Visa Bulletin May 2026 Update: F2A Priority Dates & Filing Chart Explained

The State Department's May 2026 Visa Bulletin includes updated priority dates for the F2A category, which covers spouses and unmarried children (under 21) of lawful permanent residents. As with each monthly bulletin, the release determines which applicants are eligible to proceed with their green card applications based on their priority date. A key procedural note for May 2026: USCIS has confirmed it will use the Dates for Filing chart—rather than the Final Action Dates chart—for family-based adjustment of status filings. This distinction is significant because the Dates for Filing chart is typically more advanced, allowing more applicants to file their I-485 adjustment of status petitions earlier, even if their case cannot yet be approved. For EB-3 applicants, understanding how USCIS selects between the two Visa Bulletin charts each month is directly applicable to employment-based categories as well. The same monthly bulletin governs both family- and employment-based priority date movements, and shifts in one category can reflect broader trends in how the State Department is managing visa number allocation. Applicants in the F2A category or those supporting family members with permanent resident status should review their priority date against both the Dates for Filing and Final Action Dates charts in the May 2026 bulletin. Filing as soon as the Dates for Filing chart allows can help lock in a receipt date and begin ancillary benefits like work authorization. Immigration practitioners recommend checking the USCIS website monthly for chart selection announcements, as the agency's choice can change from month to month based on visa number availability and demand across all categories.