Your priority date is your place in line. For family cases it is the date USCIS received the I-130. For most work cases it is the date the PERM labor certification was filed, or the I-140 if no PERM was needed.
Each month the bulletin lists a cutoff date for every category and country. If your priority date is earlier than the cutoff, your turn has come.
Final Action Dates decide when a green card can be approved. Dates for Filing are usually later and let you submit your application early. USCIS says each month which chart to use if you are filing inside the U.S.
The November 2026 bulletin In effect now
All other countries. Arrows compare with the October 2026 bulletin.
| Category | Final Action DateApproval can happen | Date for FilingYou may be able to apply |
|---|---|---|
| F1Unmarried sons and daughters (21+) of U.S. citizens | Jan 22, 2021 1 year | Feb 1, 2021 1 year |
| F2ASpouses and children (under 21) of green card holders | Oct 22, 2026 4 weeks | CurrentNo change |
| F2BUnmarried sons and daughters (21+) of green card holders | Aug 22, 2020 1 year | Sep 1, 2020 1 year |
| F3Married sons and daughters of U.S. citizens | Oct 22, 2015 1 year | Nov 1, 2015 1 year |
| F4Brothers and sisters of adult U.S. citizens | Oct 22, 2012 1 year | Nov 1, 2012 1 year |
Filing for a green card inside the U.S.? USCIS decides each month whether you file by the Final Action Date or the Date for Filing chart. We have not verified its choice for November 2026, so it is not shown here. See which chart USCIS accepts.
Check your priority date
Your priority date is on your I-797 receipt or approval notice for the I-130 or I-140 (or the PERM filing date). Country is your country of birth, chosen above.
Enter a date to compare it with the November 2026 bulletin (in effect now).
How the dates moved
December 2025 to November 2026. Pick a category:
Higher is better: the line climbs when the cutoff moves forward. A hollow dot means Current; a gap means Unavailable.
Show every month as a table
| Bulletin | Final Action Date | Date for Filing |
|---|---|---|
| November 2026 | Oct 22, 2026 | Current |
| October 2026 | Sep 22, 2026 | Current |
| September 2026 | Aug 22, 2026 | Current |
| August 2026 | Jul 22, 2026 | Current |
| July 2026 | Jan 1, 2025 | Current |
| June 2026 | Jan 1, 2025 | Current |
| May 2026 | Aug 1, 2024 | Current |
| April 2026 | Feb 1, 2024 | Current |
| March 2026 | Feb 1, 2024 | Feb 22, 2026 |
| February 2026 | Feb 1, 2024 | Jan 22, 2026 |
| January 2026 | Feb 1, 2024 | Dec 22, 2025 |
| December 2025 | Feb 1, 2024 | Nov 22, 2025 |
Words you will see
- Current (C)
- No line. Every priority date qualifies this month.
- Unavailable (U)
- No visas can be given in this category this month.
- Retrogression
- The cutoff moved back. People who qualified last month may have to wait again.
- Country of birth
- Your line is usually set by where you were born, not your citizenship. China, India, Mexico and the Philippines have their own columns when demand is high.
- Immediate relatives
- Spouses, unmarried children under 21 and parents of adult U.S. citizens have no line and are not in the bulletin.
Where these numbers come from
Every date on this page is copied from the official monthly Visa Bulletin published by the U.S. Department of State. Always confirm on the official page before you act: November 2026 Visa Bulletin · all bulletins · which chart USCIS uses this month.
Every bulletin used on this page
Case Album is not affiliated with the State Department or USCIS. This page is general information, not legal advice. Your own case can depend on facts this page does not cover.
Getting ready to file?
When your date is current, USCIS will want evidence. Case Album turns it into one clean, labeled PDF.