Final Action Date vs Dates for Filing: Which Chart Matters for I-485?
The visa bulletin has two charts — Final Action Date and Dates for Filing — and which one matters depends on what USCIS announces each month.
In a nutshell
The visa bulletin has two charts. Table A (Final Action Dates) is the strict cutoff for green card approval. Table B (Dates for Filing) is an earlier window that sometimes allows you to file I-485 before your Final Action Date is current — but only if USCIS authorizes its use each month. Always check both the visa bulletin AND the monthly USCIS Visa Bulletin Acceptance memo.
The two charts in the visa bulletin
Every month, the State Department publishes two priority date charts:
| Chart | Name | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Table A | Final Action Dates | USCIS may APPROVE your green card when your priority date is earlier than this date |
| Table B | Dates for Filing | USCIS may ACCEPT your I-485 filing when your priority date is earlier than this date — and this cutoff is usually later than Table A |
Table B is often later (more favorable) than Table A, but not always — and it can only be used for adjustment of status if USCIS allows it that month. It exists to let applicants file I-485 and get work/travel authorization while waiting for their final approval.
Common mistakes
- September 2026 USCIS filing chart: Pending. The latest posted USCIS determination is for August 2026, which required Final Action Dates. Until USCIS posts the September determination at uscis.gov/visabulletininfo, treat Table A (Final Action Dates) as the governing chart and do not assume Table B (Dates for Filing) is either open or ruled out for September.
Common mistakes
- Table B is not always available. USCIS must publish a "Visa Bulletin Acceptance" memo each month authorizing use of Table B. Check uscis.gov/visabulletininfo for the current month's announcement. If USCIS says Table A must be used, then Table B is irrelevant — even if your priority date would qualify under Table B.
How to use Table A (Final Action Dates)
Table A is always the governing chart for green card approval. Your priority date must be:
- Earlier than the Final Action Date listed for your category (EB-1, EB-2, EB-3) and country (India, Other). If the category shows "U" (Unavailable), no priority date qualifies that month
- Current in the month when USCIS adjudicates your I-485 — not just the month you filed
A priority date that is current under Table A means USCIS can approve your green card.
In a nutshell
"C" means Current — the chart does not impose a priority-date cutoff for that category and country that bulletin month. Current does not by itself remove the other eligibility, filing, admissibility, petition, documentation, or visa-availability requirements that may apply, and adjustment-of-status applicants must still confirm which chart USCIS permits them to use that month.
How to use Table B (Dates for Filing)
If USCIS authorizes Table B use that month:
- Your priority date only needs to be earlier than the Table B date to FILE I-485
- Filing I-485 lets you apply for an EAD (work permit) and Advance Parole (travel) — each is a separate application (Forms I-765 and I-131), and approval is not automatic
- Filing under Table B does NOT mean your green card will be approved — USCIS holds the case until your Final Action Date (Table A) is also current
- If your Final Action Date retrogresses after you file, your I-485 stays pending — you do not refile
Recommended
- Filing under Table B while waiting for Final Action Date is a valuable option for many Indian applicants. It lets you apply for an EAD (so you may not be dependent on H1B status) and Advance Parole (for travel) while you wait for your Table A date to catch up. The EAD and Advance Parole are separate applications and are not granted automatically.
Step-by-step: which chart to check
- Find your priority date (from your PERM receipt or I-140 approval notice)
- Go to travel.state.gov and open the current month's visa bulletin
- Check Table A for your EB category (EB-1/EB-2/EB-3) and India row
- If your priority date is earlier than Table A (and the category is not "U"): you may be able to file I-485 and, if all other requirements are met, have it approved
- If not: go to uscis.gov/visabulletininfo to check if Table B is authorized this month
- If Table B is authorized and your priority date is earlier than Table B: you can file I-485
What this means for Indian applicants
For India EB-2 and EB-3, Table B typically shows dates 6–18 months ahead of Table A. This matters because:
- If your priority date falls in the Table B range, you may be able to file I-485 now and apply for EAD/AP (separate applications)
- If your priority date is before both tables, your green card may be approved if all other requirements are met
- If your priority date is after both tables, you are still waiting
Pro tips
- Even if Table B is authorized, file I-485 only when it makes financial and strategic sense. Your attorney can advise on whether the filing fees and effort are worth it based on how close your Final Action Date is expected to be.
Frequently asked questions
#### What happens to my I-485 if Table B is revoked after I filed? Nothing — once filed, your I-485 stays pending regardless of future bulletin changes. You cannot unfile. USCIS will approve when your Final Action Date (Table A) becomes current.
#### Can USCIS deny my I-485 because I filed under Table B? No — if you met the Table B filing requirement at the time of filing and USCIS authorized it that month, your filing is valid. USCIS will hold the case and not deny it solely because Table B was subsequently rescinded.
#### Table B showed dates for my category but USCIS didn't authorize it. Can I still file? No. Table B dates in the visa bulletin are not self-executing. They require an explicit USCIS monthly authorization. Without it, Table A governs.
Check your priority date against the visa bulletin
Use the Priority Date Checker to compare your EB category, country, and priority date against the current visa bulletin data.
Open Priority Date Checker →Deepak Middha, CA, Series 65Founder & Author
Deepak has experience in cross-border finance, tax-aware planning, and immigrant money decisions. View full profile →
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