Family-Based Visa Availability

The Department of State publishes a monthly Visa Bulletin that tells applicants when their Priority Date is current. Applicants must wait for their Priority Date to become current before they can apply for a Green Card.

Visa Cut-Off Dates for January 2021

APPLICATION FINAL ACTION DATES (Dates when visas may finally be issued)

Family-Sponsored
All Chargeability Areas Except Those Listed
CHINA-mainland born
INDIA
MEXICO
PHILIPPINES
F1
15SEP14
15SEP14
15SEP14
15JAN98
01JAN12
F2A
C
C
C
C
C
F2B
08JUL15
08JUL15
08JUL15
01MAY99
15AUG11
F3
08JUL08
08JUL08
08JUL08
22AUG96
01MAR02
F4
08OCT06
08OCT06
15MAR05
01JUL98
01FEB02

DATES FOR FILING APPLICATIONS (Earliest dates when applicants may be able to apply)

Family-Sponsored
All Chargeability Areas Except Those Listed
CHINA-mainland born
INDIA
MEXICO
PHILIPPINES
F1
22JUL15
22JUL15
22JUL15
22FEB00
08OCT12
F2A
01AUG20
01AUG20
01AUG20
01AUG20
01AUG20
F2B
01MAY16
01MAY16
01MAY16
01DEC99
01APR12
F3
01JUN09
01JUN09
01JUN09
15AUG00
22DEC02
F4
15SEP07
15SEP07
22NOV05
22APR99
01SEP02

How to Read the Visa Bulletin

First, identify your Preference Category from following list:

  • First: (F1) Unmarried Sons and Daughters of U.S. Citizens: 23,400 plus any numbers not required for fourth preference.
  • Second: Spouses and Children, and Unmarried Sons and Daughters of Permanent Residents: 114,200, plus the number (if any) by which the worldwide family preference level exceeds 226,000, plus any unused first preference numbers:
    • (F2A) Spouses and Children of Permanent Residents: 77% of the overall second preference limitation, of which 75% are exempt from the per-country limit;
    • (F2B) Unmarried Sons and Daughters (21 years of age or older) of Permanent Residents: 23% of the overall second preference limitation.
  • Third: (F3) Married Sons and Daughters of U.S. Citizens: 23,400, plus any numbers not required by first and second preferences.
  • Fourth: (F4) Brothers and Sisters of Adult U.S. Citizens: 65,000, plus any numbers not required by first three preferences.

Next, identify your country of nationality (If you are claiming chargeability from a country other than China, India, Mexico or Philippines, then you should refer to the first column, labeled "All Chargeability Areas Except Those Listed.") The cell that represents your Preference Category and Country of Nationality will contain either a date or a letter.

If a cell is marked "C" that means that the Priority Date is current in that Category and visa numbers are available. If a cell is marked "U" it means that no visas are available for the rest of the fiscal year (which ends on November 30). If a date appears in the cell, then that date signifies the visa "cut-off" date. Applicants must have a Priority Date that falls before the date listed in the cell in order to qualify to apply for a Green Card.

Please note that if you are applying as the spouse or unmarried childof a U.S. citizen, or if you are applying as the parent of a U.S.citizen who is over the age of 18, then a visa number is immediately available to you and you are not required to wait for a Priority Date to become current.