Jan 1, 2025 tightened | Oct 1, 2021 30 days | Nov 1, 2013 opened up |
| EB-3 Skilled Workers / Professionals | May 15, 2024 109 days | Jan 8, 2022 7 days | Jan 1, 2014 |
| EB-5 Investor (Unreserved) | Current | Dec 1, 2016 | Dec 1, 2023 opened up |
| EB-5 Investor (Rural Set-Aside) | Current | Current | Current |
Chart B — Dates for Filing
In a month USCIS announces Chart B may be used, an applicant whose priority date is earlier than the date shown may file Form I-485 early.
| Category | All Chargeability | China (Mainland) | India |
|---|---|---|---|
| EB-1 Extraordinary Ability / Multinational Manager | Current | Jul 1, 2024 213 days | Jul 1, 2024 213 days |
| EB-2 Advanced Degree / NIW | Mar 15, 2026 tightened | Jan 1, 2023 365 days | Jan 15, 2015 |
| EB-3 Skilled Workers / Professionals | Aug 1, 2024 tightened | Apr 1, 2024 814 days | Jan 15, 2015 |
| EB-5 Investor (Unreserved) | Current | Mar 1, 2021 1461 days | May 1, 2024 |
| EB-5 Investor (Rural Set-Aside) | Current | Current | Current |
Source: U.S. Department of State Visa Bulletin.
F1 to F4 are the family preference categories: they are capped annually and queue by priority date. The immediate relatives of a U.S. citizen — a spouse, an unmarried child under 21, and the parents of a citizen aged 21 or over — are not in these charts at all. They are exempt from the numerical limits and have no backlog.
Chart A — Final Action Dates
| Category | All Chargeability | China (Mainland) | India | Mexico | Philippines |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| F1 Unmarried Sons & Daughters of Citizens | Jan 22, 2020 | Jan 22, 2020 | Jan 22, 2020 | Sep 8, 2008 251 days | Nov 1, 2013 184 days |
| F2A Spouses & Minor Children of LPRs | Sep 22, 2026 31 days | Sep 22, 2026 31 days | Sep 22, 2026 31 days | Mar 22, 2026 212 days | Sep 22, 2026 31 days |
| F2B Unmarried Sons & Daughters of LPRs | Aug 22, 2019 | Aug 22, 2019 | Aug 22, 2019 | May 15, 2010 454 days | Oct 1, 2013 122 days |
| F3 Married Sons & Daughters of Citizens | Oct 22, 2014 | Oct 22, 2014 | Oct 22, 2014 | Jul 1, 2001 | Jul 22, 2006 150 days |
| F4 Brothers & Sisters of Citizens | Oct 22, 2011 | Oct 22, 2011 | Dec 15, 2006 44 days | Apr 22, 2001 14 days | May 15, 2008 267 days |
Chart B — Dates for Filing
| Category | All Chargeability | China (Mainland) | India | Mexico | Philippines |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| F1 Unmarried Sons & Daughters of Citizens | Feb 1, 2020 | Feb 1, 2020 | Feb 1, 2020 | Dec 1, 2008 | Apr 22, 2015 |
| F2A Spouses & Minor Children of LPRs | Current | Current | Current | Current | Current |
| F2B Unmarried Sons & Daughters of LPRs | Sep 1, 2019 | Sep 1, 2019 | Sep 1, 2019 | Mar 22, 2011 311 days | Oct 1, 2014 365 days |
| F3 Married Sons & Daughters of Citizens | Nov 1, 2014 | Nov 1, 2014 | Nov 1, 2014 | Dec 1, 2002 504 days | Oct 22, 2006 75 days |
| F4 Brothers & Sisters of Citizens | Nov 1, 2011 | Nov 1, 2011 | Feb 1, 2007 48 days | Apr 30, 2001 | Mar 22, 2009 365 days |
Source: U.S. Department of State Visa Bulletin.
Is your priority date current — or getting close?
