Bangladesh Green Card Waiting Time 2026: F1, F2A, F2B, F3 and F4 Priority Dates Explained
If you are waiting for a U.S. Green Card from Bangladesh, your waiting time depends on your visa category and priority date — not simply on the date your I-130 was approved.
And September 2026 brought a significant change to several family-based categories.
For Bangladesh, the U.S. Department of State uses the “All Chargeability Areas Except Those Listed” column of the Visa Bulletin because Bangladesh does not have a separate country column.
This guide explains where the major Bangladesh family-based Green Card queues stand in September 2026, what changed from August, and how to check your own priority date.
Last checked: September 17, 2026
Bangladesh Green Card Waiting Time — September 2026
Here are the current Final Action Dates for Bangladesh in the September 2026 Visa Bulletin:
Category | Who is it for? | Final Action Date | Approx. queue position* |
F1 | Unmarried sons & daughters of U.S. citizens, 21+ | January 22, 2020 | ~6 years 8 months |
F2A | Spouses & unmarried children under 21 of Green Card holders | August 22, 2026 | ~26 days |
F2B | Unmarried sons & daughters of Green Card holders, 21+ | August 22, 2019 | ~7 years |
F3 | Married sons & daughters of U.S. citizens | October 22, 2014 | ~11 years 11 months |
F4 | Brothers & sisters of adult U.S. citizens | October 22, 2011 | ~14 years 11 months |
*This is the gap between the current cutoff date and September 2026. It is not a prediction of how long a new case will take. Visa Bulletin dates can move forward, slow down, retrogress, or become unavailable.
The September 2026 dates come from the U.S. Department of State's official Visa Bulletin.
The Most Important Thing: Find Your Priority Date
Your Green Card case does not simply move according to the date you received your I-130 approval.
For preference categories, the priority date is one of the most important dates in your case.
Think of it as your place in the immigration queue.
For example:
Priority Date: March 10, 2015
If you are in the F3 category, the September 2026 Final Action Date for Bangladesh is:
October 22, 2014
Your March 2015 priority date is later than October 22, 2014.
That means the visa number is not yet available for final action based on the September 2026 Final Action Date.
If the Visa Bulletin later advances beyond March 10, 2015, your case may become current — assuming the other requirements are satisfied.
September 2026: Bangladesh Queue Moved
This is one of the most interesting parts of the September 2026 bulletin.
Compared with August 2026:
F1
August: December 15, 2018
September: January 22, 2020
Movement: approximately 13 months
F2A
August: July 22, 2026
September: August 22, 2026
Movement: approximately 1 month
F2B
August: January 1, 2018
September: August 22, 2019
Movement: approximately 19 months
F3
August: May 15, 2012
September: October 22, 2014
Movement: approximately 29 months
F4
August: September 1, 2009
September: October 22, 2011
Movement: approximately 26 months
The August and September Visa Bulletins confirm these changes.
But don't assume this pace will continue.
The State Department specifically warns that increased demand or changes affecting immigrant visa processing could require retrogression in future months.
In other words:
A large move this month does not mean the same move will happen next month.
F1 — Unmarried Sons and Daughters of U.S. Citizens
September 2026 Final Action Date:
January 22, 2020
F1 is for unmarried sons and daughters of U.S. citizens who are 21 or older.
If your priority date is:
January 21, 2020
it is earlier than the September cutoff.
If your priority date is:
February 10, 2020
it is later than the cutoff.
That difference matters.
What changed?
The F1 cutoff moved from:
December 15, 2018 → January 22, 2020
That is a substantial movement in one month.
F2A — Spouse or Child of a Green Card Holder
September 2026 Final Action Date:
August 22, 2026
F2A covers:
spouses of lawful permanent residents;
unmarried children under 21 of lawful permanent residents.
The September 2026 bulletin shows August 22, 2026 for the “All Chargeability Areas Except Those Listed” column.
The Dates for Filing chart shows “C” (Current) for F2A.
These are different charts and should not be confused.
The Department of State explains that a “C” means the category is current, while a listed Final Action Date means immigrant visa numbers are available only for priority dates earlier than that date.
F2B — Unmarried Sons and Daughters of Green Card Holders
September 2026 Final Action Date:
August 22, 2019
F2B is for unmarried sons and daughters, age 21 or older, of lawful permanent residents.
