The monthly Visa Bulletin represents one of the most important yet confusing documents in immigration law. Published by the U.S. Department of State, this bulletin determines when you can apply for or receive your green card, potentially affecting millions of people waiting in various immigration queues. Understanding how to read the Visa Bulletin and what it means for your specific situation can help you plan your life around realistic timelines and make informed decisions about your immigration journey.
The Visa Bulletin exists because U.S. immigration law sets annual limits on how many people can receive green cards in each category and from each country. When demand exceeds these limits, waiting lists form, and the Visa Bulletin tracks the progress of these queues.
Understanding Priority Dates
Your priority date serves as your place in line for a green card. This date is generally when your relative or employer properly filed the immigrant visa petition on your behalf with USCIS. For employment-based cases requiring labor certification, your priority date might be when the Department of Labor received your labor certification application.
Priority dates work on a first-come, first-served basis within each preference category and country. Think of it like taking a number at a busy restaurant – your priority date is your number, and the Visa Bulletin tells you which numbers are currently being called.
Once USCIS approves your petition (Form I-130 or I-140), your priority date is established and never changes, even if you transfer to a different employer or update your petition. This date follows you throughout the entire process and determines your eligibility for the next steps.
The Two Charts System
The Visa Bulletin contains two separate charts that serve different purposes, and understanding both is crucial for planning your case timeline.
The Final Action Dates chart (previously called the “Application Final Action Dates”) shows when green cards are actually available for issuance. If your priority date is earlier than the date listed in this chart, you may be able to complete the final steps of getting your green card, whether through consular processing abroad or adjustment of status in the United States.
The Dates for Filing chart (previously called “When to File Your Application”) allows certain applicants to submit their adjustment of status applications even when green cards aren’t immediately available. USCIS determines when there are more immigrant visas available for a fiscal year than there are known applicants for such visas, and announces when applicants can use this more favorable chart.
The ability to file early provides significant benefits, including work authorization, protection from removal proceedings, and the ability to travel internationally with advance parole documents. However, you cannot actually receive your green card until your priority date becomes current under the Final Action Dates chart.
Preference Categories and Their Timelines
Family-based immigration operates under four preference categories, each with different processing times and annual limits.
First Preference (F-1) covers unmarried sons and daughters of U.S. citizens. These cases generally move faster than other family categories but still face multi-year waits, especially for applicants from high-demand countries.
Second Preference splits into F-2A for spouses and unmarried children under 21 of permanent residents, and F-2B for unmarried sons and daughters 21 or older of permanent residents. F-2A cases often move more quickly than F-2B cases due to higher demand in the latter category.
Third Preference (F-3) includes married sons and daughters of U.S. citizens. These cases typically face some of the longest waits in family-based immigration, often spanning decades for certain countries.
Fourth Preference (F-4) covers siblings of U.S. citizens and historically shows the slowest movement. Recent bulletins show minimal progress, with the F-4 category for India advancing by only 2 months in June 2025.
Employment-based categories (EB-1 through EB-5) each have their own patterns and challenges. EB-1 for priority workers typically remains current for most countries, while EB-2 and EB-3 face significant backlogs, particularly for applicants born in India and China.
Country-Specific Limitations
Per-country limits significantly impact processing times, with no single country able to receive more than 7% of the total green cards available in any category each year. This creates severe backlogs for high-demand countries like India, China, Mexico, and the Philippines.
Applicants born in India face some of the longest waits, particularly in employment-based categories. Recent trends show continued retrogression for India-born applicants across nearly all preference categories, with some facing decades-long waits.
China-born applicants also experience significant delays, though typically shorter than those from India. Recent bulletins show modest movement for Chinese applicants in certain categories, but overall progress remains slow.
Your country of chargeability is typically your country of birth, not citizenship or residence. However, cross-chargeability rules allow spouses to use each other’s country of birth if it provides a more favorable timeline, and children can sometimes use their parents’ countries of birth.
Visa Retrogression and Forward Movement
Visa retrogression occurs when priority dates move backward due to higher than expected demand. This can happen when more people apply for green cards than anticipated, or when changes in processing procedures create backlogs.
When retrogression occurs, cases that were previously eligible for processing may no longer be current. If your Form I-485 application is pending and your priority date is no longer current due to retrogression, your case must be held in abeyance until a visa becomes available again.
Forward movement happens when priority dates advance, allowing more people to apply for or receive green cards. However, recent patterns show minimal movement across many categories, with some bulletins described as “stuck in the mud”.
Understanding these patterns helps set realistic expectations. Some months show significant forward movement, while others remain unchanged or even move backward.
Annual Limits and Fiscal Year Resets
The fiscal year 2025 limit for family-sponsored preference immigrants is 226,000, while the worldwide level for annual employment-based preference immigrants is at least 140,000. These limits reset each October 1st at the beginning of the new fiscal year.
When categories reach their annual limits, they become “unavailable” and no further green cards can be issued until the next fiscal year begins. Some categories that become unavailable during the fiscal year may resume processing when annual limits reset on October 1.
This creates predictable patterns where certain months show more movement than others, particularly early in the fiscal year when new numbers become available.
Practical Implications for Your Planning
The Visa Bulletin directly affects major life decisions, from job changes and family planning to real estate purchases and educational choices.
If you’re in the United States on a temporary visa and your priority date isn’t current, you must maintain valid status throughout the waiting period. This might require extending or changing your temporary status multiple times over several years.
Employment-based applicants should be cautious about changing jobs, particularly if their new position requires starting the green card process over with a new priority date. The AC21 portability rules provide some flexibility, but timing and job similarity requirements must be carefully managed.
Family relationships can change during long waits, potentially affecting eligibility. Children may “age out” when they turn 21, though the Child Status Protection Act provides some protection. Marriages, divorces, and deaths in the family can all impact cases.
Monitoring and Staying Current
Check the Visa Bulletin monthly as soon as it’s published, typically around the middle of each month for the following month. Set calendar reminders to review updates and assess how changes affect your timeline.
Keep your address current with both USCIS and the National Visa Center to ensure you receive important notices. File Form AR-11 within 10 days of any address change.
Consider subscribing to reliable immigration news sources or working with an attorney who can interpret Visa Bulletin changes and their implications for your specific case.
When Professional Help Makes Sense
Complex cases involving multiple family members, job changes, or lengthy wait times benefit from professional guidance. Immigration attorneys can help interpret Visa Bulletin movements and plan strategies for managing long waits.
Cases involving aging-out children, potential retrogression, or complicated employment situations require careful analysis of timing and options.
Consider professional help if you’re unsure about which chart to use for filing applications, or if changes in the Visa Bulletin create confusion about your case status.
The Visa Bulletin will likely remain a central part of your immigration journey, sometimes bringing good news and sometimes disappointment. Understanding how it works empowers you to make informed decisions and maintain realistic expectations throughout the process. While the wait times can seem overwhelming, remember that priority dates do eventually become current, and thousands of people successfully navigate this system each month to achieve their goal of permanent residence in the United States. Stay patient, stay informed, and keep working toward your American dream.
