The Visa Bulletin is a monthly document from the US State Department that tells you whether you can move forward with a green card application. Your place in line is called your priority date, and the Bulletin tells you whether that date is "current" yet.
This post explains how to read it, why dates move (and sometimes go backward), and how to stay updated without checking government websites every week.
What Is a Priority Date?
Your priority date is the date the government officially received your green card petition. Think of it as a timestamp. The earlier your date, the closer you are to the front of the line.
Priority dates matter because the US has annual caps on how many green cards it issues per country and per category. When demand is higher than supply, people wait, sometimes for years.
How to Read the Visa Bulletin Charts
The Bulletin has two charts that matter:
- Chart A (Dates for Filing): You may be able to submit your I-485 adjustment of status application now, even if your green card is not yet ready.
- Chart B (Final Action Dates): Your green card can actually be approved once your priority date is earlier than or equal to this date.
USCIS announces each month which chart you should use. They sometimes switch between Chart A and Chart B, so you have to check both the Bulletin and the USCIS website together.
Reading the Columns
Each row is a visa category (like EB-1, EB-2, EB-3 for employment-based, or F2A, F3 for family-based). Each column is a country or group of countries. Most countries fall under "All Chargeability Areas Except Those Listed," which usually means a much shorter wait.
The biggest backlogs right now are for people born in India and China in the employment-based categories. An Indian-born worker in EB-2 or EB-3 can face a wait of decades because of how the per-country caps work.
Why Do Dates Move Backward?
Sometimes a priority date that was current last month is no longer current this month. This is called a retrogression. It happens when too many people applied and used up the available visa numbers faster than expected.
Retrogression can delay your ability to file or get approved. It is frustrating and unfortunately normal.
Categories Worth Watching in 2026
- EB-1C (multinational managers): Has stayed relatively current for most countries, but India and China still lag behind.
- EB-2 India and China: Still seeing very slow movement. Dates can stay frozen for months.
- EB-3 Philippines: Has seen some movement recently for healthcare workers.
- F2A (spouses and minor children of permanent residents): Historically moves faster than other family categories.
Always verify the current dates on the official Visa Bulletin at travel.state.gov before making any plans.
A Smarter Way to Track Bulletin Movement
Checking the State Department site every month is easy to forget, and missing a movement in your category can cost you time. A tool like AIDular can do the checking for you. You tell it what to watch in plain English, pick a schedule, and it emails you a sourced report when something changes.
Here is a copy-paste prompt you can use with AIDular:
"Check the latest USCIS Visa Bulletin update for EB-2 and EB-3 employment-based categories, focusing on India and China final action dates and filing dates. Also flag any USCIS announcements about which chart to use this month. Send me a weekly summary."
You will get a clean email each week with the relevant dates and any official announcements, without having to remember to check anything yourself. The Lite plan is free at aidular.com.
A Note Before You Act on Anything
This post is general information only. It is not legal advice. Priority date rules, filing eligibility, and chart selection can change month to month and depend on your specific situation. Always confirm details on official sources like USCIS.gov and travel.state.gov. For decisions that affect your immigration status, please consult a licensed immigration attorney.