Guide
Dates for Filing vs. Final Action Dates — the two Visa Bulletin charts
Short answer
The Visa Bulletin publishes two charts each month. 'Dates for Filing' shows an earlier, more generous cutoff that — when USCIS authorizes it — lets you file Form I-485 before a visa number is available. 'Final Action Dates' shows when a green card can actually be approved and issued. You may be current under one chart but not the other.
Why there are two charts
In 2015 the government introduced a two-chart system for the Visa Bulletin. The idea was to let applicants get into the adjudication pipeline earlier — submitting paperwork, completing medical exams, and obtaining work and travel authorization — even before a visa number was ready for final approval. The 'Dates for Filing' chart controls when you may file; the 'Final Action Dates' chart controls when your case may be approved. Both appear every month for employment-based and family-based categories.
What each chart controls
Final Action Dates are the ultimate gate: your green card cannot be approved until your priority date is current under this chart. Dates for Filing are the earlier gate: if your priority date is current under this chart AND USCIS has authorized its use for the month, you may submit your I-485 (and, usually, Form I-765 for an EAD and Form I-131 for Advance Parole). Filing early does not speed the final approval — approval still waits for the Final Action Date — but it can unlock benefits and portability sooner.
The critical extra step: USCIS authorization
Here is the part many people miss: the Dates for Filing chart is only usable for adjustment of status if USCIS says so for that month. Each month USCIS posts an 'Adjustment of Status Filing Charts' page announcing whether applicants inside the U.S. should use Dates for Filing or Final Action Dates. If USCIS designates Final Action Dates that month, you cannot rely on the more generous Dates for Filing chart to file — even though it appears in the bulletin. Always check both the bulletin and the USCIS page.
USCIS Adjustment of Status Filing ChartsA concrete example
Suppose you are EB-3 India with a priority date of December 1, 2013. In a given month, imagine Dates for Filing shows June 1, 2014 and Final Action Dates shows January 1, 2014. Your date is current under both here. But if Dates for Filing showed June 1, 2014 while Final Action Dates showed November 1, 2013, you would be current for filing (if authorized) but not for approval. You would file the I-485, get your EAD/AP, and wait for the Final Action Date to advance past your priority date before approval.
Which chart does this tool use?
This calculator projects using Final Action Dates, because that is the date that ultimately determines when a green card can be granted. When you are deciding whether you can file right now, however, you should check the Dates for Filing chart together with the USCIS monthly authorization. Using Final Action Dates for long-range planning and Dates for Filing for the immediate filing question is the most reliable approach.
Benefits of filing under Dates for Filing
When you are allowed to file early under Dates for Filing, the advantages can be substantial: you may obtain an EAD to work more flexibly, Advance Parole to travel, and — after your I-485 has been pending 180 days — the ability to change to a same-or-similar job under AC21 portability while keeping your place in line. For long-backlogged applicants, filing years before final approval can meaningfully improve day-to-day flexibility.
Common mistakes
The biggest mistake is assuming you can always file under Dates for Filing; you cannot, unless USCIS authorizes it that month. The second is expecting approval soon after filing under Dates for Filing; approval still waits for the Final Action Date. The third is forgetting that both charts can retrogress — a filing window can close. Check the bulletin and the USCIS authorization every month, and act promptly when a window opens.
Why the same category shows different dates
It can be jarring to see two different cutoffs for your exact category and country in the same bulletin. Remember they answer different questions. The Dates for Filing cutoff answers 'who may get into line for adjudication now?' and is set more generously so applicants can complete paperwork ahead of time. The Final Action Dates cutoff answers 'whose case can actually be approved now?' and is tied strictly to available visa numbers. The gap between the two charts reflects how far ahead the government is willing to let people file relative to when numbers will actually be ready.
Reading the July 2026 Final Action Dates
This tool projects using Final Action Dates, so it is worth being fluent in that chart. Below is the July 2026 Final Action Dates snapshot. Even within one month you can see the full range of outcomes — 'C' for current, specific dates for backlogged countries, and 'U' for EB-2 India. When you check whether you can file in a given month, compare this chart (or the Dates for Filing chart, if USCIS authorized it) to your priority date and country column.
| Category | Rest of World | China | India | Mexico | Philippines |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EB-1 | C | 01 Jun 2023 | 15 Oct 2022 | C | C |
| EB-2 | C | 01 Sep 2021 | U | C | C |
| EB-3 | 01 Aug 2024 | 22 Dec 2021 | 01 Jan 2014 | 01 Aug 2024 | 01 Aug 2023 |
A monthly routine that works
To stay on top of both charts, build a simple monthly habit. When the new bulletin posts (usually mid-month), open the employment-based section and read both the Dates for Filing and Final Action Dates charts for your category and country. Then open the USCIS Adjustment of Status Filing Charts page to see which chart USCIS authorized for that month. If the authorized chart's cutoff has reached your priority date and you have not filed yet, prepare to file quickly. If you already filed, note whether the Final Action Date has advanced toward your priority date, which signals how close you are to approval.
Frequently asked questions
Can I file under Dates for Filing even if my case can't be approved yet? Yes, if USCIS authorized that chart for the month — your I-485 waits in the pipeline. Does filing early speed approval? It starts your I-485 clock and can unlock EAD, Advance Parole, and eventual portability, but final approval still waits for the Final Action Date. Which chart does this calculator use? Final Action Dates. Where do I confirm which chart applies this month? The USCIS Adjustment of Status Filing Charts page. Is this legal advice? No — it is general information; consult a qualified immigration attorney for your case.
A short history of the two-chart system
The two-chart approach began in October 2015 as part of an effort to modernize and make the immigrant visa process more predictable. Before then, the Visa Bulletin published a single set of cutoff dates, and applicants could only file when a visa number was essentially ready. The reform split the timeline into two gates so that people stuck in long backlogs could begin the adjustment process — and obtain interim work and travel benefits — earlier. In practice, whether the more generous Dates for Filing chart is usable each month has varied, because USCIS decides month by month based on projected demand and available numbers. That monthly decision is why you must always check the USCIS announcement rather than assuming the early-filing option is open.
Putting it all together
The reliable mental model is a two-step check each month. Step one: look at the Dates for Filing chart and the USCIS authorization to answer 'may I file my I-485 now?' Step two: look at the Final Action Dates chart to answer 'can my case be approved now?' For most backlogged applicants, the filing gate opens first, sometimes years before the approval gate. Filing at the first opportunity secures interim benefits and protects you through later retrogression, while the Final Action Date is the milestone you watch for the green card itself. This calculator focuses on that second gate, projecting when the Final Action Date is likely to reach your priority date.
This guide is for informational purposes only. It is not legal advice. For questions about your specific case, consult a qualified immigration attorney.
Check your priority date estimateLive timeline data
See current Final Action Dates, 12-month movement, and forward estimates for every category and country: