Quick Take
The U.S. Department of State released the May 2026 Visa Bulletin in mid-April. The bulletin is the official monthly chart that decides who can move forward with a green card and who has to keep waiting. If you are in line for a family-based or employment-based visa, this is the document that tells you when your turn arrives.
Here is the short version of what changed between the April 2026 and the May 2026 bulletins:
- F2A (spouses and minor children of green card holders) advanced six months on the Final Action Dates chart, from February 1, 2024 to August 1, 2024 for almost every country. The Dates for Filing chart for F2A remains Current.
- F1 (unmarried adult children of U.S. citizens) advanced four months on the Final Action Dates chart for most countries.
- F4 (siblings of U.S. citizens) advanced about three months on Final Action Dates for most countries, with a five-month jump for the Philippines.
- F2B and F3 saw smaller advances or no movement.
- EB-4 (which controls SIJS green cards) did not move and remains stuck at July 15, 2022 for every country.
- USCIS now requires employment-based filers to use the Final Action Dates chart for Form I-485, which removes the more generous Dates for Filing option that had been available in recent months for some EB categories.
- Nothing retrogressed. Every category either advanced or stayed flat compared to April.
If you have been watching your priority date for months or years, the headline question is simple: did anything move for you? The detailed sections below walk through every category that matters for the families and clients I work with in Massachusetts.
A Refresher: How to Read This Bulletin
The Visa Bulletin lists two charts each month for the family-sponsored and employment-based categories. Each chart shows a date for each preference category and country. If your priority date (the date USCIS or the Department of State received your I-130, I-140, or I-360 petition) is earlier than the date listed for your category and country, you may move forward.
The two charts are different. The Final Action Dates chart controls when a green card can actually be issued or approved. The Dates for Filing chart is usually further along and controls when applicants can submit their adjustment of status application or their documents to the National Visa Center.
Each month, USCIS announces on its website which chart can be used for filing Form I-485 (adjustment of status) inside the United States. For consular cases handled at U.S. embassies abroad, the National Visa Center generally relies on the Dates for Filing chart to schedule interviews.
If this is unfamiliar territory, my earlier guide on Understanding the Visa Bulletin and Priority Dates walks through the basics in plain language.
The Big Headline: USCIS Pulls Back to Final Action Dates for Employment Filings
The most important policy change for May 2026 is not a single date on the chart. It is a USCIS announcement about which chart applies. For employment-based adjustment of status applicants, USCIS will accept Form I-485 filings only when the priority date is earlier than the date on the Final Action Dates chart. In several recent months, USCIS had allowed the use of the more favorable Dates for Filing chart for some employment-based categories, which let many people file earlier even though their case could not yet be approved.
For family-sponsored cases, USCIS continues to allow the Dates for Filing chart for I-485 filings in May 2026. So if you are a family-based applicant with a priority date earlier than the relevant Dates for Filing date, you can still file your green card application even if your final approval will not come until your date is current under Final Action Dates.
Action item: Always check the USCIS Visa Bulletin Information page (uscis.gov/visabulletininfo) before filing Form I-485. USCIS posts which chart applies for the month. The chart that applies can change month to month.
Family-Based Categories: A Closer Look
F1: Unmarried Adult Children of U.S. Citizens
The F1 Final Action Date moved forward four months for almost every country, from May 1, 2017 to September 1, 2017 for All Chargeability Areas, China, and India. Mexico advanced six months, from February 15, 2007 to August 15, 2007. The Philippines stayed flat at May 1, 2013.
On the Dates for Filing chart, F1 advanced about seven months for All Chargeability Areas, China, and India, from March 1, 2018 to October 1, 2018. Mexico advanced from April 15, 2008 to October 1, 2008. The Philippines stayed at April 22, 2015.
If your U.S. citizen parent filed an I-130 for you in 2017 or 2018 and you are not from Mexico or the Philippines, this is a meaningful month. Talk with your attorney about whether your priority date is now within reach.
F2A: Spouses and Minor Children of Green Card Holders
This is the category that moved the most. The F2A Final Action Date jumped six full months, from February 1, 2024 to August 1, 2024 for All Chargeability Areas, China, India, and the Philippines. For Mexico, the Final Action Date advanced from February 1, 2023 to August 1, 2023.
