Philippines Green Card Waiting Time 2026: F1, F2B, F3, F4 and EB-3 Priority Dates Explained
Last updated: September 16, 2026
If you are waiting for a U.S. Green Card through a family member or employer in the Philippines, the most important number in your case may be your priority date.
But knowing your priority date is not enough.
You also need to know:
your immigration category;
whether your case is family-based or employment-based;
which Visa Bulletin chart applies;
whether your priority date is earlier than the current Philippines cut-off date;
whether you are waiting for a visa number, preparing documents, or already eligible for final processing.
In September 2026, the U.S. Department of State lists the Philippines separately in several family- and employment-based immigrant visa categories because demand is high enough for the country to be subject to its own allocation rules.
This guide explains what the September 2026 numbers actually mean for Filipino applicants — and why a Visa Bulletin date should not be turned into a simple promise of "X years until your Green Card."
The short answer: How long do Filipinos have to wait for a U.S. Green Card?
There is no single Philippines Green Card waiting time.
Your wait depends primarily on your:
category + priority date + country of chargeability + processing stage.
For September 2026, the Philippines cut-off dates include:
Category | Who it covers | Final Action Date — Philippines |
F1 | Unmarried adult sons/daughters of U.S. citizens | May 1, 2013 |
F2A | Spouses and children of Green Card holders | August 22, 2026 |
F2B | Unmarried sons/daughters 21+ of Green Card holders | June 1, 2013 |
F3 | Married sons/daughters of U.S. citizens | February 22, 2006 |
F4 | Brothers and sisters of adult U.S. citizens | August 22, 2007 |
EB-1 | Certain employment-based first preference applicants | Current |
EB-2 | Advanced-degree / exceptional-ability applicants | Current |
EB-3 | Skilled workers and professionals | August 1, 2023 |
EB-3 Other Workers | Certain other workers | December 1, 2021 |
These are September 2026 Final Action Dates. The State Department says that, for an oversubscribed category, immigrant visa numbers are available only to applicants whose priority date is earlier than the listed date.
This is the key point:
If your category is F4 Philippines and your priority date is August 21, 2007, you are earlier than the September 2026 Final Action Date of August 22, 2007.
If your priority date is August 25, 2007, it is not yet earlier than the September cut-off.
That one-day difference can matter.
First: Find Your Priority Date
Your priority date is the date that establishes your place in the immigrant visa queue.
Do not confuse it with:
the date your relative received a Green Card;
the date your I-130 was approved;
the date NVC contacted you;
the date you completed your documents;
your interview date.
Your exact priority date should be checked against the documents and notices in your case.
For many family-sponsored cases, the relevant petition is Form I-130.
For employment-based cases, the priority date is generally tied to the underlying employment petition and, in some cases, the labor certification process.
If you cannot identify your priority date, do not try to estimate your place in the queue from the date your relative started the process.
The September 2026 Philippines Visa Bulletin
The September 2026 Visa Bulletin is particularly important for Filipino families because the Philippines is one of the countries subject to separate prorating rules because of high demand.
Here are the family-sponsored Final Action Dates.
F1 Philippines — May 1, 2013
F1 = unmarried sons and daughters of U.S. citizens who are 21 or older.
September 2026 Final Action Date:
May 1, 2013
So if your F1 Philippines priority date is:
April 30, 2013 → earlier than the cut-off
May 1, 2013 → not earlier than the cut-off
May 2, 2013 → not earlier than the cut-off
The distinction matters because the State Department's rule is based on whether the priority date is earlier than the published date.
F2A Philippines — August 22, 2026
F2A covers:
spouses of Green Card holders;
unmarried children under 21 of Green Card holders.
For September 2026, the Philippines Final Action Date is:
August 22, 2026
This is dramatically different from categories such as F3 and F4.
But there is an important detail.
The Visa Bulletin explains that F2A has special treatment because part of the category is exempt from the per-country limit.
So do not assume that every F2A applicant should interpret the date exactly like an F4 applicant.
F2B Philippines — June 1, 2013
F2B covers:
Unmarried sons and daughters, age 21 or older, of lawful permanent residents.
September 2026 Final Action Date:
June 1, 2013
This category is particularly important for Filipino families because a child who is no longer eligible for F2A may end up facing a very different queue.
This is why turning 21 can matter so much.
A family should not simply look at:
"My mother has a Green Card."
It needs to determine:
"What category is my child actually in, and how does the age calculation work?"
The Child Status Protection Act (CSPA) can affect certain age calculations, so a child approaching 21 should not assume that the ordinary biological age alone determines the final immigration category.