This category saw one of the largest movements in the September bulletin.
August:
January 1, 2018
September:
August 22, 2019
That is roughly 19 months of movement in one month.
But again, this should not be interpreted as a forecast that every pending case will move forward by 19 months every month.
Visa Bulletin movement is not linear.
F3 — Married Sons and Daughters of U.S. Citizens
September 2026 Final Action Date:
October 22, 2014
F3 is for married sons and daughters of U.S. citizens.
This category made a particularly large jump:
May 15, 2012 → October 22, 2014
That is roughly 29 months of movement from the August to September bulletin.
For a family that has been watching a priority date for years, this kind of movement can be significant.
But the key question remains:
Is your priority date earlier than October 22, 2014?
If not, your case is still waiting for the Final Action Date to advance further.
F4 — Brothers and Sisters of U.S. Citizens
September 2026 Final Action Date:
October 22, 2011
F4 is for brothers and sisters of adult U.S. citizens.
The September cutoff moved from:
September 1, 2009 → October 22, 2011
That is roughly 26 months of movement.
But F4 remains one of the longest family-based queues.
If your priority date is, for example:
June 15, 2012
you are still behind the September 2026 Final Action Date of October 22, 2011.
Final Action Date vs. Dates for Filing
This is one of the easiest places to misunderstand the Visa Bulletin.
There are two different charts:
1. Final Action Dates
This chart tells you when immigrant visa numbers can actually be authorized for final action, subject to the applicable rules.
2. Dates for Filing
This chart indicates when applicants may begin submitting required documentation to the National Visa Center, if their priority date is earlier than the applicable date and they have received the relevant instructions.
The Department of State explicitly distinguishes the two charts.
For September 2026, the Bangladesh/All Chargeability Dates for Filing are:
Category | Dates for Filing |
F1 | February 1, 2020 |
F2A | Current |
F2B | September 1, 2019 |
F3 | November 1, 2014 |
F4 | November 1, 2011 |
Why this matters
A case can be close to the Dates for Filing date while still not being current for final visa issuance.
So:
Dates for Filing ≠ Green Card approval date.
What Does “Current” Mean?
The Visa Bulletin uses:
C = Current
This means immigrant numbers are authorized for qualified applicants without a cutoff date for that category, subject to the applicable rules.
For September 2026, F2A is listed as Current in the Dates for Filing chart for the All Chargeability column.
That does not mean every F2A applicant automatically receives a Green Card immediately.
The applicant still has to complete the required immigration process and meet all eligibility requirements.
What If Your Priority Date Is Earlier Than the Cutoff?
Suppose you are in F4 and your priority date is:
August 5, 2011
The September 2026 Final Action Date is:
October 22, 2011
Your priority date is earlier.
That means your priority date falls within the published Final Action Date for the category.
But being current on the Visa Bulletin is not the same thing as having completed the immigration process.
You may still need to complete steps involving:
USCIS or the National Visa Center;
document collection;
fees;
Form DS-260, where applicable;
Affidavit of Support requirements;
civil documents;
medical examination;
interview;
and other case-specific requirements.
What If Your I-130 Has Already Been Approved?
This is where many families become confused.
An approved I-130 does not automatically mean that an immigrant visa is immediately available in a preference category.
Your case can have:
I-130 APPROVED
while also having:
VISA NUMBER NOT YET AVAILABLE
The Visa Bulletin controls the availability of immigrant visa numbers for oversubscribed preference categories.
So an approved petition and a current priority date are two different milestones.
The Bangladesh Green Card Queue in One Picture
Think of your case as five steps:
I-130 FILED
↓
PRIORITY DATE CREATED
↓
I-130 APPROVED
↓
VISA BULLETIN REACHES YOUR PRIORITY DATE
↓
VISA / GREEN CARD PROCESS CONTINUES
The biggest mistake is thinking that step 3 automatically means step 4.
It does not.
How to Check Your Own Bangladesh Green Card Position
You need four pieces of information.
01 — Your visa category
Is it:
F1? F2A? F2B? F3? F4?
02 — Your priority date
Find it on your immigration documents.
