How to read the Visa Bulletin if you were born in India
US federal rules as of 31 October 2026. Sources re-checked against official pages on 30 October 2026. Where a figure could not be confirmed, this page links the official source instead of stating it.
The Visa Bulletin is a monthly notice from the US Department of State that shows when immigrant visas become available. For applicants born in India in EB-2 and EB-3 the cut-off dates sit far in the past, so reading the row and chart matters. This page explains how to read it. It quotes no dates, because they change monthly.
What are the parts you need?
- Priority date. Your place in the queue. For employment-based cases, USCIS says it is the date the Department of Labor accepts the labor certification, or, if none is required, the date USCIS accepts Form I-140. You can find it on the Form I-797 notice for the petition. See priority date.
- Category. EB-1, EB-2 or EB-3, for example. See EB-2 vs EB-3.
- Country of chargeability. Usually your country of birth, not your citizenship. That is why India has its own column.
Which chart do I use?
The bulletin has two charts:
- Application Final Action Dates: USCIS says applicants generally use this chart to decide when they can file Form I-485 (adjustment of status).
- Dates for Filing Applications: shows when applicants should be notified to gather documents for the National Visa Center. USCIS allows this chart for Form I-485 only in some months, when it says so on its Adjustment of Status Filing Charts page.
If your priority date is earlier than the date in the India column, a visa number may be available to you. If it is later, you wait.
Why is India's date behind other countries?
The Department of State explains that there are limits on the percentage of visas allotted to any one country. When demand from a country exceeds supply in a category, the category is "oversubscribed" for that country and a cut-off date is set. See the backlog guide.
Monthly routine
- Open the current Visa Bulletin on travel.state.gov.
- Find the Employment-based section, your category and the India column.
- Compare your priority date with the Final Action date and the Dates for Filing date.
- Check the USCIS filing-chart page to learn which chart USCIS accepts that month.
- Ask your attorney before you file anything. Dates can move forward, stay or retrogress.
Scam warning
See avoiding immigration scams and job scam safety for India. No one can sell you an H-1B, a lottery win or a green card place. Only the employer files an H-1B registration, and you never pay for it.
What does USCIS say about the numbers behind the chart?
USCIS explains that the Immigration and Nationality Act sets the number of immigrant visas each year. In general, employment-based preference visas are limited to 140,000 a year (this can be exceeded by statute when visas from the previous year were unused), and there are limits on the percentage of visas allotted by country of chargeability, usually the country of birth. When demand exceeds supply for a category and country, a queue forms and the State Department sets a cut-off date.
How do I know if my date is current?
USCIS says a visa is available when your priority date is earlier than the cut-off date shown for your preference category and country of chargeability in the applicable chart. Two other entries matter:
| Entry | Meaning (USCIS) |
|---|---|
| A date | Visas are available to people with an earlier priority date |
| C | Current: visas are immediately available to all qualified applicants in that category and country |
| U | Unavailable: visas are temporarily unavailable |
What is retrogression?
USCIS says a date that is current one month may not be current the next, or the cut-off date may move backward. This is visa retrogression. It generally happens when the annual limit for a category or country is used up or expected to be. A new fiscal year begins on October 1 with a new supply of visa numbers, and USCIS says the new supply usually, but not always, returns cut-off dates to where they were.
When can I file with the I-140?
USCIS says you may file Form I-485 concurrently with an I-140 only if approval of the I-140 would make a visa immediately available. That means your priority date is earlier than the cut-off in the Application Final Action Dates chart, the chart shows "C", or, when USCIS permits it for that month, your date is earlier than the Dates for Filing cut-off. Which chart USCIS accepts each month is posted on its Adjustment of Status Filing Charts page.
Common mistakes
- Using the wrong chart. Unless USCIS says otherwise, you must use Application Final Action Dates to decide when to file Form I-485.
- Using your citizenship instead of your country of chargeability.
- Reading a blog post from last month. Dates change monthly.
- Forgetting to file the I-140 within 180 days of the DOL approval, which USCIS says is needed to preserve the priority date when a labor certification is required.
FAQ
Where do I find my priority date? On Form I-797, Notice of Action, for the petition filed for you, according to USCIS.
Is the Dates for Filing chart ever the right one? Yes, when USCIS says so for that month on its filing charts page.
Does an older priority date ever expire? USCIS says the labor certification becomes invalid if the I-140 is not filed within 180 days of DOL approval. Otherwise, ask an attorney.
Sources
- USCIS, Visa Availability and Priority Dates (last reviewed 24 January 2025), https://www.uscis.gov/green-card/green-card-processes-and-procedures/visa-availability-priority-dates, accessed 31 October 2026
This is general information, not legal, tax or immigration advice. Rules change and your situation may differ. Consult a licensed attorney or qualified adviser.