History, predictions & alerts
Why does my Visa Bulletin category become unavailable near the end of the fiscal year?
Updated · Not legal advice
When a category or country has used (or is about to use) its numbers for the fiscal year that ends September 30, the State Department can retrogress the date or mark it "U" (unavailable) for the remaining months. New numbers arrive on October 1, so the change is often temporary.
What happens to cases in progress
- Pending I-485: stays pending until a number is available again. See retrogression and pending I-485.
- Consular cases: interviews may be postponed or visas not issued until numbers return.
- USCIS may still finish everything except the final approval.
How to see it coming
The bulletin notes in the summer months often warn that a category may become unavailable. That is your signal to make sure everything else in your case is ready.
Quick answers
- Will my category come back in October?
- Usually some numbers return in October, but the cutoff may be earlier than before.
- Can USCIS approve my I-485 when the category is U?
- No, approval needs an available visa number.
- Do I need to refile?
- No. A pending case stays pending.
What to do next: get your Visa Bulletin alert
Know the day your category returns: we email you when U changes back to a date or C.
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Sources
- U.S. Department of State: Visa Bulletin (current, upcoming and archive)
- USCIS: Visa Availability and Priority Dates
- INA 201, 8 U.S.C. 1151: worldwide levels (Cornell LII)
Checked: November 12, 2026