Understanding the Visa Bulletin: FAD, DFF, and What They Mean
Every month, the U.S. State Department publishes the Visa Bulletin — the single most important document for employment-based green card applicants. Here's how to read it and what it means for your case.
What Is the Visa Bulletin?
The Visa Bulletin is a monthly publication that shows cutoff dates for each employment-based (EB) and family-based immigration category, broken down by country of chargeability (usually your country of birth). It tells you whether your priority date is "current" — meaning you're eligible to take the next step.
Two Charts: Final Action Dates vs Dates for Filing
The visa bulletin contains two separate charts for employment-based categories:
Chart A: Final Action Dates (FAD)
This is the date that determines when USCIS can approve your green card (I-485). If your priority date is before the FAD for your country/category, your case can be adjudicated and your green card issued.
Chart B: Dates for Filing (DFF)
This is an earlier cutoff that determines when you can file your I-485 application. USCIS decides each month whether to accept Chart B filings. When they do, it lets you file earlier, which means you can get:
- EAD (Employment Authorization Document) — work for any employer
- Advance Parole — travel outside the US without losing your pending application
- Queue position locked — your place in line is secured
What Does "Current" Mean?
When a category shows "C" (Current), it means there is no backlog. Anyone with an approved I-140 in that category can file or be approved immediately, regardless of priority date. This is the best possible status.
What Does "Unavailable" Mean?
When a category shows "U" (Unavailable), it means no visas are available in that category for the rest of the fiscal year. This typically happens near the end of the fiscal year (September) when annual caps are reached.
How Dates Move
Each month, the cutoff dates may:
- Advance — move forward (good news, the line is moving)
- Hold steady — remain unchanged (demand matches supply)
- Retrogress — move backward (too many applicants, USCIS pulls dates back)
Retrogression is particularly common for India and China around the end of each fiscal year.
Track Your Visa Bulletin Status
Our Priority Date Predictor automatically pulls the latest visa bulletin data and shows you exactly where you stand — whether you're current, near current, or backlogged.