F1 · China (mainland-born)

What this means for China (mainland-born) applicants

For April 2026, F1 for China (mainland-born) sits at Sep 15, 2017 under the Dates for Filing chart. That means only applicants whose priority date is earlier than Sep 15, 2017 may move forward this month. Based on today's cutoff, the effective backlog is approximately 8.6 years — though real-world waits depend on how quickly the chart advances month to month.

Check back monthly — priority date movement depends on how many people from this country file and how many immigrant visas are available under the global and per-country caps. Our monthly Visa Bulletin analysis covers movement in this category.

How to read this page

The Visa Bulletin publishes two charts each month. The Final Action Dates chart tells you when the U.S. government can actually issue a green card — your priority date must be earlier than the listed cutoff. The Dates for Filing chart is earlier and lets you file Form I-485 (adjustment of status) before your priority date is fully current, provided USCIS has chosen to accept filings against this chart for the month.

For April 2026, USCIS is accepting family-based adjustment filings against the Dates for Filing chart. This can change month to month — always confirm against uscis.gov/visabulletininfo before filing.

Priority date basics

For F1, your priority date is the date USCIS received your I-130 petition. This is the date you use to measure progress against the Visa Bulletin every month.