F2A dates in the November 2026 bulletin
F2A receives 77% of the 114,200 second-preference family numbers each year, and 75% of F2A numbers are exempt from the per-country limit, which keeps Mexico's F2A date close to everyone else's.[3][4]
| Country | November 2026 | Backlog |
|---|---|---|
| Rest of world | C | none (current) |
| China | C | none (current) |
| India | C | none (current) |
| Mexico | C | none (current) |
| Philippines | C | none (current) |
F2A history since 2015
USCIS has used the family Dates for Filing chart in almost every month since 2015, so that is the continuous F2A line.[2] From January 2020 to March 2022, USCIS printed a separate F2A Final Action table and told F2A applicants to use it, while other family categories used Dates for Filing (27 months).[5][6]
- Rest of world
- Mexico
Vertical axis: the cut-off date printed in the bulletin. “Current” is plotted at the bulletin month; gaps are months when USCIS used the other chart or the category was unavailable.
- Rest of world
- Mexico
Vertical axis: the cut-off date printed in the bulletin. “Current” is plotted at the bulletin month; gaps are months when USCIS used the other chart or the category was unavailable.
F2A at the start of each fiscal year
| Fiscal year opens | Rest of world | Mexico | Chart USCIS used |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY2016 (Oct 2015) | 01 Mar 2015 | 01 Mar 2015 | Dates for Filing |
| FY2017 (Oct 2016) | 22 Nov 2015 | 22 Nov 2015 | Dates for Filing |
| FY2018 (Oct 2017) | 01 Nov 2016 | 01 Nov 2016 | Dates for Filing |
| FY2019 (Oct 2018) | 01 Dec 2017 | 01 Dec 2017 | Dates for Filing |
| FY2020 (Oct 2019) | C | C | Dates for Filing |
| FY2021 (Oct 2020) | – | – | Dates for Filing |
| FY2022 (Oct 2021) | – | – | Dates for Filing |
| FY2023 (Oct 2022) | C | C | Dates for Filing |
| FY2024 (Oct 2023) | 01 Sep 2023 | 01 Sep 2023 | Dates for Filing |
| FY2025 (Oct 2024) | 15 Jul 2024 | 15 Jul 2024 | Dates for Filing |
| FY2026 (Oct 2025) | 22 Sep 2025 | 22 Sep 2025 | Dates for Filing |
| FY2027 (Oct 2026) | C | C | Dates for Filing |
What changes if the sponsor naturalizes
If the permanent-resident sponsor becomes a U.S. citizen, a spouse or child under 21 moves from F2A to the immediate-relative category, which has no annual limit and no Visa Bulletin wait.[3] An unmarried son or daughter over 21 moves to F1 instead. See the other family rows on the green card wait time page, track the current month on the visa bulletin home page, compare with I-130 processing time, which runs in parallel, and see the N-400 processing time if the sponsor plans to naturalize. Mexico's dates are explained in Spanish on our boletín de visas page.
Frequently asked questions
Is F2A current?
Yes, F2A is current for most countries on the Dates for Filing chart for November 2026.
Who is in the F2A category?
Spouses and unmarried children under 21 of lawful permanent residents. Unmarried sons and daughters 21 or older fall in F2B, which is much further behind.
Why does Mexico have a different F2A date?
Only 25% of F2A numbers are subject to the per-country cap. Mexico’s heavy demand means its applicants in that capped share can face an earlier cut-off, even though most F2A numbers are exempt.
Sources
- When to File Your Adjustment of Status Application for Family-Sponsored or Employment-Based Preference Visas: November 2026
- Adjustment of Status Filing Charts from the Visa Bulletin
- 8 U.S.C. 1153 (INA 203): allocation of immigrant visas
- 8 U.S.C. 1152 (INA 202): numerical limitations on individual foreign states
- When to File Your Adjustment of Status Application for Family-Sponsored or Employment-Based Preference Visas: January 2020
- When to File Your Adjustment of Status Application for Family-Sponsored or Employment-Based Preference Visas: March 2022
- The Visa Bulletin (monthly publication and archive)