Employment green cards
Visa Bulletin
How to read the monthly Visa Bulletin, with November 2026 employment and family dates for the most backlogged countries.
How does the Visa Bulletin tracker work?
The State Department publishes the Visa Bulletin each month. It shows, for each family and employment category and for high-demand countries, the priority dates that can move forward. The tracker shows the final action date (when a green card can be approved) and the date for filing (when you may be able to submit your application), and compares them to last month.
If your priority date is earlier than the date listed for your category and country, it is "current." "C" means current for everyone; "U" means unavailable.
Read our Visa Bulletin guide to understand priority dates, chargeability and retrogression. For how each line works, see employment-based green cards, PERM labor certification and family green cards. When your date is current, compare adjustment of status and consular processing, or email us to be connected with a participating attorney.
Frequently asked questions
What is my priority date and where do I find it?
For most family cases, it is the date USCIS received your Form I-130. For PERM-based employment cases, it is the date the Department of Labor received the labor certification. For self-petitions like EB-1A or EB-2 NIW, it is the date USCIS received Form I-140. It is printed on your receipt or approval notice.
Which Visa Bulletin chart does USCIS use this month?
Each month USCIS announces whether people applying to adjust status inside the U.S. must use the Final Action Dates chart or the Dates for Filing chart. For November 2026, USCIS chose Dates for Filing for both family and employment categories. The tracker shows the chart USCIS announced for the current month, when available.
Why did my Visa Bulletin date move backward?
When demand exceeds the visas available, the State Department can retrogress a category, moving its cutoff date back. This happened to EB-2 and EB-3 for most countries in October 2026, the first month of the new fiscal year. A pending I-485 generally stays pending, but it cannot be approved until the date passes your priority date again.
What does C mean in the Visa Bulletin?
C means current: there is no backlog in that category and country that month, so anyone with a qualifying petition can move forward regardless of priority date. U means unavailable: no visa numbers can be used that month. Any other entry is a cutoff date, and only priority dates earlier than that date are current.
Official sources
General information, not legal advice. Immigration rules change and every case is different; talk to a qualified immigration attorney about your situation. USVisa.com is not a government website. Spot an error? Tell us.
