Visa Bulletin
The visa bulletin is a monthly publication from the US Department of State that shows which green card applicants can move forward, based on their priority date, category, and country of chargeability.
How to read it
The bulletin has two charts for each family and employment category:
- Final Action Dates: if your priority date is before this date, a green card can be approved.
- Dates for Filing: an earlier stage that may let you file documents or the I-485 early, if USCIS says that chart applies that month.
"C" means current (no wait); "U" means unavailable. India, China, Mexico, and the Philippines often have separate columns because of per-country limits. Dates can move forward or backward (retrogression).
See our visa bulletin guide and live tracker.
Frequently asked questions
When is the visa bulletin released?
Usually in the middle of the month before it takes effect.
What does C mean in the visa bulletin?
The category is current, so any priority date qualifies.
Which chart does USCIS use?
USCIS announces each month whether adjustment applicants use Final Action Dates or Dates for Filing.
Official sources
- State Department: Visa Bulletintravel.state.gov
General information, not legal advice. NorthAmericans.com is independent and not affiliated with any government.