Key Takeaways
- •Priority Date (PD) = Your official 'place in line'.
- •For employment visas, it's usually the date your PERM was filed.
- •For family visas, it's the date the I-130 was filed.
- •You find it on your I-797 Approval Notice.
Why It Matters
In the U.S. immigration system, it is not "first come, first served" based on when you land in the country. It is strictly based on your Priority Date. A person who applied one day before you will generally get their Green Card before you, regardless of how qualified you are.
Finding Your PD
Look at your Form I-797 Notice of Action (Approval Notice).
Sample I-797 Header
Receipt Number
LIN-23-900-12345
Priority Date
12/15/2022
Look for the box labeled "Priority Date". That is your golden number.
Porting Priority Dates
If you change jobs and start a new Green Card application (e.g., moving from one company to another), you generally get to keep your original Priority Date. This is called "porting". This ensures you don't lose your place in line just because you switched employers.