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How does F1 (unmarried adult children of U.S. citizens) move in the Visa Bulletin?
Updated · Not legal advice
F1 is for unmarried sons and daughters, 21 or older, of U.S. citizens and gets up to 23,400 visas a year plus any numbers F4 does not need. Mexico and the Philippines usually have their own, earlier F1 cutoffs because of demand and the per-country limit.
F1: current cutoff dates
See the current bulletin for this month's F1 dates: official Visa Bulletin on travel.state.gov. We do not copy dates by hand, so this page shows them only after our automated fetch has read the official bulletin.
USCIS says family-based adjustment applicants must use the Dates for Filing chart in the November 2026 Visa Bulletin (USCIS filing charts).
| Item | Rule |
|---|---|
| Annual limit | 23,400 plus numbers not required for F4 |
| Who | Unmarried sons and daughters (21+) of U.S. citizens |
| If the child marries | Moves to F3 (married sons and daughters of citizens) |
| Unused F1 numbers | Go to F2 |
Category changes that move you to another line
- Citizen parent's child under 21 turns 21: moves from immediate relative to F1.
- F1 beneficiary marries: moves to F3 with the same priority date.
- Green card holder parent naturalizes while the child is in F2B: the child converts to F1 (in some cases F2B can be faster; ask an attorney).
Movement history
This table is built month by month from the official bulletins as we read them, so it only shows months we have fetched. Until then, past bulletins are in the official archive.
Quick answers
- How many F1 visas are there each year?
- 23,400 plus any numbers not required for F4.
- Does my priority date change if I move from F2B to F1?
- Generally no: the original I-130 filing date is kept.
- Why is Mexico F1 so far behind?
- Demand from Mexico far exceeds what the per-country limit allows in that category.
What to do next: get your Visa Bulletin alert
Set F1 and your country: we email you the day the cutoff moves.
Free: 1 category, checked daily, email. Pro $5/month: checks every 4 hours, SMS + push, movement history and estimates. Compare plans.
Sources
- INA 203, 8 U.S.C. 1153: preference allocation (Cornell LII)
- INA 202, 8 U.S.C. 1152: per-country limits (Cornell LII)
- USCIS: Green Card for Family Preference Immigrants
- U.S. Department of State: Visa Bulletin (current, upcoming and archive)
Checked: November 12, 2026