Rare Backlog Opening Lets Eligible Applicants File for Green Card Now

If your priority date just became current in the Visa Bulletin, file for your green card right away—either by adjustment of status (Form I-485) in the United States or by starting immigrant visa processing through a U.S. consulate abroad. This window can close quickly if visa numbers run out or dates move backward.

This matters most if you’ve been in a family-based or employment-based backlog for years. Even modest forward movement can create a brief chance to file, get your case into the system, and (if you file in the U.S.) apply for a work permit and travel document while you wait.

Why there’s a “file now” moment (and why it doesn’t last)

The Visa Bulletin changes month to month. When your category and country advance far enough, a visa becomes available for you to file. That availability can disappear the next month through retrogression (dates moving backward) or because annual visa limits are reached.

USCIS is also managing major case volume—over 11 million pending cases in 2025—which makes Visa Bulletin movement harder to predict. When your date is current, act while the door is open.

Who can use this window: the 3 checks you must pass

Prepare to file now if all three are true:

1. You have a priority date through a family petition (often Form I-130) or an employment petition (Form I-140).
2. Your priority date is current on the correct Visa Bulletin chart for your situation.
3. A visa is available in your category for your country of chargeability (usually your country of birth).

Priority date: what it means in plain language

Your priority date is your “place in line.” It controls when you can file the final step toward permanent residence.

Two charts: “Final Action Dates” vs “Dates for Filing”

The Visa Bulletin includes two charts for most categories:

• Final Action Dates: A visa can be issued (or your green card can be approved) once your priority date is earlier than the posted date.
• Dates for Filing: You can submit paperwork earlier than Final Action Dates, but only when USCIS says you’re allowed to use that chart for that month.

Choose the right path: file in the U.S. or process at a consulate

Your next move depends on where you are physically located.

Eligibility rules you must confirm before you file

If you’re filing Form I-485 in the U.S.

Confirm these points before you send anything:

• You’re eligible to adjust status (not everyone in the U.S. can file Form I-485).
• Your priority date is current on the chart USCIS allows that month.
• Your underlying petition is in the right status:
  • Employment-based cases often require an approved Form I-140 unless you qualify for concurrent filing (filing Form I-140 and Form I-485 together).
• You don’t have serious admissibility problems (criminal issues, prior immigration fraud, certain immigration violations, or other grounds that can block a green card).

⚠️ Important: If you have status problems or possible inadmissibility issues, talk with an immigration attorney before filing. Filing can create new immigration consequences.

If you’re doing consular processing

Confirm:

• Your priority date is current on the Visa Bulletin chart used for immigrant visa issuance.
• You’re ready to follow National Visa Center (NVC) steps, including the online immigrant visa application and the interview process.

Step-by-step: how to act fast when your date becomes current (4 steps)

1) Check the current Visa Bulletin and find your chart

Locate the Visa Bulletin and identify:

• Your category (family-based or employment-based preference)
• Your country of chargeability
• The posted date in the chart

Use the official Visa Bulletin page: Visa Bulletin (U.S. Department of State)

2) Confirm which chart you’re allowed to use (if you’re in the U.S.)

Before you prepare Form I-485, confirm whether USCIS is accepting filings under:

• Final Action Dates, or
• Dates for Filing

USCIS announces this monthly for adjustment applicants. Using the wrong chart can lead to rejection or delay.

3) Prepare a complete filing packet (or your NVC submission)

Move quickly, but don’t rush a thin filing.

• If you’re in the U.S.: build your Form I-485 packet with supporting evidence and the required medical.
• If you’re abroad: follow NVC instructions and prepare to submit Form DS-260 and civil documents for the immigrant visa stage.

4) File while the window is open—and track delivery and receipts

• For Form I-485, get proof of delivery and keep a full copy of what you submitted. A receipt notice confirms USCIS accepted the case.
• For consular cases, meet every NVC document request and watch for interview scheduling steps.

Documents you should gather now (so you can file as soon as you’re current)

When the Visa Bulletin moves, your advantage comes from being ready.

Core identity and civil documents (most cases)

• Passport biographic page (and any U.S. visa pages)
• Birth certificate
• Marriage certificate (if married)
• Divorce decrees or death certificates for prior marriages (if any)
• Police certificates (commonly required for consular processing)
• Certified translations for any document not in English

If you’re filing Form I-485 (adjustment of status)

• Form I-485, completed and signed (Form I-485)
• Proof of lawful entry or other documents supporting eligibility to adjust
• Proof you maintained immigration status when required (such as I-94 records, prior approval notices)
• Medical exam in a sealed envelope using Form I-693
• Two passport-style photos (follow USCIS photo rules)
• Copies of prior immigration documents (approval notices, EADs, travel documents, prior USCIS correspondence)

Optional filings many people include with Form I-485:

• Form I-765 (employment authorization)
• Form I-131 (advance parole for travel)
• Employment-based: evidence connected to the job offer when required, and any Form I-140 approval notice (or concurrent filing materials if permitted) — see the official employment petition: Form I-140

If you’re doing consular processing

• Form DS-260 online immigrant visa application (completed accurately) — use the Consular Electronic Application Center: Form DS-260
• Civil documents requested by NVC (birth, marriage, divorce, police certificates)
• Financial sponsorship documents when required (commonly the Affidavit of Support process in family cases)
• Any prior U.S. immigration records that help explain entries, stays, and past visas

Fees and timeline: what you should expect

Fees and processing times change and vary by case type and workload. The key is the sequence:

• For Form I-485: you file, USCIS issues receipt notices, schedules biometrics (fingerprints), then reviews the case and evidence.
• For consular processing: you submit required forms and documents, then complete medical and interview steps before an immigrant visa is issued.

The time-sensitive part is not the processing speed. It’s whether you file while your priority date is usable.

Common mistakes that waste your window (and how to avoid them)

Filing when your priority date is not current on the correct chart

You must match your date to the correct chart and (for adjustment cases) the chart USCIS permits that month.

Submitting an incomplete Form I-485 packet

A messy packet triggers delays and can lead to Requests for Evidence (RFEs). RFEs slow cases and can become stressful when Visa Bulletin movement changes.

Ignoring medical exam requirements

If you’re filing Form I-485, treat the Form I-693 medical exam as a core requirement and plan it early enough to file promptly.

Assuming employment cases always allow concurrent filing

Concurrent filing of Form I-140 and Form I-485 depends on eligibility and visa availability rules. Confirm before you build your packet.

Filing without legal help when you have red flags

Criminal history, prior removals, fraud findings, long unlawful presence, or status violations can turn a “file now” moment into a denial risk. Get legal advice before you trigger a review.

Next steps you can take today (15–45 minutes)

1. Find your priority date on your petition approval notice or receipt notice and write it down exactly.
2. Open the current Visa Bulletin and check your category, country, and chart date.
3. If you’re in the U.S., confirm USCIS’s monthly chart choice (Final Action Dates vs Dates for Filing) before you print and sign Form I-485.
4. Start your document folder using the checklists above, including translations.
5. If your date is current, book your medical exam and begin assembling your filing packet or your NVC submission right away.

If you want more practical immigration guides written for real people, you can also visit VisaVerge.com.