Introduction
Understand Your Priority Date
Many find the EB2 visa process to be a bit confusing, and determining your priority date can be downright frustrating. Your priority date determines your place in line for obtaining an EB2 visa, which in turn determines when you will obtain permanent residency. Since the rules of U.S. immigration are always changing, it is important to know your EB2 priority date at all times.
Define Your EB2 Visa Priority Date
Having the EB2 approved is one thing, but figuring out your EB2 visa priority date can be a different ball game altogether. If you used a labor certification for your EB2 visa application, the priority date will be the date your labor certification application was filed with the Department of Labor. If you used the National Interest Waiver (NIW) process, the priority date will be the date you filed the Form I-140 with USCIS. Once the petition is approved, USCIS will mail you an I-797 receipt notice that outlines the case history for your approved petition. This notice provides the dates for the case, and you can use this receipt notice to determine when you can apply for adjustment of status or go through consular processing.
To qualify for the EB-2 category an individual must either have an Advanced Degree, or exceptional ability in the arts, business, education, entertainment, media, film, television, fine arts, music, literary arts, science, or technology, as well as a sponsoring employer who can offer a valid job offer. There have been stable approval rates on the NIW EB-2 category over the last few years, but this does not mean the rate will automatically remain strong in the future. In fact, NIW approval rates have declined in the past, and it is always best for the strong foreign-born advanced degree holders in the above fields to proceed with the filing of their petitions as soon as possible. It is very important to our firm to keep pace with the changes to the Visa Bulletin, in order to best advise our clients as to whether or not their category is time responsive, and when it is time to apply for the adjustment of status, as opposed to proceeding with the processing of the visa at a consulate abroad.
This video is important for immigration applicants and their lawyers to know their timeline. Immigration lawyers explain what your "key timeline" is and why knowing your key timeline is not merely important, it is essential to your immigration case. Your key timeline isn't just a number, it is your pass to the next stage of your immigration case. Knowing immigration processing changes and the consequences of the number assigned to you will aid your future immigration cases.
Locate Your Priority Date in the Visa Bulletin
Determining the main timeline in visa timelines can often be confusing, especially given the many variables which affect them. Knowing the current month’s Visa Bulletin, however, can make this process much clearer and help make decisions accordingly. The bulletin is released by the U.S. Department of State on the first Friday of every month. Below is a copy of the May 2026 Visa Bulletin highlighting the cut off’s for the upcoming month for the eb2 visa category as well as other skill levels. Note that if the cut off for the eb2 category is prior to the date listed below, then foreign nationals with earlier eb2 visa priority dates will still be considered current. It is also important to note the dates change every month as long as there are positive visa numbers available to process applications. The Department of State has an outline of the bulletin as well as a brief description of each section to help navigate the complexity of the bulletin.
Understanding the flow and timeline to obtain a Green Card can be as perplexing and confusing as the immigration bulletin itself. From start to finish, the entire EB-2 PERM/PERM process can take anywhere from 12 to 24 months for the PERM application to certify, followed by an additional 6 to 9 months for the I-140 processing time. Once the immigrant petition is approved, the adjustment of status process can take anywhere from 6 to 18 months. However, in some cases, immigrant visa processing may take place at the U.S. consulate abroad.
- immigration attorney Pegah Karimbakhsh Asli.
Interpret the Visa Bulletin Charts
The Visa Bulletin contains two charts, the Final Action Dates chart and the Dates for Filing chart. With a general understanding of the Dates for Filing chart, you can plan ahead and submit your immigration applications before the timelines shown if submission time allows. We review the charts above which describe the timelines for the EB-3 profession workers category. The number of EB-2 NIW petitions that USCIS received to meet the 2026 filing date is displayed. The cut-off for China is 1-Sep-21 and for India 15-Jul-14. The charts provided by the U.S. Department of State in the Visa Bulletin allow for an understanding of the road ahead to achieving U.S. residency for those planning to immigrate to the U.S.
Monitor Changes in Your Priority Date
Tracking the elusive movement and changes in the priority date movement for the eb2 visa can be quite infuriating. However, tracking this movement is crucial to knowing where you are, and how you are trending over the next few months. By checking the Visa Bulletin around the 10th of each month, you can get a sense of where you are and how you are progressing. However, missing one month can take several months to correct. Now, with online tools and push alerts you don’t have to miss a beat. Let Sebok Law keep you informed. All it takes is a timely response by the client to progress what has been a long and arduous application one more step toward approval.
Conclusion
Immigration can be a complex and time consuming process, filled with confusion and frustration at times. When going through this long and often tiring process, it can be a relief to even know a couple of key numbers related to your immigration classification. One of the numbers that EB2 visa applicants often worry about is their priority date. Not only is your priority date a number that you’ll want to keep close by during your Green Card application, but it will also play a role in whether you’re eligible to complete the application to adjust status to a Green Card within the U.S. or if you’ll need to undergo the consular processing procedure.
