How do you read the Visa Bulletin? Priority dates, chargeability, and cutoff charts explained

Details / How it works

The Visa Bulletin is a monthly publication by the U.S. Department of State (DOS) that summarizes immigrant visa availability for family-sponsored, employment-based, and diversity categories. It contains two main charts:

• Application Final Action Dates chart: Shows when visa numbers are actually available for issuance (used by USCIS unless otherwise specified).
• Dates for Filing Applications chart: Indicates when applicants may begin submitting documentation to the National Visa Center or file Form I-485, depending on USCIS designation.
• Priority date: The date your immigrant petition was properly filed (found on Form I-797). It determines your place in the visa queue.
• Country of chargeability: Usually your country of birth, which affects per‑country limits and cutoff dates.
• Cut‑off date: A date listed in the Visa Bulletin for each preference category and country. Your visa is available if your priority date is earlier than the cut‑off date.
• Indicators: 'C' means visas are currently available for all qualified applicants in that category; 'U' means visas are temporarily unavailable.

To use the Bulletin, first find your preference category (e.g., F1, F2A, EB‑2) and country of chargeability in the relevant chart. Compare your priority date to the shown cut‑off date. If yours is earlier (or the chart says 'C'), a visa is available and you may proceed with adjustment of status (if in the U.S.) or consular processing (if abroad).

Numbers & thresholds

Exceptions & edge cases

Visa Retrogression: Cut‑off dates can move backward (e.g., from 01JAN22 to 01OCT21) when demand exceeds supply, making previously current priority dates unavailable. This often happens when annual limits are exhausted, but new fiscal year (October 1) usually restores dates.

Concurrent Filing: If your priority date is earlier than the cut‑off date on the Application Final Action Dates chart, or the chart shows 'C', you may file Form I‑485 together with the underlying immigrant petition (Form I‑130 or I‑140). When USCIS permits, you may also use the Dates for Filing Applications chart for earlier filing.

Which Chart to Use: For August 2026, USCIS requires:

• Family‑sponsored preference: Use the Dates for Filing chart.
• Employment‑based preference: Use the Final Action Dates chart.

Immediate Relatives (spouse, unmarried child under 21, parent of a U.S. citizen) are not subject to numerical limits—immigrant visas are always available, so they do not need to consult the Bulletin for visa availability.

Priority Date Preservation: For employment‑based cases requiring a labor certification, the priority date is the date the labor certification application was accepted by DOL. If Form I‑140 is filed within 180 days of DOL approval, that date is preserved.