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The Daily Insight

What does priority date mean Uscis?

Author

Abigail Rogers

Updated on March 20, 2026

Every prospective immigrant has his or her priority date. The priority date is the date when USCIS first received the I-130, or when the Department of Labor received the labor certification request by your employer petitioner.

Consequently, what happens when your priority date becomes current?

What to Do When Your Priority Date Is Current. One day, your priority date will become current—in other words, you will finally see a later date, or the letter “C” on the “Dates for Filing” Visa Bulletin chart. Then it's time to move forward with the process of getting your immigrant visa or green card.

Additionally, what does priority date mean NVC? United States law limits the number of immigrant visa numbers available each year in certain visa categories. This means that even if USCIS approves an immigrant visa petition for you, you may not get an immigrant visa number immediately. The date your petition was filed is called your priority date.

Beside this, is Priority date same as filing date?

If labor certification is required for an immigrant petition, as is the case for most EB-2 and all EB-3 applications, then the employer cannot file an I-140 until DOL approves its PERM application. Because of this, the priority date is the filing date of the PERM application with DOL.

How long for interview after priority date is current?

Our experience suggests that very often an I-485 application will be adjudicated (approved) or issued a request for evidence (if required) within two to four weeks after its priority date being current.

Related Question Answers

What is the difference between final action date and priority date?

the “Final Action Date,” which corresponds to the longstanding Visa Bulletin priority date chart. the “Dates for Filing,” under which applicants can file an application for a green card (also called an application for adjustment of status)

How priority date is calculated?

On What Basis Do You Receive Your Priority Date? The priority date is the date upon which either the U.S. Department of Labor received the labor certification application or U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) received the completed Form I-130 visa petition or (in the case of self-petitioners) Form I-140.

What is current green card priority date?

This is referred to as the priority date being "current." The priority date is current if there is no backlog in the category. If you have a current priority date, your immigrant visa number is immediately available, and you may apply for permanent residence or adjustment of status.

What is the current wait time for green card?

Since 1991, when the current quotas went into effect, time spent waiting to apply for a green card (i.e., legal permanent residence) has doubled for applicants immigrating through the family-?sponsored and employment-?based quota categories — from an average of 2 years and 10 months to 5 years and 8 months.

Does I 140 expire?

The petition remains valid unless revoked on other grounds. The I-140 petition remains valid for purposes of status extensions under AC21 and priority date retention. However, to be eligible for an immigrant visa or adjustment of status, the beneficiary needs a bona fide job offer.

What happens once I 485 is approved?

After your adjustment of status (I-485) petition is approved, you (and your dependents who applied with you) need to go to the nearby U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) local office to get your passport stamped. With the exception of children under 14 years of age, passport stamping is required.

How long does it take to get green card after interview 2020?

Interview and Approval (10-13 months)

After you're done with the interview, the USCIS will take at least 10 to 13 months to issue a marriage-based green card.

What is final action date?

What are “Final Action Dates” in Visa Bulletin? The “final action dates” or “application final action dates” are the dates when the actual green card numbers are available for that category & country of birth, so that the final green Cards or immigrant visas can be issued.

What happens if you fail immigration interview?

If you fail either test the first time, USCIS will give you another opportunity to take the test, in an appointment several weeks after the interview that you failed. If you do not pass both tests, you cannot become a naturalized U.S. citizen, and USCIS will deny your application.

How often is Visa Bulletin updated?

The Department of State also has available a recorded message with visa final action dates which can be heard at: (202) 485-7699. The recording is normally updated on/about the 17th of each month with information on final action dates for the following month.

What date is visa bulletin released?

Nov 29, 2020

The U.S. Department of State released its Visa Bulletin for December 2020. That's a big deal if you're waiting for your priority date to be current so that your green card application can move forward. If you don't know what a “visa bulletin” or a “priority date” is, we've got you covered.

How long does it take Uscis to approve I 130?

5 to 12 months

How long does it take NVC to schedule interview?

Most appointments are set within three months of NVC's receipt of all requested documentation.

How long does it take for NVC to send welcome letter?

That can often take six to eight weeks after approval of the I-130, and possibly even longer in some cases. When NVC receives your case, it will send you a notification, typically via email. If you're a “preference relative” (on a waiting list), that delay won't affect you much.

What happens after NVC completed case?

After the interview is scheduled with the embassy, NVC sends your case to the embassy. This can take 1-2 weeks after NVC Case Complete and sometimes longer. This means that the embassy or consulate has received your application and they are “ready” for your interview.

How do I check my visa bulletin?

Select the "Current Visa Bulletin." Forward to "Family-Sponsored Preferences" to see a table similar to the sample below. Find your family preference category and compare your priority date to the date listed. If your priority date comes before the date listed, your immigrant visa is current.

How long does NVC take to review rejected documents 2020?

60 days

What happens after approval of i130?

If USCIS approves the I-130, it will forward the petition to the National Visa Center (NVC). The NVC will send information on the case number assigned to the case along with an Invoice ID for the Affidavit of Support and the Immigrant Visa forms.

Is NVC part of Uscis?

How does the National Visa Center fit into the U.S. immigration process? After U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) approves your immigrant visa petition, USCIS forwards your petition to the National Visa Center (NVC) in Portsmouth, NH for immigrant visa pre-processing at the correct time.

Does priority date expire?

Priority dates are not profession specific. Once a priority date is issued for an employment based job, it may be used for any other employment based petition for which the candidate is otherwise qualified. Priority dates also do not expire. Otherwise, priority dates are good for life.

How long does it take to get the passport after US visa interview?

The delivery of the passport and visa typically takes 2-3 business after the interview.

How do I know if my visa is approved?

  1. Overview. If your visa application is approved, your passport and visa will be available for pick up at the U.S. Embassy.
  2. Check the Status of Your Visa. You can check the status of your application any time at this website:
  3. Required Documents for Passport Retrieval.

How long does it take NVC to process payment?

After submitting your payments online, please allow up to 1 week for NVC to process your fees before continuing to the next step. You will not be able to access Form DS-260 until NVC has processed your payments.

How do I check my NVC status?

You can see the current status of your case or make updates by logging into the Consular Electronic Application Center at

How long does it take Uscis to reschedule an interview 2020?

You should then expect to receive an interview cancellation notice and a new appointment notice in the mail. The new appointment can take approximately 4-8 weeks, or sometimes longer, to be scheduled.

How long it takes after submitting documents to NVC?

Once you've sent your supporting documents, it generally takes 1-2 months before your visa interview is scheduled. You'll receive a notice from either the NVC or your local U.S. consulate informing you of your interview time and date.

How long does it take to get an interview after waiver approval 2020?

2 to 3 months