Compare current and previous month final action dates and dates for filing across all employment-based categories.
Source: U.S. Department of State, travel.state.gov. This data is a point-in-time snapshot from the May 2026 visa bulletin. Bulletins are published monthly, typically in the second or third week of the preceding month.
USCIS I-485 filing chart for May 2026: FADFor I-485 adjustment-of-status filings in May 2026, USCIS has designated the Final Action Dates chart. Applicants whose priority date is earlier than the DFF date but later than the FAD date cannot file I-485 this month. Source: uscis.gov/visabulletininfo. Not legal advice.
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FAD — your priority date must be before this date for your green card to be approved.
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DFF — your priority date must be before this date to submit your I-485 or DS-260.
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Current — no backlog. File or get approved regardless of priority date.
+X months= advanced-X months= retrogressedUnchanged= no movement
Data sourced from U.S. Department of State visa bulletin. Estimates based on historical trends — not guarantees. This is not legal advice.
Understanding 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) determines when you can submit your I-485 application. Filing early lets you get work authorization (EAD) and travel documents (AP) while waiting.
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.
