Priority Date
A priority date is the date that marks your place in line for a US immigrant visa in a capped category. It is usually the date USCIS received your I-130 family petition, or the date DOL received your PERM application for an employment case.
How it works
Each year, only a limited number of green cards are available in family preference and employment categories, with per-country limits. When demand is higher than supply, people wait. The State Department's monthly visa bulletin lists cut-off dates by category and country (chargeability).
When your priority date is earlier than the cut-off date, it is "current" and you can move forward. If you have an approved I-140 and later file a new one, you can often keep the earlier date. Immediate relatives of US citizens have no wait. See our priority dates guide and visa bulletin tracker.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I find my priority date?
On the I-797 approval or receipt notice for your I-130 or I-140.
Can my priority date go backward?
Your date never changes, but the bulletin's cut-off can move back. That is called retrogression.
Do I lose my priority date if I change jobs?
Usually not, if your I-140 was approved, but the new employer must file a new petition.
Official sources
- State Department: Visa Bulletintravel.state.gov
General information, not legal advice. NorthAmericans.com is independent and not affiliated with any government.