The F2A Dates for Filing chart remains Current for every country. That means anyone with a pending I-130 in F2A who is otherwise eligible can file Form I-485 right now, without waiting for a particular priority date.
The bulletin also keeps the special note that F2A numbers exempt from the per-country limit are available to applicants from all countries with priority dates earlier than August 1, 2023. F2A numbers subject to the per-country limit are available for all countries except Mexico with priority dates beginning August 1, 2023 and earlier than August 1, 2024.
F2B: Unmarried Adult Children of Green Card Holders
F2B held steady. The Final Action Date stayed at May 22, 2017 for All Chargeability Areas, China, and India. Mexico stayed at February 15, 2009. The Philippines stayed at April 8, 2013. The Dates for Filing chart advanced about five months for All Chargeability Areas, China, and India, from August 8, 2017 to January 1, 2018. Mexico and the Philippines did not move on the Dates for Filing chart.
F3: Married Sons and Daughters of U.S. Citizens
Final Action Dates for F3 advanced just under two months for All Chargeability Areas, China, and India, from December 22, 2011 to February 15, 2012. The Philippines moved from July 1, 2005 to November 22, 2005, an advance of about five months. Mexico did not move and remains at May 1, 2001. The Dates for Filing chart moved a little over two weeks for most countries, with the Philippines advancing from July 15, 2006 to August 8, 2006.
F4: Siblings of U.S. Citizens
F4 Final Action Dates advanced about three months for All Chargeability Areas and China, from June 8, 2008 to September 15, 2008. The Philippines jumped about five and a half months, from February 1, 2007 to July 15, 2007. India and Mexico did not move on Final Action Dates and remain at November 1, 2006 and April 8, 2001 respectively. On Dates for Filing, F4 advanced about three and a half months for All Chargeability Areas and China, from May 15, 2009 to September 1, 2009. India, Mexico, and the Philippines stayed flat on the Dates for Filing chart.
Brazilian community note: Brazil falls under "All Chargeability Areas Except Those Listed" on every chart. Your priority date is measured against the All Chargeability Areas column, not Mexico, China, India, or the Philippines.
Family-Based Final Action Dates at a Glance
| Category | April 2026 (All Areas) | May 2026 (All Areas) | Movement |
|---|---|---|---|
| F1 | May 1, 2017 | September 1, 2017 | +4 months |
| F2A | February 1, 2024 | August 1, 2024 | +6 months |
| F2B | May 22, 2017 | May 22, 2017 | No change |
| F3 | December 22, 2011 | February 15, 2012 | ~+2 months |
| F4 | June 8, 2008 | September 15, 2008 | ~+3 months |
SIJS and EB-4: Still Waiting
The Employment-Based Fourth Preference (EB-4) category is the one that controls Special Immigrant Juvenile Status (SIJS) green cards. In May 2026, EB-4 did not move. The Final Action Date stayed at July 15, 2022 for every country, and the Dates for Filing chart stayed at January 1, 2023 for every country.
That means SIJS recipients with priority dates after July 15, 2022 still cannot have their I-485 applications approved or have a visa issued at a consulate. Children with approved I-360 SIJS petitions and more recent priority dates remain in the same waiting line they were in last month, watching this date inch forward when it moves at all.
For most of 2024 and 2025, EB-4 was retrogressed by years. The category sat far below the dates many SIJS youth needed. The current July 15, 2022 date reflects gradual progress, but the wait for many young people remains long. If you or a family member has an approved I-360 with a priority date in 2023, 2024, 2025, or 2026, the path forward in May 2026 is the same as last month: keep your address current with USCIS, keep any work authorization renewed, watch each new bulletin, and consult with your attorney about deferred action and other interim protections that may be available.
For more on how SIJS works as a whole, see What Is SIJS? A Guide to Special Immigrant Juvenile Status.
Employment-Based Categories
EB-1, EB-2, EB-3
Final Action Dates for EB-1, EB-2, and EB-3 did not move at all in May 2026 for any country. EB-1 remains Current for All Chargeability Areas, Mexico, and the Philippines, and stays at April 1, 2023 for China and India. EB-2 remains Current for All Chargeability Areas, Mexico, and the Philippines, stays at September 1, 2021 for China, and stays at July 15, 2014 for India. EB-3 stays at June 1, 2024 for All Chargeability Areas and Mexico, August 1, 2023 for the Philippines, June 15, 2021 for China, and November 15, 2013 for India.