03 — Your country of chargeability
For most Bangladesh-born applicants, the relevant Visa Bulletin column is:
All Chargeability Areas Except Those Listed
04 — The current Visa Bulletin
For September 2026, compare your priority date with the appropriate Final Action Date.
The State Department publishes the official Visa Bulletin monthly.
Bangladesh Green Card Quick Check
Your case:
Category: F3Priority Date: June 10, 2014
September 2026:
F3 Final Action Date: October 22, 2014
Result:
Your priority date is earlier than the published Final Action Date.
That means your priority date is within the September 2026 Final Action Date for that category, assuming the other requirements for the case are satisfied.
Now change the priority date to:
December 10, 2014
That date is later than October 22, 2014.
The case would therefore remain outside the September 2026 Final Action Date.
Important: Visa Bulletin Movement Can Reverse
One of the biggest mistakes is looking at one month of movement and assuming the next month will continue at the same speed.
The September 2026 Visa Bulletin itself warns that increased demand could require retrogression in upcoming months. Categories can also become unavailable if annual limits are reached.
So if your priority date becomes close to the cutoff:
Check the Visa Bulletin every month.
Don't build your immigration plans around a single month's movement.
Bangladesh Green Card Waiting Time: What September 2026 Actually Tells Us
The September 2026 bulletin shows substantial movement in several Bangladesh family-based queues.
The largest changes from August were:
F1: December 2018 → January 2020
F2B: January 2018 → August 2019
F3: May 2012 → October 2014
F4: September 2009 → October 2011
But these numbers describe where the government has set the cutoff for September 2026.
They do not tell an individual applicant exactly when their Green Card will arrive.
Your actual timeline depends on:
visa category;
priority date;
petition status;
visa availability;
NVC or USCIS processing;
document completion;
interview availability;
and individual case circumstances.
Your Bangladesh Green Card Checklist
If your family is waiting for a U.S. Green Card, write down:
CATEGORY: __________
PRIORITY DATE: __________
I-130 APPROVAL DATE: __________
CURRENT FINAL ACTION DATE: __________
CURRENT DATES FOR FILING: __________
Then ask:
Is my priority date earlier than the Final Action Date?
If yes, your priority date is within the published cutoff for that category.
Is my priority date later?
Then the visa number is not yet available under that month's Final Action Date.
Is my priority date close?
Start checking the Visa Bulletin regularly.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does a Bangladesh Green Card take in 2026?
There is no single Bangladesh Green Card waiting time.
The September 2026 Visa Bulletin shows different cutoff dates for F1, F2A, F2B, F3 and F4.
The current cutoff ranges from August 22, 2026 for F2A to October 22, 2011 for F4.
These dates should not be treated as guaranteed processing-time forecasts.
Is Bangladesh subject to the India Green Card backlog?
No.
Bangladesh is not listed separately in the Visa Bulletin's country columns.
For family-sponsored preference categories, Bangladesh falls under “All Chargeability Areas Except Those Listed.”
Does I-130 approval mean I can move to the USA?
Not necessarily.
For preference categories, the petition can be approved while the immigrant visa number is still unavailable.
How do I know if my Green Card case is current?
Find your category and priority date, then compare your priority date with the appropriate Visa Bulletin date.
Can the Visa Bulletin move backward?
Yes.
The State Department warns that retrogression may become necessary depending on demand and visa-number usage.
Should I use the Final Action Date or Dates for Filing?
They serve different purposes.
The correct chart depends on your stage in the process and, for adjustment of status cases, on USCIS's instructions for that month.
Always check the current USCIS guidance together with the State Department Visa Bulletin.
Official Sources
U.S. Department of State — September 2026 Visa Bulletin
U.S. Department of State — Visa Bulletin archive
USCIS — Visa Availability and Priority Dates
Immigrants.live Analysis
For Bangladesh families, the most important number is not simply “how many years does a Green Card take?”
The better question is:
Where is your priority date compared with today's Visa Bulletin?
September 2026 is particularly notable because several family-based Bangladesh/All Chargeability categories moved forward substantially from August.
But immigration queues are not straight lines.
A category can move forward, slow down or retrogress.
That is why a Green Card case should be treated as a moving queue, not a fixed waiting-time estimate.
Know your category.
Know your priority date.
Watch the Visa Bulletin.
Your place in the queue matters.
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