A window opens and closes on this chart every month. We will assess your filing timing and green-card strategy at no cost.
A priority date fixes your place in line. For an employment-based case it is usually the date the PERM labor certification was filed; for a self-petition such as EB-1A or NIW it is the I-140 receipt date; for a family case it is the I-130 receipt date. Find your category and country of birth, then compare.
Chart A against Chart B
- AFinal Action Dates. Once your priority date is earlier than this date, a visa number exists and the I-485 can be approved or the consular interview held.
- BDates for Filing. When USCIS opens Chart B for the month, you may file the I-485 early and secure the work permit and travel document that come with it.
What the cells mean
- CCurrent: the category has no backlog, so an eligible applicant may file straight away.
- UUnavailable: no visa numbers are being issued in that category this month.
- •A date: your priority date must fall earlier than it. The older the date, the longer the queue.
These dates move both ways. A category that advanced this month can retrogress the next, so a window that is open now should be treated as temporary. If your date is current or close to it, ask us whether Chart B lets you file early, and how to hold your status and work authorisation while you wait.
What is the U.S. Visa Bulletin?
The U.S. Visa Bulletin is a monthly publication by the U.S. Department of State that lists priority-date cutoffs for each employment-based and family-based category and country of birth. Because U.S. immigration law sets annual per-category and per-country limits on green cards, the Visa Bulletin determines when an applicant can complete the final step of the green card process.
What is the difference between Chart A and Chart B in the Visa Bulletin?
Chart A is the Final Action Dates chart: when an applicant's priority date is earlier than the Chart A date, a visa number is available and the applicant can have an I-485 approved or complete a consular interview. Chart B is the Dates for Filing chart: when USCIS announces that Chart B may be used for a given month, applicants inside the U.S. with a priority date earlier than the Chart B date may file Form I-485 early. Chart B usually advances faster than Chart A, but it is not automatically in effect each month — USCIS must announce its use separately.
How do I know if my green card priority date is current?
First identify your priority date — for employment-based cases it is typically the date the PERM labor certification was filed; for self-petition categories such as EB-1A and NIW it is the I-140 receipt date; for family-based cases it is the I-130 receipt date. Then find your category and country of birth in the Visa Bulletin and compare: your priority date is "current" when it is earlier than the date shown ("C" means the category has no backlog).
Can I file for a work permit and travel document when I file I-485?
Yes. Applicants who hold valid status inside the U.S. and are eligible under a current Chart B date may file Form I-765 (work permit / EAD) and Form I-131 (travel document / Advance Parole) together with Form I-485. Once the EAD is approved you may work lawfully in the U.S., and once Advance Parole is approved you may travel without affecting the pending I-485.
Do immediate relatives have a visa bulletin backlog, and how do they differ from the F1–F4 categories?
The "Immediate Relatives" of a U.S. citizen — the spouse, unmarried children under 21, and the parents of a citizen who is at least 21 — are not subject to annual numerical limits, so they have no visa bulletin backlog and need not wait in the charts; an eligible applicant may file at once. The F1–F4 categories listed in the Visa Bulletin are the Family Preference categories — a citizen's adult children and siblings, and a permanent resident's spouse and children — which are capped annually and must queue by priority date. In short: immediate relatives are always "current," while only F1–F4 applicants must track the bulletin.
Can priority dates retrogress, and how is a child's age locked?
Yes. Priority dates change monthly and can move forward or retrogress, so applicants should act promptly once their date becomes current. On locking a derivative child's age: under the rule effective August 15, 2025, USCIS no longer locks a child's age at the Chart B filing date — the age is locked only when the Chart A (Final Action) date reaches the priority date. Families waiting in the queue should re-check whether a child has aged out.
Not sure what your date means for your case?
Our attorneys read the movement of these charts every month, and time filings around it.
Disclaimer: the priority dates above are a reference. The U.S. Department of State publishes the official Visa Bulletin, and it controls. This page is not legal advice.