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Effective month: 2026-05 · Live from travel.state.gov
Mexico Visa Bulletin — Current Final Action & Filing Dates
Mexico-chargeable applicants generally face shorter employment-based waits than India or China. EB-1, EB-2, and EB-3 Professional/Skilled are typically current or near-current. EB-3 Other Workers and EB-4 (special immigrants) have backlogs that matter for those specific categories. EB-5 is generally current.
Final Action Dates — Mexico
The date at which final approval (green card) is possible. Your priority date must be EARLIER than this date.
| Category | Cutoff | Behind today |
|---|---|---|
| EB-1 | Current | — |
| EB-2 | Current | — |
| EB-3 | Jun 1, 2024 | 2.0 yr |
| EB-3-Other | Feb 1, 2022 | 4.3 yr |
| EB-5 | Current | — |
Dates for Filing — Mexico
The earlier cutoff that USCIS sometimes adopts for accepting I-485 filings. Check the USCIS monthly “which chart applies” notice.
| Category | Cutoff | Behind today |
|---|---|---|
| EB-1 | Current | — |
| EB-2 | Current | — |
| EB-3 | Current | — |
| EB-3-Other | Aug 1, 2022 | 3.8 yr |
| EB-5 | Current | — |
Run your priority-date lookup
Enter your exact priority date on the main Visa Bulletin tracker to see months/years behind cutoff for every category at once.
Backlog context for Mexico
The 2025-2026 Visa Bulletin has shown Mexico EB-2 and EB-3 (Professional/Skilled) at or near current in most months. EB-3 Other Workers Mexico tracks the ROW (Rest of World) date because the EB-3 Other Workers category as a whole is backlogged across chargeability areas. EB-4 Mexico has been subject to the same EB-4 backlog that affects all countries since the FY2023 reset.
What this means for your case
If you're Mexico-born EB-2 or EB-3 Skilled: assume current eligibility for I-485 concurrent filing. Confirm month-by-month — Final Action Dates can retrogress without warning if DOS over-issues earlier in the fiscal year. If you're EB-3 Other Workers Mexico: budget for a multi-year wait similar to ROW.
Category reference
EB-1
EB-1 (Extraordinary ability, outstanding researchers, multinational execs)
EB-2
EB-2 (Advanced degree / exceptional ability)
EB-3
EB-3 (Skilled workers, professionals)
EB-3-Other
EB-3 Other Workers (Unskilled)
EB-5
EB-5 (Investors)
Frequently asked questions
What does "Final Action Date" mean for Mexico EB-2?
The Final Action Date is the cutoff priority date at which USCIS or DOS can actually issue the green card. If your priority date is BEFORE the Final Action Date listed for Mexico EB-2 this month, your case is eligible for final approval. The separate "Dates for Filing" chart governs when you can submit the I-485 application — but only when USCIS announces it will follow that chart instead of the FAD chart for filing.
Can I file I-485 if Mexico EB-2 has a Date for Filing earlier than my priority date?
Only when USCIS announces "Dates for Filing" is the filing chart for that month and category. USCIS publishes that announcement on its website around the same time the State Department publishes the bulletin. When DFF is the controlling chart and your priority date is earlier than the listed DFF, you can submit I-485 concurrently. When FAD is the controlling chart for filing, you must wait until your priority date is earlier than the FAD.
Will Mexico backlogs move faster in FY2027?
Movement depends on three things: (1) how DOS allocates the ~140,000 employment-based visas across categories, (2) per-country 7% caps and the spillover rules, and (3) actual demand. Projections from CATO Institute, IPI, and DOL data suggest the structural India EB-2/EB-3 wait will not materially shorten without legislation. Smaller chargeability areas can move faster within a fiscal year if demand drops below the per-country allocation.
Should I pursue EB-1A/NIW instead of waiting in EB-2 Mexico?
If you have publications, citations, awards, or proprietary work that maps to the Kazarian / Dhanasar criteria, yes — the EB-1A and EB-2 NIW pathways skip PERM entirely and (for Mexico) often have shorter or no priority-date wait than the standard EB-2 backlog. See /eb1a-niw-scorer and /eb2-niw-evidence-builder for self-assessment tools.
What happens to my priority date if I change employers?
Under AC21 §106(d) (now codified at INA §204(j)), your I-140 priority date "ports" to a same-or-similar position with a new employer as long as the underlying I-140 was approved and has not been revoked for fraud or material misrepresentation. The priority date stays with you; you do NOT restart the line. The new employer must file a new I-140 (the role/title/duties may differ) — but your place in the Mexico backlog is preserved.
Other chargeability areas
India
India-born EB-2 and EB-3 are the longest employment-based waits in the world. EB-1 is the only category with a non-trivial advance pace.
China
China-mainland born EB-2 and EB-3 are backlogged but materially shorter than India. EB-5 has its own long wait under the per-country investor cap.
Philippines
Philippines EB-2 and EB-3 Skilled are mostly current. EB-3 Other Workers and family-based categories have material backlogs.
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