If you’re waiting on a green card, you’ve probably seen people talk about “the USCIS Visa Bulletin.” It’s a monthly chart that tells you whether an immigrant visa number is available for your priority date, your category, and your country of chargeability. Strictly speaking, the U.S. Department of State publishes it, and USCIS tells adjustment-of-status applicants which of its two charts they may use.
The USCIS Visa Bulletin is a monthly publication from the U.S. Department of State that lists cutoff dates for family-sponsored and employment-based preference immigrant visas. If your priority date is earlier than the cutoff for your category and country, a visa number is generally available to you. USCIS then announces which of the bulletin’s charts adjustment-of-status applicants must use.
Why does a waiting list exist at all? Congress limits how many preference visas can be issued each year, and no single country can take more than a set share. When demand is higher than supply, applicants queue up in order of priority date.
How Does the USCIS Visa Bulletin Work?
Each month, the State Department publishes a new edition for the upcoming month. The bulletin generally appears in the middle of the prior month, though the exact day varies. You’ll find a family-sponsored section and an employment-based section, each with two charts and columns for these chargeability areas:
- All chargeability areas except those listed
- China (mainland born)
- India
- Mexico
- Philippines
A few terms matter here:
- Priority date: your place in line. For most family-based cases, it’s the date the I-130 petition was properly filed. For most employment-based cases, it’s the date the PERM labor certification was filed, or the I-140 filing date if no labor certification is required.
- Visa availability: whether your priority date is earlier than the cutoff. A “C” in the chart means the category is current, so there’s no backlog.
- Retrogression: a cutoff date moving backward because demand outran the supply of visa numbers. It can happen with little warning, most often late in a fiscal year or when a new one starts.
Final Action Dates vs. Dates for Filing
The bulletin contains two charts for each category, and they do different jobs.
- Final Action Dates show when a visa number can actually be issued and a green card approved.
- Dates for Filing show when applicants can begin the process, such as submitting documents to the National Visa Center or, if USCIS allows it, filing Form I-485.
Many applicants assume they can always use the Dates for Filing chart. They can’t. The State Department’s bulletin says USCIS decides each month whether adjustment-of-status applicants use Final Action Dates or Dates for Filing, and that decision can differ between family-sponsored and employment-based categories. Consular processing abroad follows the State Department’s own instructions. Treat the USCIS announcement as the controlling answer for Form I-485.
USCIS Visa Bulletin October 2026: What Applicants Should Check
The October 2026 Visa Bulletin is the first edition of fiscal year 2027, which started October 1. That matters because a new fiscal year resets annual visa allocations, and cutoff dates often move.
Which chart can you use for Form I-485 this month? According to USCIS’s announcement for October 2026, applicants in both family-sponsored and employment-based preference categories must use the Dates for Filing chart in the Visa Bulletin October 2026. That is October only. USCIS reassesses the decision monthly, so don’t assume the same chart will apply in November.
What changed from September? Law-firm summaries of the bulletin report forward movement in several family-sponsored categories and mixed results in employment-based ones. They report retrogression for EB-2 and EB-3 in some chargeability areas, along with renewed availability for some India categories. Those summaries are secondary sources. Before relying on any specific cutoff, open the official October 2026 bulletin and read the row for your category and country.
Use this checklist for the latest USCIS Visa Bulletin:
- Open the official October 2026 bulletin on travel.state.gov.
- Open USCIS’s adjustment-of-status filing charts page to confirm the chart designation.
- Find your category and country column on that chart.
- Compare your priority date to the cutoff.
- Note whether the date is a Dates for Filing cutoff or a Final Action cutoff, because they mean different things.
Is the Dates for Filing chart available this month? Check USCIS directly; the answer may be different by the time you read this.
How to Check Your Green Card Priority Date
You need three pieces of information before the bulletin means anything.
1. Your preference category. Family-sponsored categories are F1, F2A, F2B, F3, and F4. Employment-based categories are EB-1 through EB-5, with subcategories. Immediate relatives of U.S. citizens (spouses, unmarried children under 21, and parents of adult citizens) aren’t subject to these caps and don’t use the bulletin the same way.
2. Your country of chargeability. This usually follows your country of birth, not your citizenship. There are exceptions, such as cross-chargeability through a spouse or parent, which can sometimes improve your position.
3. Your priority date. Find it on your I-797 approval notice for the I-130 or I-140, or on your PERM documentation.
Then match all three to the chart. This is where applicants often go wrong, so a quick review of your case can save a lot of trouble.
