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One notification on your phone or computer after each new visa bulletin is published, with the final action date for the EB-1, EB-2 or EB-3 category and country you choose. No email or account needed.
Turn on bulletin alertsCheck your estimated green card timeline
Enter your priority date, country, and category to see an estimated timeline based on historical visa bulletin trends. The three scenario dates need a $0.99 24-hour pass (up to 3 priority dates), the Day Pass or Pro.
Priority Date EstimatorUnderstanding the Visa Bulletin
The Visa Bulletin is the most important monthly publication for employment-based green card applicants. It determines who can file and who can be approved.
What is the Visa Bulletin?
Published monthly by the U.S. Department of State, the Visa Bulletin shows cutoff dates for each employment-based category by country of birth. If your priority date is before the cutoff, you are eligible to take the next step in the green card process.
Final Action Date vs Date for Filing
The Final Action Date (FAD) determines when USCIS can approve your green card. The Date for Filing (DFF) is the earlier cutoff that, in months when USCIS says to use it, may let you submit your I-485 application. While your I-485 is pending, you may be able to apply for a work permit (EAD) and travel document (advance parole).
How Dates Move
Cutoff dates generally advance forward each month, but can retrogress (move backward) when demand exceeds supply. Movement speed depends on visa availability, spillover from family-based categories, and per-country limits.
Current (C) vs Unavailable (U)
When a category shows 'C' (Current), there is no backlog and anyone can file. When it shows 'U' (Unavailable), no visas are available in that category, typically near the end of the fiscal year in September.
Frequently Asked Questions
Data sourced from the U.S. Department of State monthly Visa Bulletin (travel.state.gov). Not legal advice.