The Dates for Filing chart for EB-1, EB-2, and EB-3 also did not move. Because USCIS now requires Final Action Dates for employment-based I-485 filings, the practical effect for EB-2 and EB-3 China and India applicants is that some who could have filed under Dates for Filing in April will not be able to file in May.
EB-3 Other Workers
The Other Workers subcategory advanced three months on the Final Action Dates chart for All Chargeability Areas and Mexico, from November 1, 2021 to February 1, 2022. China stayed at February 1, 2019, and India stayed at November 15, 2013. The Philippines did not move. The Dates for Filing chart for Other Workers did not change.
EB-5
EB-5 Unreserved is Current for All Chargeability Areas, Mexico, and the Philippines on both charts. China advanced about three weeks on the Final Action Dates chart, from September 1, 2016 to September 22, 2016, and advanced about five months on the Dates for Filing chart, from October 1, 2016 to March 1, 2017. India remained at May 1, 2022 on Final Action Dates and May 1, 2024 on Dates for Filing. The bulletin warns that increased demand from India in EB-5 may force retrogression or unavailability later in the fiscal year.
Why the Dates Are Moving
The Department of State explained the broad pattern in the May 2026 bulletin. Immigrant visa issuance from certain countries has gone down because of administration actions, including Presidential Proclamation 10949 and Presidential Proclamation 10998, plus other immigrant visa processing changes. To use the visa numbers available for fiscal year 2026, the Department advanced final action dates and dates for filing across a range of categories.
The same passage warns that as additional demand materializes, or as administration actions are amended, the Department may need to retrogress dates later in the fiscal year. In other words, this month's advance is real, but it is not necessarily permanent. If your priority date becomes current, the safest strategy is usually to act rather than wait.
What Action Items Make Sense Right Now
If you are an F2A applicant inside the United States
The F2A Dates for Filing chart is still Current. If your green card holder spouse or parent has filed an I-130 for you and you are otherwise eligible, you may be able to file Form I-485 along with the I-130, or file the I-485 separately if the I-130 is already pending. Talk with your attorney about whether you qualify for adjustment of status, what unlawful presence issues might apply, and whether you also need any waivers.
If you are an F1, F3, or F4 applicant with a priority date approaching
Make sure the National Visa Center has your most current address and email. If you receive a notice asking you to assemble documents, respond promptly. Confirm with your attorney whether your case will go through consular processing or adjustment of status.
If you are an EB-2 or EB-3 China or India applicant
If you were planning to file Form I-485 under the Dates for Filing chart in May, talk with your attorney about your timing and whether your priority date is current under the Final Action Dates chart. If you already filed in a prior month under Dates for Filing, your filing remains valid; the change affects new filings.
If you have an approved SIJS I-360 with a priority date after July 15, 2022
Stay patient and stay prepared. Keep your address current with USCIS. Keep your work authorization (if any) renewed before it expires. Ask your attorney whether deferred action applies in your case. Document your continued residence and good moral character. When your priority date does become current, you want your file ready to file.
If you are unsure where you stand
The Visa Bulletin can be confusing even for lawyers. If you have a pending I-130, I-140, or I-360 and you are not certain how May 2026 affects your case, schedule a consultation. A short conversation with an immigration attorney can save you months of uncertainty.
Frequently Asked Questions
Final Thoughts
The May 2026 bulletin brings real movement for several family-based categories, especially F2A, F1, and F4. EB-4 stays frozen at July 15, 2022, which means SIJS youth with more recent priority dates still wait. The shift to Final Action Dates for employment-based filings tightens the door for some EB-2 and EB-3 China and India applicants who could file under Dates for Filing only a month ago.
If your case is touched by any of these changes, the practical advice is the same: confirm your priority date, check the chart that applies to your category and country, and act if the door is open. Dates can move backward as quickly as they move forward.
Need help understanding your priority date?
If you have a pending family-based or employment-based petition and want to know what the May 2026 Visa Bulletin means for you, contact me for a free, confidential consultation.
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