How do I check the Visa Bulletin and know if my priority date is current?

The Visa Bulletin is published monthly by the State Department and tells you whether a visa number is currently available for your category and country.

To use it: find your priority date (usually the date your I-130 or labor certification was originally filed) and your preference category (like F2A for spouses/children of green card holders, or EB-2 for certain employment-based cases). Then check the relevant chart for your category and country of birth — if your priority date is earlier than the date listed, it's considered current.

Two charts are published each month: Final Action Dates (when a decision can actually be made) and Dates for Filing (an earlier, more generous date USCIS sometimes allows for submitting paperwork ahead of time). Which one applies depends on what USCIS announces that month. Our Visa Bulletin tracker page shows the current month's charts without needing to dig through the government PDF.