F1 · All Other Countries

What this means for All Other Countries applicants

For April 2026, F1 for All Other Countries 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.

"All Other Countries" (worldwide) is the baseline chargeability. Most applicants born outside the five listed chargeability areas fall here. Movement is generally faster than India or China, though retrogression can still occur late in the fiscal year.

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.