Visa Bulletin: April 2026 Priority Dates

If you're waiting for a green card through a family-sponsored or employment-based preference category, the visa bulletin determines when you can move forward. The U.S. Department of State publishes this document monthly, and USCIS uses it to determine when applicants can file for adjustment of status or receive final action on their cases.

This guide covers the April 2026 updates, explains how to read the charts, and breaks down what changed from the previous month. Whether you're tracking family-sponsored preference categories or employment-based petitions, understanding the visa bulletin helps you plan your green card timeline.

What is the Visa Bulletin?

The visa bulletin is a monthly publication that controls when you can move forward in the green card process. Understanding what it is and how it functions is essential for anyone waiting for an immigrant visa under preference categories governed by annual numerical limits.

Definition and purpose

The visa bulletin shows immigrant visa availability by category and country of chargeability. The Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) sets annual limits on preference visas: approximately 226,000 for family-sponsored preference categories in fiscal year 2026, and at least 140,000 for employment-based preference categories. A per-country limit caps any single country at 7% of the total allocation (roughly 25,620 visas for fiscal year 2026).

Because demand for immigrant visas often exceeds supply, the Department of State uses cut-off dates to manage the flow. These dates appear in the visa bulletin and determine who can proceed with their green card application each month.

Two charts explained

The visa bulletin contains two separate charts that serve different purposes in the green card process.

Final Action Dates: This chart shows when visa numbers are actually available for issuance. If your priority date is earlier than the listed date, USCIS can approve your adjustment of status application, or a consular officer can issue your immigrant visa.

Dates for Filing: This chart indicates when you may file Form I-485 (Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status). Filing earlier allows you to get "in line" and obtain work authorization while waiting for final action. Each month, USCIS announces which chart applicants should use.

For April 2026, USCIS has designated the Dates for Filing chart for employment-based adjustment of status applications. Applicants should still confirm the designation on the USCIS Visa Bulletin information page before filing, as chart usage can change monthly.

Understanding key terms

Before you can effectively use the visa bulletin, you need to understand several critical terms that appear throughout the charts. These concepts determine your place in line and when you can take action on your green card application.

Priority date

Your priority date is the date your immigrant petition was filed with USCIS. For family-sponsored cases, this is when Form I-130 was submitted. For employment-based cases, it's typically when your PERM labor certification application was filed, or when Form I-140 was filed if no labor certification was required.

You can find your priority date on your Form I-797 approval notice. This date follows you through the entire green card process and determines when a visa number becomes available.

Cut-off date

A cut-off date is the priority date that can be reached within available numerical limits. If your priority date is earlier than the cut-off date shown in your category and country column, you may proceed. Cut-off dates move forward (or sometimes backward) each month based on visa demand and availability.

Chart designations

When reading the charts, you'll encounter three types of entries:

• "C" (Current): All qualified applicants may file regardless of priority date
• "U" (Unavailable): No immigrant numbers are available in this category
• Specific date: Only priority dates earlier than the listed date may proceed

Retrogression

Retrogression occurs when cut-off dates move backward rather than forward. This happens when visa demand exceeds supply in a category. Retrogression is most common for oversubscribed chargeability areas: China (mainland born), India, Mexico, and the Philippines.

April 2026 summary of key changes

This month's visa bulletin shows significant forward movement in several family-sponsored categories, while employment-based categories remain relatively stable. Here's what moved, what stayed the same, and what it means for applicants.

Overview

April 2026 brings notable advancement across most family-sponsored preference categories, with F1, F2B, F3, and F4 all showing multi-month progression. Employment-based categories show mixed results, with EB-1 remaining stable for China and India while EB-3 maintains steady dates.

