Scroll down this page to see the latest Visa Bulletin Charts.
The State Department Visa Bulletin May 2021 shows backlogs in getting green cards in both the family and the employment-based categories. The time that it will take you to get a green card depends on the category of your petition and your country of birth. The Visa Bulletin is updated on a monthly basis.
How rapidly will your priority date in the Visa Bulletin advance or retrogress in the coming months? The new visa bulletin predictions are available now. You can click on the link to the Visa Bulletin Predictions by the State Department’s Charlie Oppenheim.
You can stay up-to-date with the waiting times in the Visa Bulletin by subscribing to our Free E-Mail Newsletter. Also, see our Coronavirus – Immigration Updates page.
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State Department Visa Bulletin May 2021
EB-1: All countries will remain current.
EB-2: China and India will each advance by 3 months. China to December 1, 2016 and India to August 1, 2010. All other countries will remain current.
EB-3 China will move forward 2 months to May 15, 2018. India will advance by 5 months to February 1, 2011. All other countries will remain current.
EB-5: All countries will remain current except for China and Vietnam. China will remain frozen at August 15, 2015. Vietnam will move forward by 2 months to February 15, 2018.
EMPLOYMENT-BASED CATEGORIES
The employment-based (EB) categories in the Visa Bulletin are as follows:
- EB-1 Priority Workers
- EB-2 Advanced Degree Professionals
- EB-3 Professionals & Other Workers
- EB-4 Religious Workers
- EB-4 Special Immigrant Juveniles
- EB-5 Investors
An applicant’s priority date is the day that the government receives the employer’s PERM application. If a PERM application is not required, the priority date is the date the government receives an EB visa petition (Form I-140 or Form I-526).
Watch our EB videos to see various methods of shortening your waiting time for a green card.
All of the worldwide employment-based categories remain current (no backlogs) in April.
State Department Visa Bulletin May 2021
EB FINAL ACTION DATES
| Category | World | China | El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras |
India | Mexico | Philippines | Vietnam |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Current | Current | Current | Current | Current | Current | Current |
| 2nd | Current | 12-01-16 | Current | 8-01-10 | Current | Current | Current |
| 3rd | Current | 5-15-18 | Current | 2-01-11 | Current | Current | Current |
| Unskilled | Current | 8-01-09 | Current | 2-01-11 | Current | Current | Current |
| 4th | Current | Current | 9-01-18 | Current | 3-15-19 | Current | Current |
| 5th | Current | 8-15-15 | Current | Current | Current | Current | 2-15-18 |
State Department Visa Bulletin May 2021
EB FILING DATE CHART
| Category | World | China | El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras |
India | Mexico | Philippines |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Current | Current | Current | Current | Current | Current |
| 2nd | Current | 7-01-17 | Current | 5-15-11 | Current | Current |
| 3rd | Current | 9-01-18 | Current | 1-01-14 | Current | Current |
| Unskilled | Current | 11-01-09 | Current | 1-01-14 | Current | Current |
| 4th | Current | Current | 11-01-18 | Current | Current | Current |
| 5th | Current | 12-15-15 | Current | Current | Current | Current |
State Department Visa Bulletin May 2021
FAMILY CATEGORIES
The family-based categories in the visa bulletin are as follows:
- F-1 Unmarried Adult Sons & Daughters of US Citizens
- F-2A Spouses & Children of LPRs
- F-2B Unmarried Adult Sons & Daughters of LPRs
- F-3 Married Sons & Daughters of US citizens
- F-4 Brothers & Sisters of US Citizens
An applicant’s priority date is the day that the government receives the I-130 Petition. Watch our family-based video to see various methods of shortening your waiting time for a green card.
The word “Current” in the Visa Bulletin indicates that no backlog presently exists in a particular category. Alternately, “U” or the word “Unavailable” indicates that it is not possible to apply for permanent residence in that category.
State Department Visa Bulletin May 2021
FB FINAL ACTION DATES
| Category | World | China | India | Mexico | Philippines |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | 10-22-14 | 10-22-14 | 10-22-14 | 4-01-98 | 2-01-12 |
| 2A | Current | Current | Current | Current | Current |
| 2B | 8-15-15 | 8-15-15 | 8-15-15 | 8-15-99 | 9-15-11 |
| 3rd | 8-22-08 | 8-22-08 | 8-22-08 | 10-15-96 | 5-01-02 |
| 4th | 11-08-06 | 11-08-06 | 4-15-05 | 8-08-98 | 5-01-02 |
B. FAMILY-SPONSORED FILING DATE CHART – The chart below reflects dates for filing visa applications within a time frame justifying immediate action in the application process. Applicants for immigrant visas who have a priority date earlier than the application date in the chart may assemble and submit required documents to the Department of State’s National Visa Center, following receipt of notification from the National Visa Center containing detailed instructions. The application date for an oversubscribed category is the priority date of the first applicant who cannot submit documentation to the National Visa Center for an immigrant visa.
State Department Visa Bulletin May 2021
FB FILING DATE CHART
| Category | World | China | India | Mexico | Philippines |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | 10-01-15 | 10-01-15 | 10-01-15 | 3-01-00 | 11-01-13 |
| 2A | 4-01-21 | 4-01-21 | 4-01-21 | 4-01-21 | 4-01-21 |
| 2B | 6-22-16 | 6-22-16 | 6-22-16 | 8-08-00 | 1-08-13 |
| 3rd | 6-22-09 | 6-22-09 | 6-22-09 | 9-08-00 | 7-01-03 |
| 4th | 10-01-07 | 10-01-07 | 12-01-05 | 5-08-99 | 7-01-03 |
We link to the State Department Visa Bulletin.
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Carl Shusterman served as an INS Trial Attorney (1976-82) before opening a firm specializing exclusively in US immigration law. He is a Certified Specialist in Immigration Law who has testified as an expert witness before the US Senate Immigration Subcommittee. Carl was featured in the February 2018 edition of SuperLawyers Magazine.
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