U.S. Visa Bulletin for May 2025

How the Visa Bulletin works

Every month the U.S. Department of State publishes the Visa Bulletin, the schedule that decides when a green card number is available for your category and country of birth. The checker above reads the latest one, so you can enter your priority date and see where you stand, how the cutoff moved this month, and a plain-language estimate of when your date may become current.

Final Action Dates vs Dates for Filing

The bulletin shows two charts each month, and they answer different questions. Knowing which one applies to you is half the battle.

You will also see two letters in the tables. "C" means current: numbers are available for everyone in that row regardless of priority date. "U" means unavailable: no numbers are being issued for that row this month.

The strict rule: One rule trips people up: being current means your priority date is strictly earlier than the cutoff. A priority date that exactly matches the cutoff is not current yet. You become current once the cutoff moves past your date.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a priority date?

Your priority date is the date that holds your place in line for a green card. For family cases it is the day USCIS received your I-130 petition. For most employment cases it is the day the PERM labor certification was filed, or the day the I-140 was filed if your category does not require PERM. You keep that date as your spot in the queue, and you become current once the bulletin cutoff for your category and country moves past it.

What does it mean for my priority date to be "current" in the Visa Bulletin?

Your priority date is current when it is earlier than the cutoff date listed for your category and country of chargeability. At that point a visa number is available to you. If the cell shows "C" the whole category is current, so your date does not matter. If it shows "U" no numbers are being issued that month. One detail catches people out: a priority date that exactly matches the cutoff is not current yet, you become current only once the cutoff moves past your date.

I have two passports. Which country counts?

It is usually your country of birth that counts, not which passport you carry or which country you are a citizen of. That is what "chargeability" means, so holding a second passport normally does not change your place in line. There is one helpful exception called cross-chargeability: in some cases you can be charged to your spouse's country of birth (or, for a child, a parent's country of birth) when that country's dates are more favorable. This is general information, not legal advice, so check your specific situation before relying on it.

What is the difference between Final Action Dates and Dates for Filing?

Final Action Dates tell you when your green card can actually be approved. Dates for Filing tell you the earliest you may submit your application or documents, which is often months earlier. Each month USCIS announces which chart adjustment-of-status applicants may use, and family and employment categories can be on different charts in the same month, so always check which one applies to you.

How accurate is the "estimated current date" prediction?

It is a non-binding estimate, not a promise. We look at how the cutoff for your category and country has actually moved over the recent months and project that pace forward, while ignoring the large backward jumps that often happen at the October fiscal-year reset. Visa Bulletin dates are set monthly by the State Department and can speed up, stall, or move backward without notice. Do not make travel, job, or filing decisions on the projection alone.

Why did my category move backward (retrogress)?

Each category and country has a limited annual supply of green card numbers. When demand runs ahead of supply, the State Department moves the cutoff date backward to slow things down, which is called retrogression. It is frustrating but normal, and dates often recover later in the fiscal year. Our checker flags when your category moved backward this month so you are not caught off guard.

Is this Visa Bulletin checker free to use?

Yes, the checker is completely free and we do not ask you to create an account or hand over personal details to use it. If your date is current and you want help filing, Immiva guides you through Form I-130 and Form I-485 for $129, which is far less than most attorneys charge.