Green Card Priority Date - Family Based Visa Availability

The Department of State publishes a monthly Visa Bulletin that tells applicants when their Priority Date is current. Applicants must wait for their Priority Date to become current before they can apply for a Green Card.

Visa Cut-Off Dates for April 2011

Family-sponsored	All Chargeability Areas Except Those Listed	CHINA-mainland born	INDIA	MEXICO	PHILIPPINES
F1	01MAY04	01MAY04	01MAY04	15FEB93	01APR95
F2A	01APR07	01APR07	01APR07	01JUL06	01APR07
F2B	15APR03	15APR03	15APR03	15JUL92	01DEC99
F3	15MAR01	15MAR01	15MAR01	08NOV92	01JAN92
F4	01FEB00	01JAN00	01FEB00	01FEB96	08MAR88

How to Read the Visa Bulletin

First, identify your Preference Category from following list:

Next, identify your country of nationality (If you are claiming chargeability from a country other than China, India, Mexico or Philippines, then you should refer to the first column, labeled "All Chargeability Areas Except Those Listed.") The cell that represents your Preference Category and Country of Nationality will contain either a date or a letter.

If a cell is marked "C" that means that the Priority Date is current in that Category and visa numbers are available. If a cell is marked "U" it means that no visas are available for the rest of the fiscal year (which ends on September 30). If a date appears in the cell, then that date signifies the visa "cut-off" date. Applicants must have a Priority Date that falls before the date listed in the cell in order to qualify to apply for a Green Card.

Please note that if you are applying as the spouse or unmarried childof a U.S. citizen, or if you are applying as the parent of a U.S.citizen who is over the age of 18, then a visa number is immediately available to you and you are not required to wait for a Priority Date to become current.