Current Employment Based Visa Bulletin Chart: Check Your Priority Date Now

Last Updated on July 2, 2026

Employment based visa bulletin chart

Have you ever wondered when your priority date will become current for filing an employment-based green card application? The Employment-Based Visa Bulletin Chart is a monthly publication from the U.S. Department of State that lists cutoff dates for each preference category and country. It operates on a first-come, first-served basis, allowing applicants to determine eligibility by comparing their priority date to the chart’s specified cutoff. By consulting this chart, petitioners can strategically time their Adjustment of Status or consular processing submissions.

Decoding the Monthly Visa Bulletin for Priority Dates

Decoding the Monthly Visa Bulletin for priority dates is about comparing your priority date against the “Final Action Dates” or “Dates for Filing” charts in the employment-based category. Your priority date is usually the date USCIS received your PERM or I-140 petition. Find your category (like EB-2 or EB-3) and your country of chargeability. If your date is earlier than the date listed in the chart, your visa is considered available.

A key insight: the “Dates for Filing” chart can allow you to submit your adjustment of status paperwork even if your priority date isn’t current in the “Final Action” chart, but USCIS must announce acceptance of that chart each month.

Always check which chart is active for your category to avoid filing too early.

Understanding Final Action Dates vs. Dates for Filing

In the Employment Based visa bulletin chart, final action dates vs. dates for filing can feel confusing, but they serve two distinct purposes for you. The “Final Action Date” is the cutoff USCIS uses to approve your green card application when a visa is immediately available. The “Dates for Filing” chart shows when you can submit your adjustment of status application early, even if the visa isn’t yet current. *Your goal is to check the “Dates for Filing” first for faster priority date usage, but always confirm USCIS’s monthly instructions on which chart to follow.* Stick to the Final Action Date only if required—it’s the ultimate green light for approval.

How Cut-Off Dates Determine Your Green Card Wait

Your green card wait is directly ruled by the **cut-off date in the visa bulletin**. Each month, USCIS publishes a chart with dates for your employment-based category (EB-2, EB-3, etc.). If your priority date (the date USCIS received your perm or I-140) is *earlier* than that month’s final action cut-off, an immigrant visa number is available and you can file for adjustment of status or get your green card. If your date lands *after* the cut-off, you must keep waiting. The cut-off moves forward (or retrogresses) based on demand and supply, which is why one month you’re current and the next you’re sidelined. Check the “Final Action Dates” chart for the actual cut-off that holds up your application.

Q: Does my priority date ever expire because of a cut-off date?
A: No, your priority date is permanent. The cut-off date just tells you if you can use it *now*—if it passes your date, you’re golden; if not, you just wait for next month’s bulletin.

Why the Bulletin Updates Every Month

The monthly update of the employment-based visa bulletin reflects the Department of State’s real-time adjustment of priority date cut-offs based on actual visa demand and supply. Each month, USCIS reports how many visas have been used, allowing the State Department to either advance or retrogress dates in the chart to keep issuance within annual caps. This cycle ensures that priority date movement remains predictable for applicants tracking their eligibility window.

Resets available visa numbers after each fiscal year begins in October.
Responds to surges in demand from high-volume countries like India and China.
Prevents exceeding per-country and overall annual limits.

Breaking Down the Five Preference Categories

The Employment-Based Visa Bulletin chart organizes the five preference categories—EB-1 (priority workers), EB-2 (advanced degree professionals), EB-3 (skilled workers/professionals), EB-4 (special immigrants), and EB-5 (investors)—by their respective cut-off dates. To interpret the chart, first locate your category and country of chargeability; the “Final Action Dates” column shows when a visa is actually issued. Priority dates determine your place in line. Date filing charts indicate when you may submit adjustment of status documents. EB-2 often requires a labor certification, directly impacting its backlog. Cross-reference your priority date against the relevant category’s chart to gauge wait times and plan your filing strategy. Only the five preference categories dictate your eligibility for a visa number; no other factors appear on this chart.

EB-1: Priority Workers and Extraordinary Ability

The EB-1 category is for Priority Workers with Extraordinary Ability, and the visa bulletin chart’s “Final Action Dates” column is your main indicator of when your green card can actually be approved. For this category, you don’t need a labor certification. To use the chart, first check if your priority date is earlier than the listed date for your country. If it is, you can proceed. Then, verify you meet one of three sub-groups:

Extraordinary ability in sciences, arts, education, business, or athletics.
Outstanding professors or researchers.
Multinational managers or executives.

