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How to Read the Monthly Visa Bulletin: Priority Dates, Chart A vs. Chart B & When You Can File

August 31, 2026•8 min read

Every month between the 8th and 15th, hundreds of thousands of immigrants, tech professionals, doctors, and families refresh the U.S. Department of State website waiting for one document: the Visa Bulletin.

For many, this monthly publication feels like a confusing grid of bureaucratic dates. But in reality, it holds the answers to the most important questions in your immigration journey: Can I finally file my green card application? Can I get a work permit and travel freely? How much longer will I wait?

Here is a complete, plain-language guide on how to read the Visa Bulletin, how to tell if your turn has arrived, and what each month’s movement really means for you.

1. The Core Concept: Why Does a Visa Bulletin Exist?

The U.S. Congress sets strict statutory limits on the number of permanent immigrant visas (green cards) that can be issued each fiscal year:

  • Employment-Based Green Cards: Capped at approximately 140,000 visas per year across categories (EB-1, EB-2, EB-3, EB-4, EB-5).
  • Family-Sponsored Green Cards: Capped at 226,000 visas per year across preference categories (F1, F2A, F2B, F3, F4).
  • The 7% Per-Country Ceiling: No single country can receive more than 7% of the total annual visa allocation, regardless of how large its population or applicant backlog is.

Because demand from countries like India, China, Mexico, and the Philippines drastically exceeds these annual limits, applicants must wait in a virtual queue. Your place in this line is marked by your Priority Date.

2. What Is a Priority Date, and How Do You Find It?

Think of your priority date as your permanent receipt ticket in line:

  • For Employment-Based Applicants (EB-2, EB-3): Your priority date is the exact day your employer filed your PERM Labor Certification with the Department of Labor (or the day Form I-140 was filed for EB-1/NIW).
  • For Family-Based Applicants (F1–F4): Your priority date is the day USCIS received the Form I-130 petition filed on your behalf.

You can find your priority date printed on your Form I-797 Notice of Action (Approval Notice) right at the top left labeled "Priority Date".

3. Chart A vs. Chart B: The Make-or-Break Distinction

When you open the monthly Visa Bulletin, you will see two separate tables for Employment and Family categories. Understanding the difference between these two charts is critical:

Chart A: Final Action Dates

When Green Cards Can Be Issued

This chart governs when USCIS can approve your Form I-485 or when an overseas embassy can issue an immigrant visa. If your priority date is earlier than the Chart A date, a physical visa number is officially available to you.

Chart B: Dates for Filing

When You Can Submit Applications

This chart is often months or years ahead of Chart A. It tells you when you are allowed to assemble paperwork with the NVC or submit Form I-485 adjustment packets if USCIS permits it for that month.

4. How to Know If You Can File Form I-485 This Month

If you are living inside the United States on a temporary visa (such as H-1B, L-1, or O-1), filing Form I-485 (Adjustment of Status) is life-changing because it gives you:

  • EAD (Employment Authorization Document): Allows you and your spouse to work for any employer without sponsorship.
  • Advance Parole (Travel Permit): Allows you to travel outside the U.S. and return without renewing visa stamps at a consulate.
  • AC21 Portability: Allows you to change employers 180 days after filing as long as the new job is in a same or similar occupational field.
The Monthly USCIS Rule: Within a few days after the Department of State publishes the Visa Bulletin, USCIS posts an announcement on their website stating whether employment-based or family-based applicants can use Dates for Filing (Chart B) or must stick to Final Action Dates (Chart A). Always verify this directive before mailing your application.

5. Decoding Movement: Advancement, Freezes, and Retrogression

When you compare this month's bulletin to the last, you will see one of three scenarios:

  • Forward Movement (Advancement): The cutoff date moves forward (e.g., from January 1, 2022 to March 15, 2022). More applicants become eligible to file or receive approvals.
  • No Movement (Stall / Freeze): The cutoff date stays identical. This happens when USCIS has enough pending applications in its pipeline to meet current quota limits.
  • Retrogression (Moving Backward): The cutoff date moves backward (e.g., from 2024 back to 2021). This occurs when demand surges and the government risks exceeding its statutory annual quota. If you already filed Form I-485 before retrogression, your pending application remains safe and in line, but USCIS cannot make a final approval until your date becomes current again.
  • Unavailable (U): All annual visas for that specific category have been 100% used up for the fiscal year. Issuances pause until the new fiscal year resets on October 1st.

6. Action Checklist: What to Do When Your Priority Date Becomes Current

When your priority date becomes current under the active filing chart, timing is critical:

  1. Complete Your Medical Exam (Form I-693): Visit a USCIS-certified civil surgeon immediately to complete your medical exam and vaccination records.
  2. Gather Civil Documents: Prepare certified copies and English translations of birth certificates, marriage certificates, and previous immigration approval notices.
  3. Submit Promptly: Mail your Form I-485 packet during the active month to lock in your filing before any future potential retrogression.
Ready to Check Your Priority Date?

Use our real-time interactive tools to check your priority date against the latest official Visa Bulletin cutoffs and estimate your remaining queue time:

→ Priority Date Calculator→ Visa Bulletin Predictions Hub→ EB-1 India Tracker→ EB-2 India Tracker