Dates for filing vs final action dates: how to read the Visa Bulletin
Arun Asif, PhD
October 8, 2026 · 6 min read
The first time I opened the Visa Bulletin, I found two tables with almost the same rows and columns but different dates. One said "Final Action Dates." The other said "Dates for Filing." I had no idea which one applied to me.
If you're in the same spot, this post will clear it up. You only need one idea to start: your priority date.
First, your priority date
When USCIS receives your I-140 (for an EB-2 NIW self-petition), that day usually becomes your priority date. It's your place in line for a green card. The US only gives out a limited number of employment-based green cards each year, with limits by category and by country of birth, so people born in high-demand countries can wait a long time.
Every month, the State Department publishes the Visa Bulletin, which shows how far the line has moved. If you're new to the I-140 and I-485, read my beginner's guide to the two forms first.
The two charts, in plain English
Final Action Dates tell you when a green card can actually be approved. If your priority date is earlier than the date listed for your category and country, a green card is available for you, and USCIS can approve your I-485.
Dates for Filing tell you when you can submit your I-485, even though approval isn't possible yet. It lets you get your application in early, before your turn for approval actually comes.
A simple way to remember it: Dates for Filing is when you can get in the building. Final Action Date is when your name gets called.
If you see a "C" instead of a date, that means "current": there's no wait for that category and country right now.
Which chart does USCIS use?
This is where most people slip up. Dates for Filing being printed in the bulletin does not automatically mean you can use it. Each month, USCIS decides which of the two charts employment-based applicants in the US must follow, and posts that on its Adjustment of Status Filing Charts page.
It changes. In September 2026, USCIS used the Final Action Dates chart. For October 2026, it switched to the Dates for Filing chart (Colombo & Hurd). So check that page every month before you file.
A real example: October 2026, EB-2
| Country of birth | Final Action Date | Date for Filing |
|---|---|---|
| Rest of World (most countries) | Jan 1, 2025 | Mar 15, 2026 |
| China | Oct 1, 2021 | Jan 1, 2023 |
| India | Nov 1, 2013 | Jan 15, 2015 |
Say you were born in a "Rest of World" country and your priority date is June 10, 2025. Here's how you'd read the table:
- June 2025 is after the Final Action Date (Jan 1, 2025), so your green card can't be approved yet.
- June 2025 is before the Date for Filing (Mar 15, 2026), so you're current for filing.
- USCIS is using Dates for Filing in October, so you can submit your I-485 this month.
Why file early if approval has to wait? While your I-485 is pending you can apply for a work permit (I-765) and a travel document (I-131), and your case is ready to go as soon as your final action date arrives.
Dates can move backward
The bulletin doesn't only move forward. When demand is high, a category can retrogress, meaning the date jumps back. That just happened: EB-2 for Rest of World went from "current" to a March 15, 2026 filing cutoff in October 2026.
If your date retrogresses after you've filed, your I-485 stays pending. It can't be approved until your date becomes current again. Nothing is lost, it just takes longer. Retrogression is also why many people file the moment their date becomes current, rather than waiting.
If you're outside the US
You won't file an I-485. You'll go through consular processing instead. The same two charts still matter: the Date for Filing is roughly when the National Visa Center lets you start sending your documents, and the Final Action Date is when your interview at the embassy can be scheduled.
How to check your own date, step by step
- Open the current Visa Bulletin.
- Scroll to the employment-based tables. There's one for Final Action Dates and one for Dates for Filing.
- Find the row labeled 2nd. That's EB-2, including NIW.
- Find the column for your country of birth. Not your citizenship, your birth country. Most countries fall under "All Chargeability Areas Except Those Listed."
- Compare. If your priority date is earlier than the date shown (or the box says "C"), you're current for that chart.
- Check the USCIS Adjustment of Status Filing Charts page to see which chart applies this month.
The short version
Dates for Filing tells you when you can submit. Final Action Dates tells you when you can be approved. USCIS picks which one counts each month. Keep your priority date handy, check both charts when each new bulletin comes out (usually mid-month), and file the month you're eligible.
If you're still at the I-140 stage, building the petition is the hard part. My petition cover letter, CV and filled I-140 from my approved NIW case show you how it all came together.
Not legal advice. I'm a scientist, not a lawyer, and this post is for educational purposes only.