Which chart do I use, Final Action or Dates for Filing?

For adjustment of status, USCIS announces each month which chart applies. Check that announcement on the USCIS website rather than choosing the more favourable chart.

What does 'C' mean in my category?

Current — there is no backlog for that category and country, so the priority date is not holding you up that month.

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OfficialU.S. Department of State — Visa Bulletin · Last verified 17 Aug 2026

How to read the Visa Bulletin without guessing

The State Department publishes two charts every month, and which one applies to you depends on an announcement USCIS makes separately. Here is what each column means.

Two charts, two different jobs

Each bulletin contains a Final Action Dates chart and a Dates for Filing chart. Final Action Dates control when a green card can actually be approved. Dates for Filing control when you may submit the application. They are not interchangeable, and the gap between them can be substantial.

Source: U.S. Department of State — Visa Bulletin · in effect from 2015-10-01

Which chart applies to you

For adjustment of status inside the United States, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services announces each month which of the two charts applicants may use. That announcement is published on the USCIS website and it is the deciding factor — the bulletin alone does not tell you which chart to read.

Source: U.S. Department of State — Visa Bulletin · in effect from 2015-10-01

Reading your own row

Find your preference category down the side and your country of chargeability across the top. Your priority date must be earlier than the date in that cell. A cell marked C means current, with no backlog. A cell marked U means unavailable. Always read the bulletin for the month in question rather than a summary of it.

Source: U.S. Department of State — Visa Bulletin · in effect from 2015-10-01

Official

Frequently asked questions

Which chart do I use, Final Action or Dates for Filing?: For adjustment of status, USCIS announces each month which chart applies. Check that announcement on the USCIS website rather than choosing the more favourable chart.
What does 'C' mean in my category?: Current — there is no backlog for that category and country, so the priority date is not holding you up that month.