Family-sponsored highlights

• F1 (unmarried children of U.S. citizens): Advanced approximately six months for All Chargeability Areas (now May 1, 2017)
• F2A (spouses and children of permanent residents): Final Action Date holds at February 1, 2024 for most countries; Dates for Filing is current for all countries
• F2B (unmarried adult children of permanent residents): Advanced approximately five months for All Areas (now May 22, 2017)
• F3 (married children of U.S. citizens): Advanced approximately three months for All Areas (now December 22, 2011)
• F4 (brothers and sisters of U.S. citizens): Advanced five months for All Areas (now June 8, 2008)

Employment-based highlights

• EB-1 (priority workers): Remains current for All Chargeability Areas, Mexico, and Philippines; China and India hold at April 1, 2023
• EB-2 (advanced degree/exceptional ability): Current for All Areas; China at September 1, 2021; India at July 15, 2014
• EB-3 (skilled workers and professionals): All Areas at June 1, 2024; India remains significantly backlogged at November 15, 2013
• EB-5 (immigrant investors): Reserved categories (rural, high unemployment, infrastructure) remain current for all countries

Family-sponsored preference categories

Family-sponsored preference categories are governed by Section 203(a) of the Immigration and Nationality Act and divided into four groups based on relationship to U.S. citizens or lawful permanent residents. Each category has specific eligibility requirements and annual allocations.

F-1: Unmarried children of U.S. citizens

This category covers unmarried sons and daughters of U.S. citizens who are age 21 or older. The annual allocation is approximately 23,400 visas, plus any unused numbers from the fourth preference category.

F-2A: Spouses and children of permanent residents

F-2A covers spouses and unmarried children under age 21 of lawful permanent residents. This subcategory receives 77% of the total second preference allocation, with 75% of those numbers exempt from per-country limits.

April 2026 Final Action Dates:

For Dates for Filing, F2A is current ("C") across all countries, meaning all qualified applicants may file regardless of priority date.

F-2B: Unmarried adult children of permanent residents

This subcategory covers unmarried sons and daughters of permanent residents who are age 21 or older. It receives 23% of the second preference allocation.

April 2026 Final Action Dates:

F-3: Married children of U.S. citizens

F-3 covers married sons and daughters of U.S. citizens, regardless of age. This category typically experiences the longest wait times among family-based preferences due to its limited allocation.

April 2026 Final Action Dates:

F-4: Brothers and sisters of adult U.S. citizens

This category covers siblings of U.S. citizens who are at least 21 years old. The annual allocation is approximately 65,000 visas, plus any unused numbers from the first three family-sponsored preferences.

April 2026 Final Action Dates:

F-4 experiences significant backlogs for all countries, with wait times extending 18 to 25 years depending on chargeability.

Employment-based preference categories

Employment-based immigrant visas are divided into five categories under Section 203(b) of the INA, with the U.S. government allocating at least 140,000 visas annually. Your employer sponsors most categories, and each has specific requirements that determine eligibility and processing times.

EB-1: Priority workers

The EB-1 category includes three subcategories: individuals with extraordinary ability (EB-1A), outstanding professors and researchers (EB-1B), and multinational executives and managers (EB-1C). No labor certification is required.

April 2026 Final Action Dates:

EB-2: Advanced degree and exceptional ability

The EB-2 category covers professionals holding advanced degrees (master's or higher) or individuals with exceptional ability. This category also includes the National Interest Waiver (NIW) option, which allows self-petition without employer sponsorship.

April 2026 Final Action Dates:

India experiences the longest backlogs in this category, with priority dates more than 11 years behind the current month.

EB-3: Skilled workers, professionals, and other workers

EB-3 covers three groups: skilled workers with at least two years of training or experience, professionals with bachelor's degrees, and "other workers" with less than two years of training.

April 2026 Final Action Dates:

If you're on an H-1B visa or L-1 visa while waiting for EB-3 approval, monitor these dates closely to plan your adjustment of status filing.

EB-4: Special immigrants

EB-4 covers religious workers, certain U.S. government employees, and other special immigrant categories. This preference receives 7.1% of the worldwide employment-based allocation.

April 2026 Final Action Dates: July 15, 2022 for all chargeability areas.

EB-5: Immigrant investors

EB-5 provides permanent residence through qualifying investments in U.S. businesses that create jobs. The category includes reserved allocations for rural projects (20%), high unemployment areas (10%), and infrastructure projects (2%), with the remaining 68% unreserved.

April 2026 Final Action Dates:

How to use the Visa Bulletin

Once you understand the categories and current dates, you can determine whether you're eligible to take the next step in your green card process. This section walks through reading the charts and knowing what actions to take.

