Definition
Your spot in line for a green card under the annual caps — when a visa number becomes available, you can finally file for permanent residence.
A visa number is essentially your ticket to a green card. The U.S. has annual caps on how many green cards it issues in certain categories, and each green card requires an available visa number. When a visa number is allocated to you, it means there's a spot available and you can proceed with the final steps of getting your permanent residence.
Visa number availability is tracked through the Visa Bulletin. When the bulletin shows that your priority date is current for your category, it means a visa number is (or will soon be) available for you. Without an available visa number, your green card application can't be finalized — even if everything else is approved.
For immediate relatives of U.S. citizens, visa numbers are always available — no caps, no waiting. But for family preference categories and employment-based categories, the annual limits create backlogs. Some categories, especially for applicants from India, China, Mexico, and the Philippines, can have waits measured in decades.
related terms
A monthly report from the State Department that tells you whether your priority date is current — meaning you can finally move forward with your green card.
Your place in line for a green card — it's the date your petition was filed, and it determines when you can move forward.
A visa for people who plan to live in the U.S. permanently — it's your ticket to a green card, issued at a consulate abroad.
Getting your green card through a U.S. embassy or consulate abroad — the alternative to adjusting status when you're outside the U.S. or can't file from inside.
The process of getting a green card through a family member who's a U.S. citizen or permanent resident — the most common path to immigration.
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