Which Visa Bulletin chart does CSPA use?

USCIS's CSPA page uses the Final Action Dates chart to decide when a visa became available.

What is the CSPA formula?

Age at time of visa availability minus pending time (petition approval date minus filing date) equals CSPA age.

What if the date retrogresses after it was current?

The availability date already happened; what matters then is that the child sought to acquire status within one year. Get legal advice for your facts.

Does CSPA apply to derivative children in employment cases?

Yes, derivative children in family and employment preference cases can use the CSPA calculation.

Reading the bulletin

How does the Visa Bulletin affect my child's CSPA age?

Updated November 12, 2026 · Not legal advice

For the Child Status Protection Act, USCIS treats a visa as available on the later of the petition approval date or the first day of the bulletin month in which the Final Action Dates chart shows your priority date as current. CSPA age = age on that date minus the time the petition was pending, and the child must seek to acquire status within one year.

CSPA calculation, step by step (USCIS method)
Step	How	Illustrative example
1. Visa availability date	Later of: petition approval date, or 1st day of the month the Final Action chart is current for you	Approval 2024-05-10; Final Action current from 2026-11-01 → 2026-11-01
2. Age at that date	Child's age on the availability date	21 years 4 months
3. Pending time	Approval date minus filing date	2022-03-10 to 2024-05-10 = 2 years 2 months
4. CSPA age	Age at availability minus pending time	19 years 2 months: under 21, still a child

Why the chart choice matters

USCIS's CSPA page says the availability date uses the Final Action Dates chart. If a Dates for Filing date lets your family file earlier, that does not by itself lock in the child's age. When the Final Action Date moves past your priority date, the CSPA clock is set for that month.

Applications filed under earlier USCIS guidance may be treated differently; ask an attorney if your child's I-485 was filed while the earlier policy applied.

The one-year "sought to acquire" rule

The child must seek permanent residence within 1 year of visa availability.
Ways that count include filing Form I-485, submitting Part 1 of the DS-260, paying the immigrant visa fee, or having Form I-824 filed.
Retrogression does not erase availability that already happened, but missing the one-year window can lose CSPA protection.

Quick answers

Which Visa Bulletin chart does CSPA use?: USCIS's CSPA page uses the Final Action Dates chart to decide when a visa became available.
What is the CSPA formula?: Age at time of visa availability minus pending time (petition approval date minus filing date) equals CSPA age.
What if the date retrogresses after it was current?: The availability date already happened; what matters then is that the child sought to acquire status within one year. Get legal advice for your facts.
Does CSPA apply to derivative children in employment cases?: Yes, derivative children in family and employment preference cases can use the CSPA calculation.

What to do next: get your Visa Bulletin alert

The month your Final Action Date passes your priority date starts the one-year clock. Get an email that month so you can file in time.

Free: 1 category, checked daily, email. Pro $5/month: checks every 4 hours, SMS + push, movement history and estimates. Compare plans.

Sources

Checked: November 12, 2026