In this series we discussed how to determine the priority date first based on the application method, and then learned the importance of the Visa Bulletin and charts for Priority Dates. Tracking the progress of the priority date for the EB2 category for which you applied will be crucial to your immigration success. Using the Visa Bulletin for tracking the progress, please also keep posted with timely updates from your licensed immigration attorneys who will guide you through the process. With all your hard work and dedication, you will soon reach your goal of moving to the United States on a Permanent Resident basis.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is an EB2 visa priority date?
The EB2 visa priority date is the date used to determine when an applicant can apply for adjustment of status or consular processing. It varies based on the application method: if a labor certification was used, it's the date the labor certification application was filed; if the National Interest Waiver (NIW) process was used, it's the date the Form I-140 was filed with USCIS.
How can I find my EB2 visa priority date?
You can find your EB2 visa priority date by referring to the I-797 receipt notice mailed to you by USCIS after your petition is approved. This notice outlines the case history and includes the relevant dates.
What are the qualifications for the EB2 category?
To qualify for the EB2 category, an individual must either have an advanced degree or demonstrate exceptional ability in specific fields such as arts, business, education, science, or technology, and must have a sponsoring employer who can provide a valid job offer.
What has been the trend in approval rates for the NIW EB-2 category?
Approval rates for the NIW EB-2 category have remained stable over the past few years; however, they have declined in the past, indicating that applicants should file their petitions as soon as possible.
Why is it important to keep pace with changes to the Visa Bulletin?
Keeping pace with changes to the Visa Bulletin is crucial for advising clients on whether their category is time-responsive and when they should apply for adjustment of status or proceed with consular processing.
What is the significance of knowing your "key timeline" in the immigration process?
Knowing your "key timeline" is essential as it determines your progression to the next stage of your immigration case. Understanding processing changes and the implications of your assigned number can aid in future immigration cases.
List of Sources
- Define Your EB2 Visa Priority Date
- Significant Forward Movement in April 2026 Visa Bulletin (https://ogletree.com/insights-resources/blog-posts/significant-forward-movement-in-april-2026-visa-bulletin)
- June 2026 Visa Bulletin - Latest Update (https://boundless.com/blog/visa-bulletin)
- May 2026 Visa Bulletin – Main Employment-Based Categories Hold Steady; USCIS to Honor Final Action Dates (https://fragomen.com/insights/united-states-may-2026-visa-bulletin-main-employment-based-categories-hold-steady-uscis-to-honor-final-action-dates.html)
- EB-2 PERM by the Numbers (2026): Timelines, Country Backlogs, and Demand (https://tryalma.com/learn/eb2-perm-visa-statistics)
- EB-2 NIW Approval Rate and Trends: Updated March 2026 (https://manifestlaw.com/blog/eb2-niw-approval-rate)
- Locate Your Priority Date in the Visa Bulletin
- Visa Bulletin For May 2026 (https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/legal/visa-law0/visa-bulletin/2026/visa-bulletin-for-may-2026.html)
- US Department of State Releases May 2026 Visa Bulletin (https://morganlewis.com/pubs/2026/04/us-department-of-state-releases-may-2026-visa-bulletin)
- June 2026 Visa Bulletin - Latest Update (https://boundless.com/blog/visa-bulletin)
- EB-2 PERM by the Numbers (2026): Timelines, Country Backlogs, and Demand (https://tryalma.com/learn/eb2-perm-visa-statistics)
- Interpret the Visa Bulletin Charts
- Monthly Immigrant Visa Issuance Statistics (https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/legal/visa-law0/visa-statistics/immigrant-visa-statistics/monthly-immigrant-visa-issuances.html)
- EB-2 PERM by the Numbers (2026): Timelines, Country Backlogs, and Demand (https://tryalma.com/learn/eb2-perm-visa-statistics)
- June 2026 Visa Bulletin - Latest Update (https://boundless.com/blog/visa-bulletin)
- 25 EB-2 NIW Statistics Every Applicant Should Know in 2026 Modern Immigration and employment blog Manifest Law (https://manifestlaw.com/blog/eb2-niw-statistics-in-2026)
- Significant Forward Movement in April 2026 Visa Bulletin (https://ogletree.com/insights-resources/blog-posts/significant-forward-movement-in-april-2026-visa-bulletin)
- Monitor Changes in Your Priority Date
- EB-2 NIW Approval Rate and Trends: Updated March 2026 (https://manifestlaw.com/blog/eb2-niw-approval-rate)
- May 2026 Visa Bulletin – Main Employment-Based Categories Hold Steady; USCIS to Honor Final Action Dates (https://fragomen.com/insights/united-states-may-2026-visa-bulletin-main-employment-based-categories-hold-steady-uscis-to-honor-final-action-dates.html)
- June 2026 Visa Bulletin - Latest Update (https://boundless.com/blog/visa-bulletin)
- April 2026 Visa Bulletin: EB-2 Priority Date Analysis (https://colombohurdlaw.com/april-2026-visa-bulletin)
- EB-2 PERM by the Numbers (2026): Timelines, Country Backlogs, and Demand (https://tryalma.com/learn/eb2-perm-visa-statistics)
