Priority date

Glossary

The queue date that controls when an immigrant visa case can move forward.

A priority date is the date that establishes a person's place in an immigrant visa queue.

For employment-based cases it is usually tied to the labor certification or immigrant petition filing. For family-based cases it is usually tied to the I-130 filing date.

Check
  • Compare it with both Final Action Dates and Dates for Filing.
  • Use the country of chargeability shown on the case.
  • Re-check it after every monthly bulletin update.
Priority date