Visa Bulletins

The Visa Bulletin is published monthly by the US Department of State, typically mid-month with information for the following month. It consists of two main sections: Chart A (Final Action Dates) and Chart B (Dates for Filing Applications).

Steps to read the bulletin: (1) Identify your immigration category — employment-based categories are EB-1 through EB-5, family-based are F1 through F4; (2) identify your country of birth — the bulletin lists "CHINA-mainland born," India, Mexico, Philippines, and "All Chargeability Areas"; (3) find the date at the intersection — "C" means current (no backlog), "U" means unavailable (no visa numbers), otherwise the date shown is the earliest priority date being processed.

Chart A vs. Chart B: Chart A shows when a green card or immigrant visa can be finally issued; Chart B shows when I-485 or NVC processing can begin (Chart B is typically more advanced than Chart A). However, USCIS issues a separate monthly announcement on whether Chart B can be used — if USCIS announces Chart A, only Chart A applies. Mastering Visa Bulletin interpretation helps applicants plan filing timelines and make informed life decisions.

Employment-based wait times vary dramatically by category and country of birth. Below is an overview of current backlogs (as of 2025; always check the latest Visa Bulletin):

EB-1 (Extraordinary Ability/Professors/Multinational Managers): For mainland China-born applicants, EB-1 has moved from "current" to retrogressed in recent years, with current waits of approximately 2-4 years. India-born applicants face longer waits. Most other countries have no or minimal backlog. EB-1 remains the shortest wait among all employment-based categories.

EB-2 (Advanced Degree/NIW): Mainland China-born applicants currently wait approximately 3-5 years. India-born applicants face extremely long waits (10+ years). Although NIW shares the EB-2 queue, the overall timeline may be shorter since PERM is not required. EB-3 (Skilled Workers/Professionals): Wait times are comparable to EB-2, and periodically EB-3 moves faster, forming the basis of the EB-2/EB-3 downgrade strategy.

EB-5 Investor: Under the 2022 reform, TEA rural and high-unemployment area projects benefit from reserved visa allocations, with significantly shorter waits than direct investment. Mainland Chinese investors selecting qualifying TEA projects may enjoy current or near-current status. Applicants should regularly monitor bulletin changes and discuss prioritization strategies with their attorney.

Family-based visa backlogs are a primary concern for many immigrant families. Below is an overview by category (using mainland China-born as an example; check the latest Visa Bulletin for current dates):

Immediate Relatives (IR): Spouses, unmarried children under 21, and parents of US citizens — no visa quota limits, no backlog. This is the only family category unaffected by backlogs. F2A (LPR spouses and minor children): Relatively short waits, sometimes reaching "current" status, typically 1-3 years. If the petitioner naturalizes, the case automatically upgrades to IR category with no backlog.

F1 (US citizen unmarried adult children): Approximately 7-8 years. F2B (LPR unmarried adult children): Approximately 5-8 years. F3 (US citizen married adult children): Approximately 13-15 years. F4 (US citizen siblings): The longest wait at 20+ years.

Factors affecting backlog progression include: (1) annual visa quotas — fixed limits per category and country; (2) policy changes — executive orders and legislative reforms may accelerate or slow progression; (3) demand fluctuations — if applications in a category decrease, dates may advance faster; and (4) unused visa number transfers between countries. During extended waits, exploring parallel immigration pathways to accelerate the overall timeline is strongly recommended.

Checking the Visa Bulletin is a monthly essential for every applicant awaiting a green card. Properly understanding and using bulletin information helps you: (1) determine when to file I-485 or begin consular processing; (2) plan work and life decisions (such as whether to extend H-1B or change jobs); and (3) assess overall immigration timeline and strategy adjustments.

The official Visa Bulletin is published monthly on travel.state.gov. In addition to official sources, we provide bulletin analysis and interpretation on our website to help you understand how changes affect your individual case. If you need to review current wait times or discuss prioritization strategies, feel free to use our online tools or contact our legal team.

A helpful note: bulletin dates sometimes experience "retrogression" — moving backward rather than forward — typically when demand for a category exceeds the annual visa supply. Retrogression should not cause alarm; it is a normal feature of the quota system. Wait times typically resume advancing when new fiscal year allocations are released.