EB-2: Advanced Degrees and Exceptional Ability

The EB-2 category for advanced degrees and exceptional ability appears in the visa bulletin’s second preference row. This row displays separate final action dates for applicants with an advanced degree (master’s or higher, or a U.S. bachelor’s plus five years of progressive experience) and for those demonstrating exceptional ability in sciences, arts, or business. The chart’s priority date cutoffs for EB-2 are typically earlier than EB-3 but later than EB-1, reflecting higher demand relative to annual per-country caps. You must ensure your I-140 petition lists a priority date that is earlier than the bulletin’s published date for your country and preference. If a date is current, you may immediately file adjustment of status.

EB-3: Skilled Workers, Professionals, and Other Workers

EB-3 is split into three groups: Skilled Workers (2+ years training), Professionals (bachelor’s degree), and Other Workers (unskilled). On the visa bulletin chart, you’ll watch the “Final Action Dates” and “Dates for Filing” specifically for your subcategory. Priority date movement for EB-3 Other Workers is usually slower than for Skilled Workers due to numerical limits. If your priority date is from India or China, expect longer waits for Skilled and Professional slots. Check your category’s row and date monthly.

EB-3 covers three worker types—Skilled, Professional, and Other—with visa bulletins showing separate date cutoffs for each subcategory.

EB-4: Special Immigrants and Religious Workers

The EB-4 category covers Special Immigrants, including religious workers, broadcasters, and certain foreign employees of the U.S. government. Within the employment-based visa bulletin chart, this preference typically shows current or minimal backlog dates compared to other categories, though availability can shift monthly. Priority dates for religious workers must align with the “Final Action Dates” column to proceed with adjustment of status or consular processing. If the chart lists a specific date for EB-4, applicants with an earlier priority date can move forward; otherwise, they wait until the date becomes current. Retrogression may occur if annual caps are approached, so monitoring the bulletin is essential.

EB-5: Immigrant Investors and Regional Centers

Employment based visa bulletin chart

Within the employment-based visa bulletin, EB-5 Immigrant Investor Regional Center is a reserved category within the fifth preference, requiring a minimum capital investment in a USCIS-designated Regional Center. Unlike direct EB-5, this route allows for indirect job creation, meeting the requirement of at least ten full-time positions per investor. The visa bulletin chart displays separate allocation for Regional Center set-aside visas (rural, high-unemployment, infrastructure), distinct from the unreserved pool. Unused set-aside visas roll over to the general EB-5 category the following fiscal year, altering cut-off dates unpredictably.

Regional Center investments use pooled funds for commercial enterprises tied to USCIS-approved economic models for job calculation.
Visa bulletin priority dates for Regional Center set-asides often advance faster than the standard EB-5 line due to lower demand.
Each Regional Center visa category—rural, high-unemployment, infrastructure—has its own annual cap within the 7.1% total EB-5 allocation.
An approved Regional Center designation must be linked to the investor’s filed I-526E petition to qualify for the reserved visa number.

Spotlight on Country-Specific Retrogression

The Spotlight on Country-Specific Retrogression on the Employment Based visa bulletin chart tells you exactly when your priority date has slipped backward for your home country. Instead of moving forward, you see a specific date shift to an earlier month or year. This means you must wait longer before filing or getting a green card, even if other countries are progressing. Check the “Final Action” or “Filing” chart for your country code to confirm the retrogressed date. Every month, compare your own date against that specific country’s row to plan your next steps accurately.

Why India and China Face Longer Backlogs

India and China face longer backlogs on the employment-based visa chart due to their massive applicant pools and the per-country cap, which limits visas to 7% annually. This creates a disproportionate demand that far exceeds supply, causing their priority dates to stagnate for years. The backlog’s severity is tied to high-skilled workers from both nations overwhelming the system, particularly in the EB-2 and EB-3 categories. Per-country caps are the primary bottleneck, forcing Indian and Chinese applicants into decade-long waits while others advance quickly. Why do India and China face longer backlogs than other countries? Simply put, their demand hits the 7% cap every year, while unused visas from low-demand nations cannot compensate for the millions of pending applicants from these two countries.

