Priority Date
Definition
A priority date is the date that fixes an applicant's place in the queue for a numerically limited US immigrant visa (green card). It is usually the date the sponsoring petition (Form I-130) or the labour certification is filed, and it determines when, according to the monthly Visa Bulletin, the applicant may move forward.
How a priority date is set
For family-sponsored cases, the priority date is generally the date U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) receives the sponsoring Form I-130 petition. For most employment-based cases, it is the date the PERM labour certification is filed with the Department of Labor, or the Form I-140 filing date where no labour certification is required.
Once assigned, a priority date normally stays with the applicant for the life of the case, even as it waits years for a visa number to become available. In limited situations an applicant may retain or "port" an earlier priority date to a later petition. Agencies handling US immigrant visa cases record each client's priority date at intake because everything downstream depends on it.
Why it matters: current vs waiting
Immigrant visas in preference categories are capped each year and by country of birth, so demand often exceeds supply. Applicants wait until their priority date is reached. Each month the Visa Bulletin publishes cutoff dates; when an applicant's priority date is earlier than the cutoff for their category and country, they are "current" and may proceed.
Because per-country limits differ, applicants born in high-demand countries can wait far longer than others in the same category. The date itself never expires — it simply determines position in the US green card queue.
Visa agencies track each client's priority date against monthly Visa Bulletin movement so they know exactly when a case can advance. A platform like VisaCRM can store the priority date per applicant and flag when their category becomes current.
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Frequently asked questions
What is a priority date on a green card application?
It is the date that establishes your position in the waiting line for a numerically capped US immigrant visa. For family cases it is usually when USCIS receives the I-130 petition; for employment cases it is the labour certification or I-140 filing date. The earlier your priority date, the closer you are to the front of the queue.
How do I find my priority date?
Your priority date appears on the receipt or approval notice (Form I-797) that USCIS issues for the petition filed on your behalf. Keep this notice safe, because you compare that date against the monthly Visa Bulletin to see when your case can move forward. Always confirm details with the official notice rather than memory.
Does a priority date ever change?
Usually not. Once set, it stays fixed for the life of the case. In some employment situations an applicant may keep or transfer an earlier priority date to a new petition, which can shorten the wait. It does not expire, but the queue can move backward (retrogress) when demand is high, delaying availability.
What does it mean when my priority date is current?
Your priority date is current when it falls before the cutoff date listed for your category and country in the Visa Bulletin. Being current means a visa number is considered available, so you can either file the final green card application or have it approved, depending on which Visa Bulletin chart is in effect that month.
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