F3 Philippines — February 22, 2006
F3 covers:
Married sons and daughters of U.S. citizens.
September 2026 Final Action Date:
February 22, 2006
This is one of the dates that immediately shows why the phrase "How many years does a Filipino have to wait?" is too simplistic.
Two Filipino families can have completely different timelines even when both have a U.S. citizen parent.
Why?
Because:
unmarried adult child ≠ married adult child.
F1 and F3 are different queues.
F4 Philippines — August 22, 2007
F4 covers:
Brothers and sisters of adult U.S. citizens.
September 2026 Final Action Date:
August 22, 2007
This is one of the most important numbers for Filipino families with siblings in the United States.
And it answers one of the most common questions:
"Can my brother or sister in the U.S. bring me to America?"
A U.S. citizen who is at least 21 can petition for a sibling under the F4 category.
But filing the petition does not mean the sibling can immediately move to the United States.
The petition creates the underlying family-based case.
The visa number still has to become available.
That is where the Visa Bulletin comes in.
EB-3 Philippines — August 1, 2023
Family immigration is not the only important route for Filipinos.
Employment-based immigration can also be subject to a Philippines-specific cut-off.
For September 2026:
EB-3 Philippines Final Action Date: August 1, 2023
EB-3 includes:
skilled workers;
professionals;
certain other workers under the separate Other Workers subcategory.
The September bulletin lists August 1, 2023 for EB-3 Philippines and December 1, 2021 for EB-3 Other Workers.
This distinction matters for Filipino workers who are being sponsored by U.S. employers.
What About Filipino Nurses?
Many Filipino healthcare professionals follow the U.S. employment-based immigration system closely.
But there is a major mistake to avoid:
Having a U.S. employer does not automatically mean you have an immediately available Green Card.
An employment-based case can involve multiple stages before the immigrant visa becomes available.
Depending on the case, this can involve:
employer sponsorship → immigration petition → priority date → Visa Bulletin → NVC/consular processing or adjustment of status → immigrant visa/Green Card
The Visa Bulletin is only one part of the process.
For September 2026, EB-3 Philippines has a Final Action Date of August 1, 2023.
Final Action Date vs. Dates for Filing
This is where many applicants get confused.
The September Visa Bulletin contains two different charts.
Final Action Dates
This is the chart that tells you when immigrant visa numbers may be available for final action, subject to the rules of your case.
Dates for Filing
This is an earlier-stage chart that can allow eligible applicants to begin submitting documents to the National Visa Center when the applicable conditions are met.
For September 2026, the Philippines family-based Dates for Filing are:
Category | Philippines Dates for Filing |
F1 | April 22, 2015 |
F2A | Current |
F2B | October 1, 2013 |
F3 | August 8, 2006 |
F4 | March 22, 2008 |
For employment-based Philippines cases:
Category | Dates for Filing |
EB-1 | Current |
EB-2 | Current |
EB-3 | January 1, 2024 |
EB-3 Other Workers | August 1, 2022 |
These dates come directly from the September 2026 Visa Bulletin.
Why Your Priority Date Can Be "Current" on One Chart but Not the Other
Consider an F4 Philippines applicant with a priority date of:
November 2007
September 2026:
Final Action Date: August 22, 2007
Dates for Filing: March 22, 2008
That applicant is:
not yet within the Final Action Date
but the priority date is:
earlier than the Dates for Filing date.
That does not mean:
"Your Green Card is approved."
It means the case may be at a different stage of the process, depending on whether the applicant is processing through the National Visa Center or USCIS and which chart applies.
This distinction is one of the biggest sources of confusion in Filipino immigration forums.
"My I-130 Is Approved. Why Can't I Go Yet?"
Because:
I-130 approval ≠ immigrant visa availability.
An approved I-130 establishes the qualifying family relationship and petition approval.
For preference categories subject to numerical limits, the beneficiary may still have to wait until a visa number becomes available.
That is why someone can tell you:
"My petition was approved years ago."
and still be waiting.
The Visa Bulletin is tracking the visa-number side of the process.
"My Priority Date Is Current. Can I Fly to America Tomorrow?"
Not necessarily.
A current priority date does not automatically mean:
your interview is scheduled;
your visa is approved;
your medical examination is complete;
your documents are complete;
you have received an immigrant visa;
you can enter the United States.
Your case may still have additional processing steps.
For consular processing, the National Visa Center and the U.S. embassy/consulate process are part of the overall path.
