Final Action Dates
If your priority date is earlier than the Final Action Date for your category and country, a visa number can be given out and the case can be approved. "C" means current: everyone qualifies. "U" means unavailable.
Dates for Filing
This chart is usually later, so more people qualify. It tells you when you can get in line to file, not when you will be approved.
Which one USCIS uses this month
For people filing I-485 inside the U.S., USCIS chooses. Its rule: if there are more visas than known applicants, you may use Dates for Filing; otherwise you must use Final Action Dates. If Final Action is current or later than Dates for Filing for a category, you can use Final Action that month (USCIS filing charts).
For November 2026, USCIS says: employment cases use Dates for Filing; family cases use Dates for Filing.
Consular cases
If you are processing through the National Visa Center and a consulate abroad, the State Department uses the Dates for Filing chart to tell you when to start sending documents, and the Final Action Dates for when an interview can be scheduled.
Check your date against both
Use the checker to compare your priority date with both charts in the November 2026 bulletin.
Questions people ask
Can I file I-485 with Dates for Filing?
Only in months when USCIS says so. USCIS picks one chart each month for family cases and one for employment cases and posts it on its filing-charts page.
If I file early, can my green card be approved?
Not until your priority date is earlier than the Final Action Date for your category and country. Filing early can let you get a work permit and travel document while you wait.
When does USCIS post its choice?
USCIS says it expects to name the chart within one week after the State Department publishes each bulletin.
Sources: USCIS Adjustment of Status Filing Charts; State Department Visa Bulletin. Not legal advice.