Great News for the Families of Green Card Holders!

What Has Changed In The Visa Bulletin?

In the August 2026 Visa Bulletin, the F2A category (spouses and unmarried children under 21 of Green Card holders) was updated as follows:

The August 2026 Visa Bulletin reflects a significant advancement for the F2A category. The Final Action Date moved from January 1, 2025, in the July bulletin to July 22, 2026, in the August bulletin. This change may allow many more applicants with eligible priority dates to move forward to the final stage of the Green Card approval process.

Meanwhile, the Dates for Filing chart remains Current (C) for the F2A category, meaning there has been no change in the filing eligibility for applicants in this category.

What Does The Advancement Of Processing Dates Mean?

The phrase "advancement of processing dates" is a technical immigration term. In practical terms, it means:

• Every Green Card application is assigned a Priority Date.
• As the Final Action Date or Dates for Filing listed in the Visa Bulletin moves forward, applications filed earlier may become eligible for processing or approval.
• In other words, applicants move closer to the front of the line.

Simply put, the advancement of the Visa Bulletin dates for the F2A category means that more applicants may now become eligible to have their cases processed. For many families who have been waiting for an extended period, this is an encouraging sign that their immigration process may move forward more quickly.

What Does This Change Cover?

F2A is the Family Second Preference (F2A) category in the U.S. family-based immigration system. It allows lawful permanent residents (Green Card holders) to file immigrant petitions for the following family members:

• Their spouse
• Their unmarried child under the age of 21

Key Features of the F2A Category

• The petitioner is a lawful permanent resident (Green Card holder), not a U.S. citizen.
• The process begins by filing Form I-130, Petition for Alien Relative.
• Because the F2A category is subject to annual visa quotas, applicants must wait until their priority dates become current according to the Visa Bulletin.

How Is This Different from Petitions Filed by U.S. Citizens?

If the petitioner is a U.S. citizen, their spouse and unmarried children under the age of 21 fall under the Immediate Relative (IR) category. Unlike the F2A category, Immediate Relative visas are not subject to annual numerical limits, which generally means there is no waiting period based on the Visa Bulletin.

By contrast, the F2A category is reserved for Green Card holders and is subject to annual visa limits, which can result in waiting periods before a visa becomes available.

Does This Change Also Affect Applicants Outside The United States?

Yes. The August Visa Bulletin update may benefit eligible applicants both inside and outside the United States.

• Applicants living outside the United States may become eligible to complete immigrant visa processing through a U.S. consulate once their priority date becomes current.
• Applicants who are lawfully present in the United States may, if otherwise eligible, file Form I-485, Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status, or continue with their pending adjustment of status process once their priority date becomes current.

Accordingly, the advancement of the F2A category in the August Visa Bulletin may affect both applicants awaiting consular processing abroad and eligible applicants seeking adjustment of status within the United States.

Which Date Should Applicants Track?

When USCIS accepts a Form I-130, Petition for Alien Relative, filed by a Green Card holder on behalf of a spouse or child, it issues Form I-797, Notice of Action. This notice includes the applicant's Priority Date, which determines the applicant's place in line for an immigrant visa.

Each month, applicants should compare their Priority Date with the applicable date published in the Visa Bulletin for the F2A category. If the Visa Bulletin date reaches or passes the applicant's Priority Date, the case may become eligible to move to the next stage of processing.

Example

• Priority Date on Form I-797: March 15, 2025
• August 2026 Visa Bulletin – F2A Final Action Date: July 22, 2026

Because March 15, 2025 is earlier than July 22, 2026, the applicant would be considered current for visa availability and may proceed to the final stage of the Green Card process, provided all other eligibility requirements have been met.