Priority Date & Visa Bulletin FAQ
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What is a priority date?
The priority date is your place in line for a green card. It determines when you can move forward with the final step of your green card application (either adjustment of status or consular processing).
Your priority date is:
- Employment-based cases: the date your PERM labor certification was filed (or I-140 if no PERM is needed).
- Family-based cases: the date your I-130 petition was filed.
What is the Visa Bulletin?
The Visa Bulletin, published monthly by the U.S. Department of State, shows which priority dates are currently eligible for green card processing. It tells you if a visa number is available for your category and country.
You can view it at: https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/legal/visa-law0/visa-bulletin.html
What are the two charts in the Visa Bulletin?
For both family-based and employment-based immigrant visa categories, the U.S. Department of State publishes two key charts each month:
- "Final Action Dates" (Chart A): Shows when a visa number is available and a green card or immigrant visa can actually be issued.
- "Dates for Filing" (Chart B):Shows the earliest date you may begin the final stage of your case:
Inside the U.S. (Adjustment of Status): When you may file Form I-485, if USCIS authorizes use of this chart for the month.
Outside the U.S. (Consular Processing): When the National Visa Center may invite you to submit fees and civil documents.
USCIS announces each month which chart applicants inside the U.S. must use for adjustment of status. You can check the current month’s guidance on USCIS’s official Visa Bulletin page
What does it mean if my priority date is “current”?
If your priority date is earlier than the date listed (cut-off date) in the Visa Bulletin for your category and country, your date is “current”, and you can:
- File Form I-485 (if in the U.S.)
- Proceed with consular processing (if abroad)
Why are there different dates for different countries?
Because U.S. immigration law imposes per-country limits, countries with high demand (like India, China, Mexico, and the Philippines) often have backlogs, resulting in longer wait times.
What does "retrogression" mean?
Retrogression means a priority date that was current in a previous Visa Bulletin has moved backward in a later one, often due to high demand for visas. This can delay green card issuance for applicants whose dates were previously current.
How can I find my category on the Visa Bulletin?
First, determine your green card category:
- F1: Unmarried sons/daughters of U.S. citizens (21+)
- F2A: Spouses/children of permanent residents
- F2B: Unmarried adult children of permanent residents
- F3: Married children of U.S. citizens
- F4: Siblings of U.S. citizens
- EB-1: Priority workers (executives, professors, researchers)
- EB-2: Advanced degrees or exceptional ability
- EB-3: Skilled workers, professionals, and other workers
- EB-4: Special immigrants (e.g., religious workers)
- EB-5: Investors
Then check the country column for your country of birth, not citizenship.
Can I keep my priority date if I change jobs or categories?
Yes, in many cases. Priority date retention is allowed if:
- You have an approved I-140, and
- The new job is in the same or similar category.
This lets you keep your place in line even if you switch employers or move from EB-3 to EB-2, for example.
What happens if my priority date becomes current?
Once current, you can:
- File I-485 if in the U.S. (if not already filed), and
- Expect USCIS to adjudicate your green card.
If you are abroad, the National Visa Center (NVC) will schedule a visa interview at a U.S. consulate.
How often does the Visa Bulletin change?
The Visa Bulletin is released monthly, usually around the 8th–15th of each month. Changes depend on visa demand and availability.
Is there any way to speed up my priority date?
No. Priority dates are based on statutory limits, and there’s no way to “buy” or “expedite” your place in line. However, upgrading your petition (e.g., from EB-3 to EB-2) may help if EB-2 is moving faster.
What is “cross-chargeability”?
If your spouse was born in a different country with a faster-moving category, you may use their country of birth for your priority date processing. This can help you avoid backlogs.
What is the Child Status Protection Act (CSPA)?
The CSPA helps certain children who turn 21 while waiting for a green card retain their eligibility as dependents by “freezing” their age during some parts of the process. It can protect them from aging out due to visa delays.
What is the Visa Bulletin "cut-off date"?
The cut-off date listed in the bulletin is the latest priority date that can be processed that month. If your priority date is before that cut-off, you’re eligible to proceed.
What should I do if my priority date is not current?
While waiting:
- Maintain your nonimmigrant status (if in the U.S.)
- Track the Visa Bulletin monthly
- Consider alternatives (e.g., employer sponsorship in a faster category, EB-5, etc.)
