Guides

Plain explanations of priority dates, the two Visa Bulletin charts, retrogression and the monthly bulletin cycle, each tied to the published record on this site.

• What a priority date is and how to find yours

  Your priority date is your place in line for a family or employment green card. Where it comes from, where it is printed, and how to compare it with the Visa Bulletin.

• Final action date vs date for filing

  Every Visa Bulletin has two charts. The final action date controls when a green card can be approved; the date for filing controls when you can submit the application.

• Why visa bulletin dates retrogress

  Cutoff dates move backwards when more people qualify than there are visa numbers left. How the annual and per-country limits cause it, and which categories it happens to most.

• How the visa bulletin works each month

  When the Visa Bulletin comes out, what is in it, why October is different, and how this site records each one.

• EB-2 vs EB-3 for India and China

  The current EB-2 and EB-3 cutoff dates for India and China, how often EB-3 has been ahead of EB-2, and what that means for people deciding between the two.