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The U.S. Department of State released its Visa Bulletin for January 2026. This monthly update is important if you're waiting for a green card because it shows how long you might have to wait.
Every month, USCIS announces whether applicants already living in the United States should file their "adjustment of status" applications based on the "Final Action Dates" or the "Dates for Filing." The agency hasn’t yet announced which chart to use this month, but based on recent practice, it will likely continue to follow the “Dates for Filing” chart for both family-based and employment-based categories.
This month’s Visa Bulletin brings modest forward movement in a handful of family- and employment-based categories, while most others remain unchanged.
Family-based applicants from Mexico saw the biggest jumps, especially in the F-1 and F-2B categories, which advanced by six months. The F-2A category (for spouses and minor children of U.S. green card holders) moved forward by one month across all countries.
On the employment-based side, EB-1 advanced for China and India, and EB-2 saw a three-month jump for most countries. EB-3 India also inched ahead by one month, while China’s EB-3 Other Worker category made a notable one-year advance. EB-5 India saw the largest movement overall, with a two-year leap.
Most other priority dates held steady for the month.
Check out the tables below to see what else changed this month.
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If you’re already familiar with those terms, scroll down to our summary of key developments or to the filing category that’s most relevant to you:
Family-based categories
- F-1: Unmarried Children (Age 21 and Older) of U.S. Citizens
- F-2A: Spouses and Unmarried Children (Under Age 21) of U.S. Green Card Holders
- F-2B: Unmarried Children (Age 21 or Older) of U.S. Green Card Holders
- F-3: Married Children of U.S. Citizens
- F-4: Siblings of U.S. Citizens
Employment-based categories
- EB-1: Extraordinary People, Outstanding Researchers and Professors, and Multinational Executives and Managers
- EB-2: Exceptional People and Advanced Degree Holders
- EB-3: Bachelor’s Degree Holders, Skilled Workers, and Unskilled Workers
- EB-4: Special Immigrants
- EB-5: Investors
Family-Based Green Card Backlogs
F-1: UNMARRIED CHILDREN (AGE 21 AND OLDER) OF U.S. CITIZENS
F-2A: SPOUSES AND UNMARRIED CHILDREN (UNDER AGE 21) OF U.S. GREEN CARD HOLDERS
F-2B: UNMARRIED CHILDREN (AGE 21 OR OLDER) OF U.S. GREEN CARD HOLDERS
F-3: MARRIED CHILDREN OF U.S. CITIZENS
F-4: SIBLINGS OF U.S. CITIZENS
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Employment-Based Green Card Backlogs
EB-1: EXTRAORDINARY PEOPLE, OUTSTANDING RESEARCHERS AND PROFESSORS, AND MULTINATIONAL EXECUTIVES AND MANAGERS
EB-2: EXCEPTIONAL PEOPLE AND ADVANCED DEGREE HOLDERS
EB-3: SKILLED WORKER OR PROFESSIONAL
EB-3: OTHER WORKER
EB-4: “SPECIAL IMMIGRANTS” CATEGORY
EB-5: “INVESTORS” CATEGORY
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What is my priority date? This is usually the date your green card application petition was initially filed. Check your paperwork or consult with an immigration attorney if you’re unsure.
What if my country has a backlog? Some countries have longer wait times than others due to high demand. This means cut-off dates may move slower and sometimes even go backward (this is called retrogression).
How long will I have to wait? Unfortunately, the Visa Bulletin can’t give you an exact answer. The wait time depends on your category and country backlog. It’s helpful to track patterns in your category over multiple months to get a better sense.
The Visa Bulletin can be confusing. We’ve put together a guide to help you understand it and find your priority date: How to Read the Visa Bulletin.
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