Get Expert Help from Versfeld & Hugo LLC Today
What is a priority date?
The priority date is your place in line for a green card. It determines when you can move forward with the final step of your green card application (either adjustment of status or consular processing).
Your priority date is:
- Employment-based cases: the date your PERM labor certification was filed (or I-140 if no PERM is needed).
- Family-based cases: the date your I-130 petition was filed.
What is the Visa Bulletin?
The Visa Bulletin, published monthly by the U.S. Department of State, shows which priority dates are currently eligible for green card processing. It tells you if a visa number is available for your category and country.
You can view it at: https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/legal/visa-law0/visa-bulletin.html
What are the two charts in the Visa Bulletin?
For both family-based and employment-based immigrant visa categories, the U.S. Department of State publishes two key charts each month:
- "Final Action Dates" (Chart A): Shows when a visa number is available and a green card or immigrant visa can actually be issued.
- "Dates for Filing" (Chart B):Shows the earliest date you may begin the final stage of your case:
Inside the U.S. (Adjustment of Status): When you may file Form I-485, if USCIS authorizes use of this chart for the month.
Outside the U.S. (Consular Processing): When the National Visa Center may invite you to submit fees and civil documents.
USCIS announces each month which chart applicants inside the U.S. must use for adjustment of status. You can check the current month’s guidance on USCIS’s official Visa Bulletin page
What does it mean if my priority date is “current”?
If your priority date is earlier than the date listed (cut-off date) in the Visa Bulletin for your category and country, your date is “current”, and you can:
- File Form I-485 (if in the U.S.)
- Proceed with consular processing (if abroad)
Why are there different dates for different countries?
Because U.S. immigration law imposes per-country limits, countries with high demand (like India, China, Mexico, and the Philippines) often have backlogs, resulting in longer wait times.
What does "retrogression" mean?
Retrogression means a priority date that was current in a previous Visa Bulletin has moved backward in a later one, often due to high demand for visas. This can delay green card issuance for applicants whose dates were previously current.
How can I find my category on the Visa Bulletin?
First, determine your green card category:
- F1: Unmarried sons/daughters of U.S. citizens (21+)
- F2A: Spouses/children of permanent residents
- F2B: Unmarried adult children of permanent residents
- F3: Married children of U.S. citizens
- F4: Siblings of U.S. citizens
- EB-1: Priority workers (executives, professors, researchers)
- EB-2: Advanced degrees or exceptional ability
- EB-3: Skilled workers, professionals, and other workers
- EB-4: Special immigrants (e.g., religious workers)
- EB-5: Investors
Then check the country column for your country of birth, not citizenship.
Can I keep my priority date if I change jobs or categories?
Yes, in many cases. Priority date retention is allowed if:
- You have an approved I-140, and
- The new job is in the same or similar category.
This lets you keep your place in line even if you switch employers or move from EB-3 to EB-2, for example.
What happens if my priority date becomes current?
Once current, you can:
- File I-485 if in the U.S. (if not already filed), and
- Expect USCIS to adjudicate your green card.
If you are abroad, the National Visa Center (NVC) will schedule a visa interview at a U.S. consulate.
How often does the Visa Bulletin change?
The Visa Bulletin is released monthly, usually around the 8th–15th of each month. Changes depend on visa demand and availability.
Is there any way to speed up my priority date?
No. Priority dates are based on statutory limits, and there’s no way to “buy” or “expedite” your place in line. However, upgrading your petition (e.g., from EB-3 to EB-2) may help if EB-2 is moving faster.
What is “cross-chargeability”?
If your spouse was born in a different country with a faster-moving category, you may use their country of birth for your priority date processing. This can help you avoid backlogs.
What is the Child Status Protection Act (CSPA)?
The CSPA helps certain children who turn 21 while waiting for a green card retain their eligibility as dependents by “freezing” their age during some parts of the process. It can protect them from aging out due to visa delays.
What is the Visa Bulletin "cut-off date"?
The cut-off date listed in the bulletin is the latest priority date that can be processed that month. If your priority date is before that cut-off, you’re eligible to proceed.
What should I do if my priority date is not current?
While waiting:
- Maintain your nonimmigrant status (if in the U.S.)
- Track the Visa Bulletin monthly
- Consider alternatives (e.g., employer sponsorship in a faster category, EB-5, etc.)
Get Expert Help from Versfeld & Hugo LLC Today
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