If You Are Applying From the Philippines
A simplified family-based immigrant process can look like this:
1. Family member files the petition
Usually:
Form I-130
↓
2. USCIS processes the petition
↓
3. Petition is approved
↓
4. Case moves into the immigrant visa process
↓
5. Priority date is monitored
↓
6. Visa Bulletin moves
↓
7. NVC/document processing
↓
8. Medical examination
↓
9. Manila immigrant visa interview
↓
10. Immigrant visa decision
↓
11. Travel to the United States
↓
12. Permanent resident status / Green Card
The exact process depends on the category and circumstances.
The Biggest Mistake: Calculating Your Wait as "2026 Minus My Priority Date"
Do not do this.
If your priority date is from 2007 and the Visa Bulletin is currently showing 2007, it does not automatically mean:
"My wait was 19 years and everyone with this date will get a visa next month."
Visa Bulletin movement is not a straight-line clock.
The State Department specifically warns that dates can move forward, stop, retrogress, or become unavailable depending on demand and annual visa limits.
The September 2026 bulletin itself warns that retrogression may become necessary if additional demand materializes.
So the correct question is not:
"How many years will I wait?"
It is:
"Where is my priority date compared with the current cut-off for my exact category?"
That is a much more useful number.
A Filipino Family's 30-Second Check
If you are waiting for a U.S. Green Card, find these five things:
1. Your category
For example:
F1 / F2A / F2B / F3 / F4 / EB-3
2. Your priority date
Find the exact date on your immigration documents.
3. Your country of chargeability
For the cases covered here:
Philippines
4. The current Visa Bulletin date
Check the relevant category.
5. Which chart applies
Final Action Dates or Dates for Filing
Do not compare your date with the wrong category.
Quick Examples
Example 1 — F4
Priority date:
July 15, 2007
September 2026 F4 Philippines Final Action Date:
August 22, 2007
Your priority date is earlier than the published cut-off.
That is a materially different position from someone whose priority date is September 2007.
Example 2 — F3
Priority date:
March 1, 2006
September 2026 F3 Philippines Final Action Date:
February 22, 2006
The priority date is not earlier than the Final Action Date.
The applicant should not treat the case as immediately available based on the September Final Action chart.
Example 3 — EB-3
Priority date:
June 2023
September 2026 EB-3 Philippines Final Action Date:
August 1, 2023
The priority date is earlier than the published Final Action Date.
That is a materially different position from an EB-3 applicant whose priority date is September 2023.
What Happens If the Visa Bulletin Moves Backward?
This is called retrogression.
A date can move forward and later move backward.
That can happen because visa demand changes and the government has to stay within annual and category-specific numerical limits.
The State Department explicitly warns that retrogression may be necessary as additional demand becomes known.
So:
Current today does not mean permanently current.
And:
A date moving forward this month does not guarantee the same movement next month.
What Should You Do If Your Priority Date Is Getting Close?
Do not wait until the date becomes current to discover that your documents are missing.
Check:
passport validity;
civil documents;
birth certificate;
marriage certificate, if applicable;
divorce/death records where relevant;
police certificates where required;
petition approval notice;
NVC correspondence;
previous immigration records;
changes in family circumstances;
address and contact information.
If you are approaching an important age or category change, such as a child approaching 21, get the case reviewed based on the actual facts rather than relying on a simple age calculation.
The Philippines Green Card Map — September 2026
FAMILY
F1 → May 1, 2013
F2A → August 22, 2026
F2B → June 1, 2013
F3 → February 22, 2006
F4 → August 22, 2007
EMPLOYMENT
EB-1 → Current
EB-2 → Current
EB-3 → August 1, 2023
EB-3 Other Workers → December 1, 2021
These are the September 2026 Final Action Dates for Philippines.
The Most Important Question Is Not "How Long?"
If you are a Filipino applicant waiting for a U.S. Green Card, the number that matters most is not an internet estimate saying:
"Filipinos wait X years."
Your case has its own:
category
priority date
processing route
visa availability
The September 2026 Visa Bulletin gives you the current position of the queue.
Your job is to compare your exact priority date with your exact category.
And remember:
Earlier than the Final Action Date ≠ automatic visa approval.
It means the visa-number availability requirement represented by that chart has been reached for your priority date, subject to the rest of your case.
Official Sources
U.S. Department of State — September 2026 Visa Bulletin
USCIS — Adjustment of Status Filing Charts from the Visa Bulletin
National Visa Center — Immigrant Visa Processing
U.S. Embassy Manila — Immigrant Visas
Updated September 16, 2026
This article explains the Visa Bulletin as published for September 2026. Immigration rules, visa availability and cut-off dates can change. Always check the current official Visa Bulletin and USCIS/NVC instructions before taking action on an immigration case.
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