Author: Alison Moodie **Updated** April 17, 2026 U.S. Immigration News # Visa Bulletin for May 2026 Check the May Visa Bulletin now to see if your priority date is current and you can start your green card application process. ### Summary of Key Changes Family-based categories continued to move forward, led by another strong jump in F-1 (about 7 months). F-2B also advanced, while F-4 saw moderate gains. F-2A remained current across all countries. Other categories, including F-3, moved only slightly. Employment-based categories were still mostly flat. EB-1, EB-2, and EB-3 saw no movement, but EB-3 Other Workers advanced modestly, and EB-5 China inched forward. .svg) ### Visa Bulletin FAQs at a Glance **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](https://www.boundless.com/immigration-resources/how-to-read-the-visa-bulletin/). ### Family-Based Green Card Backlogs #### F-1: Unmarried Children (Age 21 and Older) of U.S. Citizens | Country | New Cut-Off Date | Old Cut-Off Date | Movement | |-------------------|------------------|------------------|-------------------| | All Other Areas | 1-Oct-18 | 1-Mar-18 | 7 Months | | China | 1-Oct-18 | 1-Mar-18 | 7 Months | | India | 1-Oct-18 | 1-Mar-18 | 7 Months | | Mexico | 1-Oct-08 | 15-Apr-08 | 5.5 Months | | Philippines | 22-Apr-15 | 22-Apr-15 | No Change | #### F-2A: Spouses and Unmarried Children (Under Age 21) of U.S. Green Card Holders | Country | New Cut-Off Date | Old Cut-Off Date | Movement | |-------------------|------------------|------------------|-------------------| | All Other Areas | Current | Current | No Change | | China | Current | Current | No Change | | India | Current | Current | No Change | | Mexico | Current | Current | No Change | | Philippines | Current | Current | No Change | #### F-2B: Unmarried Children (Age 21 or Older) of U.S. Green Card Holders | Country | New Cut-Off Date | Old Cut-Off Date | Movement | |-------------------|------------------|------------------|-------------------| | All Other Areas | 1-Jan-18 | 8-Aug-17 | 5 Months | | China | 1-Jan-18 | 8-Aug-17 | 5 Months | | India | 1-Jan-18 | 8-Aug-17 | 5 Months | | Mexico | 15-May-10 | 15-May-10 | No Change | | Philippines | 1-Oct-13 | 1-Oct-13 | No Change | #### F-3: Married Children of U.S. Citizens | Country | New Cut-Off Date | Old Cut-Off Date | Movement | |-------------------|------------------|------------------|-------------------| | All Other Areas | 8-Dec-12 | 22-Nov-12 | 16 Days | | China | 8-Dec-12 | 22-Nov-12 | 16 Days | | India | 8-Dec-12 | 22-Nov-12 | 16 Days | | Mexico | 15-Jul-01 | 1-Jul-01 | 14 Days | | Philippines | 8-Aug-06 | 15-Jul-06 | 24 Days | #### F-4: Siblings of U.S. Citizens | Country | New Cut-Off Date | Old Cut-Off Date | Movement | |-------------------|------------------|------------------|-------------------| | All Other Areas | 1-Sep-09 | 15-May-09 | 3.5 Months | | China | 1-Sep-09 | 15-May-09 | 3.5 Months | | India | 15-Dec-06 | 15-Dec-06 | No Change | | Mexico | 30-Apr-01 | 30-Apr-01 | No Change | | Philippines | 22-Mar-08 | 22-Mar-08 | No Change | ## Employment-Based Green Card Backlogs #### EB-1: Extraordinary People, Outstanding Researchers and Professors, and Multinational Executives and Managers | Country | New Cut-Off Date | Old Cut-Off Date | Movement | |-------------------|------------------|------------------|-------------------| | All Other Areas | Current | Current | No Change | | China | 1-Apr-23 | 1-Apr-23 | No Change | | India | 1-Apr-23 | 1-Apr-23 | No Change | | Mexico | Current | Current | No Change | | Philippines | Current | Current | No Change | #### EB-2: Exceptional People and Advanced Degree Holders | Country | New Cut-Off Date | Old Cut-Off Date | Movement | |-------------------|------------------|------------------|-------------------| | All Other Areas | Current | Current | No Change | | China | 1-Sep-21 | 1-Sep-21 | No Change | | India | 15-Jul-14 | 15-Jul-14 | No Change | | Mexico | Current | Current | No Change | | Philippines | Current | Current | No Change | #### EB-3: Skilled Worker or Professional | Country | New Cut-Off Date | Old Cut-Off Date | Movement | |-------------------|------------------|------------------|-------------------| | All Other Areas | 1-Jun-24 | 1-Jun-24 | No Change | | China | 15-Jun-21 | 15-Jun-21 | No Change | | India | 15-Nov-13 | 15-Nov-13 | No Change | | Mexico | 1-Jun-24 | 1-Jun-24 | No Change | | Philippines | 1-Aug-23 | 1-Aug-23 | No Change | #### EB-3: Other Worker | Country | New Cut-Off Date | Old Cut-Off Date | Movement | |-------------------|------------------|------------------|-------------------| | All Other Areas | 1-Feb-22 | 1-Nov-21 | 3 Months | | China | 1-Feb-19 | 1-Feb-19 | No Change | | India | 15-Nov-13 | 15-Nov-13 | No Change | | Mexico | 1-Feb-22 | 1-Nov-21 | 3 Months | | Philippines | 1-Nov-21 | 1-Nov-21 | No Change | #### EB-4: "Special Immigrants" Category | Country | New Cut-Off Date | Old Cut-Off Date | Movement | |-------------------|------------------|------------------|-------------------| | All Other Areas | 15-Jul-22 | 15-Jul-22 | No Change | | China | 15-Jul-22 | 15-Jul-22 | No Change | | India | 15-Jul-22 | 15-Jul-22 | No Change | | Mexico | 15-Jul-22 | 15-Jul-22 | No Change | | Philippines | 15-Jul-22 | 15-Jul-22 | No Change | #### EB-5: "Investors" Category | Country | New Cut-Off Date | Old Cut-Off Date | Movement | |-------------------|------------------|------------------|-------------------| | All Other Areas | Current | Current | No Change | | China | 22-Sep-16 | 1-Sep-16 | 21 Days | | India | 1-May-22 | 1-May-22 | No Change | | Mexico | Current | Current | No Change | | Philippines | Current | Current | No Change |