The U.S. Department of State has released the February Visa Bulletin, revealing that most family-based green card categories remain stalled. Both filing and interview dates for applicants inside and outside the U.S. saw little to no movement, reflecting a persistent backlog that continues to extend waiting periods for thousands of families.
For those in the United States, only one category saw movement: green card holders sponsoring spouses and unmarried children under 21. They can file I-485 applications in February if their I-130 petitions were filed before January 22, 2026, reflecting a one-month advancement. All other family-based categories inside the U.S. remained unchanged.
For applicants outside the U.S., immigrant visa interview dates also showed no progress. The priority date for unmarried sons and daughters (aged 21 or over) of U.S. citizens remains at November 8, 2016. Spouses and unmarried children under 21 of green card holders continue with a priority date of February 1, 2024, while unmarried adult children of green card holders remain at December 1, 2016.
Similarly, the cutoff date for married sons and daughters of U.S. citizens stays at September 8, 2011, and for siblings of U.S. citizens, at January 8, 2008.
Inside the U.S., those in the green card holder’s family categories who are aged 21 or above still face the same priority date of March 15, 2017. The categories for unmarried and married adult children of U.S. citizens remain at September 1, 2017, and July 22, 2012, respectively. For siblings of U.S. citizens, the priority date continues to stand at March 1, 2009.
The lack of movement in most categories means that waiting times for family-based immigration remain prolonged, continuing the slow pace observed in previous months.
Kishor Panthi
View More PostsKishor Panthi is the founder and editor-in-chief of Khasokhas and NepYork. He is the author of three books, “Kampan,” "UNTRANSLATABLE" and “Zero Mile.” He writes about social issues, immigration, and politics.
