Skip to content

Final Action Dates vs Dates for Filing: what it is

Updated: Author:

Final Action Dates vs Dates for Filing: definition

Key answer

The visa bulletin has two tables for your category. Table A (Final Action Dates) is when a case can be finally approved and the green card or visa issued. Table B (Dates for Filing) is an earlier date from which you may start filing documents. USCIS announces each month which table applies to I-485 filing.

Find row 1st (EB-1) or 2nd (EB-2) under Employment-based and the column for your country of birth. If the cell shows C (current) or a date later than your priority date, your turn has come. Filing early under Table B inside the US yields the EAD and Advance Parole while Table A catches up; at the NVC you may submit documents under Table B, but no interview until Table A.

Filing the I-485 under the wrong table leads to rejection - check the USCIS chart before filing. Premium does not move your date: if the category is backlogged, approval cannot come before the bulletin date.

Final Action Dates vs Dates for Filing: the official source

Final Action Dates vs Dates for Filing: what to do - tools

Final Action Dates vs Dates for Filing: read next

Final Action Dates vs Dates for Filing: documents and templates from the library

Final Action Dates vs Dates for Filing: from community discussions

  • «People often don't understand the structure of a petition: when they say "I'll prepare everything," they think all that's left is to package it. But each item there needs several others. Like, here's a media article - and you need a pile of exports about the outlet's ratings and a description of the outlet itself, plus all of it with translations.»

    Olga · from public community chats

  • «For NIW you don't need a lot of citations, there the proposed endeavor matters more. I have 23 citations, that was more than enough.»

    Yuliya · from public community chats

  • «An observation from real stories: they ask about articles - dates, journals, topics, the journals' subject areas. There's a practice of asking with a deliberately wrong answer baked in: "You had an article in journal X in 2025, right? Correct?" No, not correct, and that's a little trap. Advice: journals and articles - everything should roll right off your tongue.»

    Oleh · from public community chats

Personal opinions of community members from public discussions, not legal advice.

Final Action Dates vs Dates for Filing: related terms

All glossary terms

A reference definition, not legal advice. Requirements and procedures depend on your case - verify on uscis.gov.

Did this answer help?