What Is Current
"Current" in the Visa Bulletin means all applicants with a priority date in that visa category are immediately eligible to file their adjustment of status application or proceed with consular processing. When a category shows "Current," there is no wait. Your priority date, regardless of how old it is, allows you to move forward without delay.
The opposite situation occurs when a category is "not current." For example, if the Visa Bulletin shows that the EB-3 category is current as of March 1, 2024, but your priority date is June 15, 2024, you cannot file until the bulletin advances past your date. This is a critical distinction because filing before your priority date is current may result in USCIS rejecting your I-485 (adjustment of status) or I-140 (immigrant petition) application entirely.
How It Works in Practice
The Department of State publishes the Visa Bulletin monthly, typically on the 15th. This bulletin lists the most recent priority date deemed current for each employment-based and family-based visa category. If your priority date falls on or before the current date listed, you can immediately submit your I-485 application to USCIS for adjustment of status, or you can proceed to your embassy or consulate for consular processing if you are outside the United States.
For employment-based cases, the priority date is the date your I-140 petition was filed or, if filed under the AC21 portability rules, the priority date from your previous employer's petition. For family-based cases, it is the date your I-130 (petition for alien relative) was received by USCIS. Tracking this date against the Visa Bulletin each month is essential because the current cutoff changes frequently and differently across categories.
When your category becomes current, you typically have limited time to file. USCIS processes I-485 applications on a first-come, first-served basis once they are current, so delays can mean months of additional waiting. This is why immigration attorneys and applicants monitor the Visa Bulletin closely each month.
Impact on Your Timeline
- A category jumping from "not current" to "current" can eliminate weeks or months of waiting, allowing you to file immediately.
- Employment-based categories often move more slowly than family-based ones. As of early 2024, some EB-3 categories remained years behind, while EB-1C (intracompany transferees) and many family-based immediate relative categories stayed current.
- Once current, your I-485 processing typically takes 12 to 18 months from filing to decision, though expedited processing or requests for expedited adjudication may speed this up.
- If you are pursuing consular processing, you must pay the immigrant visa fee and attend a medical exam and interview at the U.S. embassy once current. This process generally takes 2 to 4 weeks after visa availability.
Common Questions
- What happens if I file my I-485 before my priority date is current? USCIS will reject your application. Filing before your priority date is not a valid strategy to "get in line early." You must wait until the Visa Bulletin shows your priority date as current.
- Can "current" change after I file my I-485? Yes, but it does not affect you negatively. Once you file an I-485 when your priority date is current, your place in line is protected even if the category becomes not current again the following month. Your application will continue processing.
- Does "current" mean I will be approved? No. "Current" only means you are eligible to file. USCIS still reviews your application for fraud, medical issues, public charge concerns, and other grounds of inadmissibility before issuing a green card.