Finding your information

Start by gathering the key details you need:

• Priority date: Locate this on your Form I-797 approval notice
• Preference category: Identify whether you're family-sponsored (F-1 through F-4) or employment-based (EB-1 through EB-5)
• Country of chargeability: This is typically your country of birth
• Chart designation: Check which chart USCIS has designated for the current month

Reading the charts

Follow these steps to determine your eligibility:

1. Find your preference category row in the appropriate chart
2. Locate your country of chargeability column
3. Compare your priority date to the listed cut-off date
4. If your priority date is earlier than the cut-off (or the chart shows "C"), you may proceed

Next steps when current

For family-sponsored applicants: Work with the National Visa Center to complete document processing if you're abroad, or file Form I-485 if you're in the United States.

For employment-based applicants: Your employer or attorney coordinates the adjustment of status application.

Document preparation: Assemble required documents including medical examination results, financial evidence (Form I-864 for family-based cases), civil documents, and passport photographs.

Special considerations

Several factors beyond basic category and country affect how the visa bulletin impacts your case.

Per-country limits and backlogs

The INA limits any single country to 7% of the total annual family-sponsored and employment-based preference allocation. Countries with high demand (China, India, Mexico, and the Philippines) experience significantly longer wait times than "All Other Areas."

Fiscal year impact

The federal fiscal year runs from October 1 through September 30. Annual visa limits reset at the start of each fiscal year, and unused numbers from one category can spill over to others. These spillover provisions can create sudden advancement in cut-off dates near the end of the fiscal year, followed by retrogression when the new fiscal year begins.

Immediate relatives exemption

Immediate relatives of U.S. citizens (spouses, unmarried children under 21, and parents) are exempt from numerical limits and preference categories. These applicants can file for adjustment of status or consular processing as soon as their Form I-130 petition is approved, without waiting for visa availability.

Choosing the right support partner

The green card process requires coordination across multiple government agencies: the Department of State, USCIS, and the National Visa Center. This coordination involves extensive documentation and strict compliance with regulatory standards.

Lighthouse helps U.S. employers and foreign nationals navigate this process through eligibility diagnostics to identify the correct employment-based category, expert guidance on PERM recruitment and compliance documentation, and comprehensive legal and operational support, including preparation for Forms I-140 and I-485, as well as coordination of family applications with timeline tracking based on the Visa Bulletin.

Our approach combines experienced case managers with technology built for immigration workflows. This ensures hands-on support from dedicated immigration teams, expert legal review to strengthen petitions, and precise coordination to meet strict filing deadlines. Whether you're tracking an O-1A visa or a TN visa while planning your path to permanent residence, Lighthouse provides the documentation support you need.

Start your green card evaluation today.

Frequently asked questions

These commonly asked questions address the most frequent concerns about reading the visa bulletin, understanding priority dates, and determining next steps when your category becomes current.

What is my priority date and where do I find it?

Your priority date is the date your immigrant petition (Form I-130 for family-sponsored or Form I-140 for employment-based) was filed with USCIS. You can find it on your Form I-797 approval notice. This date determines your place in line for visa availability. If your employer filed through PERM labor certification, your priority date is typically the PERM filing date.

Which chart should I use for April 2026?

Check the USCIS visa bulletin information page for official monthly confirmation on which chart to use for adjustment of status filings. This designation can change each month depending on visa availability.

Why do India, China, Mexico, and Philippines have different dates?

The INA limits any single country to 7% of the total annual preference allocation. High demand from these countries relative to the per-country limit creates longer backlogs and slower cut-off date movement compared to "All Other Areas."

What does retrogression mean and how does it affect me?

Retrogression occurs when cut-off dates move backward rather than forward. This happens when demand for immigrant visas exceeds supply. If retrogression affects your category, your priority date may no longer be current, delaying your ability to file for adjustment of status or receive final action.

How can Lighthouse help with my green card application?

Lighthouse provides comprehensive support for employment-based green cards, including eligibility evaluation, PERM labor certification guidance, Form I-140 and I-485 preparation, dependent coordination, and timeline tracking based on monthly Visa Bulletin updates. Our platform combines legal expertise with technology to streamline documentation and meet compliance requirements.