Global Visa Availability vs. Per-Country Caps

When the Visa Bulletin shows “Current” for a global category, it means visas are available for all qualified applicants regardless of nationality. However, per-country caps limit any single nation to 7% of total annual employment-based visas, creating severe bottlenecks for high-demand countries like India and China. Even when global availability appears broad, these caps can cause immediate retrogression for applicants from oversubscribed nations. You must monitor both the global cutoff date and your country’s specific date to realistically assess filing eligibility.

Global availability indicates general visa supply, but per-country caps forcibly restrict distribution from high-demand nations.
Once a country exceeds its 7% cap, its priority dates retrogress even if global dates remain current.
Cross-chargeability rules may allow you to use a spouse’s less-restricted country to bypass per-country caps.
Retrogression often hits applicants from capped countries first, while global visa bulletin dates stay favorable for low-demand nationals.

How Retrogression Impacts Your Application Timeline

Retrogression essentially hits the pause button on your timeline. If the visa bulletin’s final action date moves backward, your case gets frozen—you cannot file for adjustment of status or get your green card approved until the date moves forward again. This introduces major timeline uncertainty, as you may sit in a long queue for months or even years, especially for oversubscribed countries. Your earlier priority date no longer guarantees progress; instead, you must watch the bulletin monthly, and every backward shift resets your expected wait.

Practical Steps to Track Your Case

First, locate your priority date on your Form I-797 Notice of Action. Cross-reference this date against your specific employment-based category (e.g., EB-2 or EB-3) on the **Final Action Dates** chart in the monthly Visa Bulletin. If your priority date is earlier than the listed cutoff date, you are eligible to apply for an immigrant visa or adjustment of status. For filing purposes, also check the **Dates for Filing** chart, as USCIS often allows you to use this earlier date to submit your application. Remember that the chart can retrogress, meaning a previously current date may move backward. Monitor the bulletin daily around the 8th-10th of each month, as the Department of State releases the next month’s edition then. Finally, set a calendar alert on the release day to re-check your date against any new cutoff movements.

Finding Your Priority Date on Previous Notices

To find your priority date, check the USCIS receipt notice (Form I-797) for your initial I-140 or I-130 petition. This date, listed as the “Priority Date,” is the day USCIS received your application. Use it to reference the employment-based visa bulletin chart. Follow this sequence:

Locate your most recent I-797 approval notice.
Read the “Priority Date” field in the upper section.
Compare this exact date to the “Final Action Dates” table in the current Visa Bulletin.

Older petitions from revoked or superseding filings may have a different date; always verify with the latest notice.

Using the Chart to Decide When to File I-485

To determine when to file I-485, compare your priority date on Form I-140 receipt to the “Dates for Filing” chart for your employment-based category and country. If your priority date is earlier than or equal to the listed date, you are eligible to file your adjustment of status. The “Final Action Dates” chart shows when USCIS will approve the I-485, not when to submit it. Always verify which chart USCIS activates each month, as they may allow filing based on the earlier “Dates for Filing” chart. File immediately when your date becomes current under the active chart.

Monitoring Visa Number Issuance by Category

To monitor visa number issuance by category, use the Visa Bulletin’s “Final Action Dates” chart for your specific employment-based preference (EB-1, EB-2, or EB-3). Track monthly updates from the Department of State and compare your priority date against these cutoffs. A date moving forward indicates active visa consumption. Prioritize category-specific analysis over general trends, as each has unique demand. Focus on your “Country Chargeability” for accurate monitoring, as different countries face varying backlogs.

Q: How do I know if my category is issuing visas without waiting for my priority date?
A: Check the “Dates for Filing” chart. If your priority date is earlier than this date, you can submit your adjustment of status application even if “Final Action” is not current, signaling forthcoming issuance.

Common Pitfalls When Reading the Chart

The most common pitfall is misreading the “Final Action Date” as a filing date, leading you to file early and get rejected. Another frequent error is ignoring the “Dates for Filing” chart entirely, assuming only one chart applies to your case. What happens if your priority date is current but your country is listed as “Unavailable” in the chart? It means USCIS has hit the annual cap for that category, so no new adjustments are approved until the next fiscal year, wasting your preparation effort. People also forget to check which chart the Department of State *and* USCIS are using each month—they sometimes differ, causing you to submit the wrong form. Finally, assuming your priority date remains current indefinitely is a mistake; it can retrogress or become unavailable without warning, derailing months of planning.

