The Statue of Liberty in New York Harbor.

Image: William Warby · CC BY 2.0 · via Wikimedia Commons

Visa Bulletin — April 2026 priority dates (family + employment)

Name: Visa Bulletin priority-date movement tracker
Creator: MigrantUSA
License: https://migrantusa.com/terms/

Final Action Dates and Dates for Filing for family-sponsored and employment-based immigrant visas, April 2026. Official State Department / USCIS source.

Visa Bulletin priority dates — April 2026

The U.S. State Department publishes the Visa Bulletin monthly to show which family-sponsored and employment-based immigrant visa applicants can move forward in their case. This page contains the April 2026 bulletin.

Two charts apply each month:

Final Action Dates — when a visa can actually be issued (consular processing) or adjustment of status can be approved.
Dates for Filing — when applicants can submit their adjustment of status (I-485) paperwork. USCIS chooses each month which chart applies for I-485 filings.

⚠️ Always verify the current month’s bulletin at travel.state.gov before filing. Priority dates can retrogress (move backwards) some months.

Family-Sponsored — Final Action Dates (April 2026)

Family- Sponsored	All Chargeability Areas Except Those Listed	CHINA-mainland born	INDIA	MEXICO	PHILIPPINES
F1	01MAY17	01MAY17	01MAY17	15FEB07	01MAY13
F2A	01FEB24	01FEB24	01FEB24	01FEB23	01FEB24
F2B	22MAY17	22MAY17	22MAY17	15FEB09	08APR13
F3	22DEC11	22DEC11	22DEC11	01MAY01	01JUL05
F4	08JUN08	08JUN08	01NOV06	08APR01	01FEB07

Family-Sponsored — Dates for Filing (April 2026)

Family- Sponsored	All Chargeability Areas Except Those Listed	CHINA- mainland born	INDIA	MEXICO	PHILIPPINES
F1	01MAR18	01MAR18	01MAR18	15APR08	22APR15
F2A	C	C	C	C	C
F2B	08AUG17	08AUG17	08AUG17	15MAY10	01OCT13
F3	22NOV12	22NOV12	22NOV12	01JUL01	15JUL06
F4	15MAY09	15MAY09	15DEC06	30APR01	22MAR08

Employment-Based — Final Action Dates (April 2026)

Employment- based	All Chargeability Areas Except Those Listed	CHINA- mainland born	INDIA	MEXICO	PHILIPPINES
1st	C	01APR23	01APR23	C	C
2nd	C	01SEP21	15JUL14	C	C
3rd	01JUN24	15JUN21	15NOV13	01JUN24	01AUG23
Other Workers	01NOV21	01FEB19	15NOV13	01NOV21	01NOV21
4th	15JUL22	15JUL22	15JUL22	15JUL22	15JUL22
Certain Religious Workers	15JUL22	15JUL22	15JUL22	15JUL22	15JUL22
5th Unreserved (including C5, T5, I5, R5, NU, RU)	C	01SEP16	01MAY22	C	C
5th Set Aside: Rural (20%, including NR, RR)	C	C	C	C	C
5th Set Aside: High Unemployment (10%, including NH, RH)	C	C	C	C	C
5th Set Aside: Infrastructure (2%, including RI)	C	C	C	C	C

Employment-Based — Dates for Filing (April 2026)

Employment- based	All Chargeability Areas Except Those Listed	CHINA- mainland born	INDIA	MEXICO	PHILIPPINES
1st	C	01DEC23	01DEC23	C	C
2nd	C	01JAN22	15JAN15	C	C
3rd	C	01JAN22	15JAN15	C	01JAN24
Other Workers	01AUG22	01OCT19	15JAN15	01AUG22	01AUG22
4th	01JAN23	01JAN23	01JAN23	01JAN23	01JAN23
Certain Religious Workers	01JAN23	01JAN23	01JAN23	01JAN23	01JAN23
5th Unreserved (including C5, T5, I5, R5)	C	01OCT16	01MAY24	C	C
5th Set Aside: (Rural: NR, RR - 20%)	C	C	C	C	C
5th Set Aside: (High Unemployment: NH, RH - 10%)	C	C	C	C	C
5th Set Aside: (Infrastructure: RI - 2%)	C	C	C	C	C

How to read this bulletin

Find the row for your category (F1, F2A, F2B, F3, F4 for family; EB-1, EB-2, EB-3, EB-4, EB-5 for employment) and the column for your country of birth (or ‘All Chargeability Areas’ if your country isn’t listed separately). The date shown is the cutoff: if your priority date is BEFORE this date, you can move forward; if AFTER, you wait.

Date format: “01JAN25” means January 1, 2025. “C” means current (no wait). “U” means unavailable.

Common family categories

F1 — Unmarried sons/daughters of U.S. citizens (21+)
F2A — Spouses + minor children of LPRs (under 21)
F2B — Unmarried sons/daughters of LPRs (21+)
F3 — Married sons/daughters of U.S. citizens
F4 — Brothers/sisters of U.S. citizens (longest waits)

Common employment categories

EB-1 — Priority workers (extraordinary ability, multinational executives)
EB-2 — Advanced degree professionals, exceptional ability (NIW)
EB-3 — Skilled workers, professionals, other workers
EB-4 — Special immigrants (religious workers, SIJ, etc.)
EB-5 — Investors

USCIS Form I-130 — Family petition — start the family-sponsored process
USCIS Form I-485 — Adjustment of status — when you can file once your priority date is current
Find an immigration attorney — for case strategy
BIA-recognized legal help by state — low-cost representation

Last verified: 2026-05-27. Source: U.S. Department of State Visa Bulletin. General procedural information — not legal advice. Verify current bulletin before filing.

Frequently asked questions

What is the Visa Bulletin and why does it matter?

The Visa Bulletin is published monthly by the U.S. State Department and shows which immigrant visa applicants can move forward in their case that month. Two charts apply: ‘Final Action Dates’ (when a visa can actually be issued) and ‘Dates for Filing’ (when applicants can submit adjustment-of-status documents). USCIS announces each month which chart adjustment-of-status applicants use.

What does my 'priority date' mean?

Your priority date is the date USCIS received your I-130 (family) or I-140 (employment) petition. If your priority date is BEFORE the cutoff date in this bulletin for your category and country of birth, your visa is ‘current’ and you can move forward. If it’s AFTER the cutoff, you must wait.

Why does Mexico, India, China, or the Philippines have different dates?

Federal law caps each country at 7% of total visas issued. Countries with more demand than that cap face longer waits. As of April 2026, Mexico has the longest family-based waits and India/China the longest employment-based waits. Other countries (the ‘All Other’ column) often have shorter or current priority dates.

Where do I see updates and check my case status?

Each month the new bulletin is published at travel.state.gov around mid-month for the following month. Check your USCIS case status at egov.uscis.gov/casestatus to track your case. Note that priority dates can RETROGRESS (move backwards) some months.

The rules change. Hear about it first.

Monthly digest of USCIS, IRS, and consulate fee, form, and deadline changes — no spam.

General information, not legal advice. MigrantUSA is an independent publisher and is not a law firm; using this site does not create an attorney-client relationship, and this content is not a substitute for advice from a licensed attorney about your specific situation. US federal, state, and local government procedures, fees, and forms change. Always verify current details directly with the relevant agency before acting. For immigration, tax, or other legal matters specific to your situation, consult a licensed attorney or BIA-accredited representative.