What Happens When Your Priority Date Becomes Current?
“Current” means your priority date is earlier than the relevant cutoff, or the chart shows “C.” What follows depends on the chart:
- Dates for Filing: you may be able to file. If you’re in the U.S. and USCIS has authorized this chart, that may mean filing Form I-485. Others may be notified to submit documents to the National Visa Center.
- Final Action Dates: a visa number can be allocated, so a pending case can be approved once all other requirements are met.
Being current doesn’t guarantee approval. You still need to meet eligibility requirements, including admissibility, a valid underlying petition, and maintaining an eligible status where required.
What If Your Priority Date Is Not Current?
Waiting is frustrating, but it doesn’t mean doing nothing. Here’s what to focus on:
- Keep your underlying case intact. A pending or approved I-130 or I-140 should stay valid. Employment-based applicants should be aware of how job changes may affect their case.
- Maintain lawful status. Adjustment of status generally requires you to be in the U.S. in a qualifying status, so track your visa expiration dates carefully.
- Watch monthly updates. Cutoffs can advance, hold, or retrogress. Past movement doesn’t predict future movement.
- Gather documents now. Passports, civil documents, tax records, and employment letters take time to assemble.
- Review alternatives. Depending on your facts, a different category or country of chargeability might apply. That’s a question for an attorney.
Visa Bulletin Updates vs. USCIS Processing Times
People mix these up constantly, so here is the distinction:
- The Visa Bulletin measures visa availability. It tells you whether a number exists for your priority date.
- USCIS processing times measure how long adjudication takes. They depend on the form type, the service center or field office, USCIS workload, whether security checks or interviews are needed, and whether USCIS sends a request for evidence.
A current priority date doesn’t mean a fast approval, and a long processing time doesn’t mean your priority date has stalled. For current processing information, use the USCIS processing times tool and your own case status page. Don’t use the bulletin for that.
Practical Planning Tips for Green Card Applicants
- Check the monthly Visa Bulletin every month, even when your date is far from current. Retrogression and sudden advances both happen.
- Record the date you checked and which chart you used. Notes help if your case is reviewed later.
- Don’t file because a blog post said you could. Use the official State Department and USCIS pages.
- Keep copies of everything: receipt notices, approval notices, and proof of status.
- Plan for the fiscal year. October brings new numbers, and visa availability can tighten again toward the end of the fiscal year.
- Revisit your plan when your circumstances change, such as a new job, marriage, a child turning 21, or a status expiration.
When Should You Consider Immigration Legal Guidance?
You can read the bulletin on your own, and many people do. Personalized advice helps when your situation isn’t straightforward. Examples include a priority date that’s close to the cutoff, a possible change in country of chargeability, a child approaching 21, unclear status history, or a decision about whether to file I-485 under the Dates for Filing chart.
At Orange Law, attorney Karan Joshi can review your category, priority date, and timeline and walk you through your options. Reach out when you want a second set of eyes on the details, not necessarily when you’re in a rush.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the USCIS Visa Bulletin?
It’s a monthly publication from the U.S. Department of State showing cutoff dates for family-sponsored and employment-based immigrant visas. USCIS uses it, along with its own announcements, to decide when adjustment-of-status applicants may file or be approved.
How do priority dates work?
Your priority date sets your place in the queue. If it’s earlier than the cutoff for your category and country, a visa number is generally available to you.
What are the two charts in the bulletin?
Final Action Dates show when a visa can be issued. Dates for Filing show when you may begin the process. USCIS announces which chart applies to Form I-485 each month.
How often is the Visa Bulletin updated?
Monthly. The State Department generally releases it in the middle of the previous month.
What is retrogression?
It’s when a cutoff date moves backward or a category becomes unavailable because demand exceeded the available visa numbers.
Is the Visa Bulletin the same as USCIS processing time?
No. The bulletin shows visa availability. Processing times reflect how long USCIS takes to adjudicate a particular form.
Can I always file Form I-485 under Dates for Filing?
No. USCIS announces the allowed chart monthly, and it can differ between family-sponsored and employment-based categories.
Conclusion
The USCIS Visa Bulletin is one of the most useful tools in the green card process, but only when you read it correctly: right category, right country, right chart, right month. Confirm what USCIS allows for Form I-485 before you file, and don’t confuse visa availability with processing time.
If you’d like to talk through your priority date, timeline, or next steps, you’re welcome to contact Orange Law and speak with attorney Karan Joshi about your circumstances. Nothing in this article is legal advice for your specific case.