Confusing Final Action Dates with Filing Dates

A critical pitfall is misreading the Final Action Dates vs. Filing Dates columns, which determine entirely different procedural stages. The Final Action Date indicates when a visa number can actually be issued, meaning you can complete adjustment of status or consular processing. Conversely, the Filing Date allows you to submit the initial green card application (I-485 or DS-260) before a visa becomes available, but no approval or interview occurs until your priority date hits the Final Action Date. Relying solely on the Filing Date for timing risks filing prematurely and facing lengthy holds, while ignoring it forfeits early queue placement. Always verify which chart USCIS has authorized for the month to avoid errors.

Overlooking Visa Bulletin Corrections and Revisions

Overlooking updates to the Visa Bulletin, specifically official corrections and revisions, is a critical mistake when reading the employment-based chart. The U.S. Department of State may publish corrected dates after the initial release, retroactively adjusting cutoff months for a given category or country. Relying on the original bulletin without cross-referencing the “Visa Bulletin for…” title and its publication date can lead to filing errors, as a revised priority date might render an applicant ineligible. Always verify the current, corrected bulletin version on the official website before submitting any adjustment of status or consular processing documents.

Assuming Dates Move Forward Every Month

One major pitfall is assuming dates move forward every month in the employment-based visa bulletin. This expectation can lead to misplaced urgency or financial risk. In reality, dates can retrogress—slip backward—due to heavy demand or per-country caps. A date advancing in one month does not guarantee progress in the next; it might stall or reverse. You must monitor the bulletin monthly, not project a linear trend. Preparing documents prematurely based on expected forward movement can waste resources.

Dates in the visa bulletin can retrogress or freeze; never assume monthly forward movement—track each update separately.

Employment based visa bulletin chart

Forecasting Trends and Year-End Surges

Understanding forecasting trends and year-end surges in the employment-based visa bulletin chart is critical for strategic timing. Historically, the final quarter of the fiscal year often sees unexpected forward movement as USCIS exhausts unused visa numbers, creating a surge in final action dates. Monitoring monthly cutoff trends in the chart for your priority date allows you to predict these windows of opportunity.

A sudden availability spike in September can shift a priority date from “unavailable” to “current,” turning months of waiting into immediate eligibility.

Proactive review of the chart’s historical movement for your category reveals these cyclical patterns, enabling you to prepare documents and interview slots before the surge hits.

Fiscal Year Impact on Visa Availability

Employment based visa bulletin chart

The annual reset of the fiscal year on October 1st dramatically reshapes the employment-based visa bulletin chart, often triggering a sudden surge in visa number availability. As the new allocation opens, priority dates can leap forward, moving from “unavailable” to “current” overnight. This immediate shift creates a narrow but powerful window for filed applications. However, this early momentum typically slows as demand from the backlog consumes the fresh supply, causing dates to retrogress by mid-fiscal year. Understanding this cyclical ebb and flow is critical for timing your filing.

October priority dates often advance significantly from September’s final cut-off.
Early fiscal year availability can lead to a rush of concurrent filings.
High demand in the first quarter frequently triggers retrogression by Q3.
Year-end “use it or lose it” pressures can briefly reopen closed categories in August.

Predicting Forward Movement or Freezes

Predicting forward movement or freezes in the Employment-Based visa bulletin requires analyzing per-country visa demand dynamics relative to annual caps. A freeze typically occurs when the “Final Action Date” has not changed for consecutive months, indicating oversubscription in a specific category like EB-2 India. To forecast a forward movement, compare the “Dates for Filing” chart’s gap to the “Final Action Date”—a widening gap often signals imminent advancement, while a narrowing gap hints at stagnation. Track monthly visa issuance reports for signs of spillover usage. Q: How can I tell if my priority date will freeze? A: If your category’s date remains static for three months and demand exceeds 85% of the annual quota, a prolonged freeze is probable.

Leveraging Historical Data for Planning

You can get a real edge by reviewing past visa bulletin movements to predict when your priority date might become current. Look at how the “Final Action Dates” advanced or stalled over the last few years for your specific category and country. Matching this pattern against your estimated wait time helps you decide whether to prepare documents now or hold off. This historical snapshot transforms guesswork into a timeline, letting you plan job changes or family moves with more confidence.