The visa bulletin controls when you can apply for a green card—here's what the numbers actually mean.
The US Visa Bulletin, released monthly by the State Department, determines when you can file for a green card based on your country of birth and visa category. It's not optional reading—it's the roadmap for your entire green card timeline.
The bulletin lists "priority dates" and "final action dates" for employment-based (EB-1 through EB-5) and family-based categories. If your priority date is current (earlier than the date listed), you can file your I-485 application. If it's not current yet, you wait. For countries with high demand—like India and China—the wait can be years. Understanding the bulletin means knowing whether you're months or years away from filing.
The visa bulletin determines when you can file for a green card.
Check the bulletin every month on travel.state.gov. If you're working with an immigration attorney, they track it for you. But if you're managing your own case, bookmark it and set a calendar reminder. Missing your window to file could delay your green card by another year.
Source: original report ↗
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