The monthly Visa Bulletin tells you whether a green card number is available for your category and country. Reading it correctly can mean the difference between filing now or waiting years.
What the Visa Bulletin Actually Is
The State Department publishes the Visa Bulletin every month, usually in the third week. It sets the "priority date" cutoffs for every family and employment green card category. If your priority date is earlier than the cutoff listed, a visa number may be available for you.
Think of it like a queue number at a deli counter. The bulletin tells you what number they are currently serving. If your number is lower, you are up. If not, you keep waiting.
Chart A vs Chart B: The Part Everyone Gets Wrong
The bulletin has two charts that confuse a lot of people.
- Chart A (Final Action Dates): This is the date USCIS is actually approving green cards for. Your priority date must be before this date to get your green card.
- Chart B (Dates for Filing): This is an earlier cutoff that sometimes lets you file your adjustment of status (Form I-485) before a visa is fully available. You can get work authorization and travel documents while you wait.
Each month, USCIS announces which chart to use for I-485 filings. They do not always allow Chart B. Check the USCIS website alongside the State Department bulletin every single month.
Which Categories Have the Longest Waits Right Now?
Some categories move slowly, and a few are stuck for decades. As of late 2026, the longest backlogs are generally:
- EB-2 and EB-3 from India: Priority dates can be 10 to 20+ years behind. Movement is often just a few weeks per month.
- EB-3 from China: Also very backed up, though less extreme than India.
- F-2B (unmarried adult children of permanent residents) from Mexico and Philippines: These have some of the longest family-based waits.
- F-4 (siblings of US citizens) from India, China, Mexico, Philippines: Waits of 20+ years are not uncommon.
This is general information only. Your specific situation depends on your case details. Always confirm current dates on the official State Department Visa Bulletin at travel.state.gov and consult a licensed immigration attorney for advice on your own case.
Why Monthly Tracking Matters
Dates can move forward (good) but they can also retrogress, meaning go backward (bad). Retrogression can happen when demand in a category spikes. If your date becomes current and you miss the filing window because you were not watching, you may have to wait another month or longer.
A few things worth monitoring every month:
- Did your category's Final Action Date move forward?
- Is Chart B available for filing this month?
- Did USCIS post any special instructions or policy updates?
- Are there new country-specific notes in the bulletin?
How to Track the Visa Bulletin Without Checking Every Week
Manually refreshing travel.state.gov and uscis.gov every month is easy to forget, especially when you are busy with work or school.
You can set up AIDular to do this for you. Give it a plain English prompt and pick weekly or monthly delivery. It searches the web and emails you a sourced summary. The Lite plan is free.
Here is a copy-paste prompt you can use:
"Check the latest USCIS Visa Bulletin for the EB-3 category for India. Report the current Final Action Date and Date for Filing (Chart B). Note any retrogression, forward movement, or USCIS announcements about which chart to use for I-485 filings this month."
Swap in your own category and country. AIDular runs on your schedule and sends the report straight to your inbox.
A Quick Note on Legal Advice
This post is general information only. Immigration rules are complex and change often. Nothing here is legal advice. Before you file anything, check the official sources, travel.state.gov and uscis.gov, and speak with a licensed immigration attorney who knows your case.
Staying on top of the Visa Bulletin every month takes real effort. Try AIDular free at aidular.com and let it do the checking for you.