Mexico Family Priority Dates: F1–F4 August 2026 Cutoffs
Published 2026-08-08 · Sources: U.S. Department of State Visa Bulletin, USCIS
Photo: Gaël Gaborel - OrbisTerrae via UnsplashBorn in Mexico? You are working against the deepest family-based backlogs of any chargeability area. The August 2026 Visa Bulletin shows Mexican family cutoffs running from 22JUL25 (F2A) all the way back to 08APR01 (F4). Below is every Mexico family preference date, and the single rule behind all of them: the 7% per-country cap.
Mexico family Final Action Dates, August 2026 (verbatim)
| Category | Who it covers | Mexico FAD |
|---|---|---|
| F1 | Unmarried adult sons/daughters of citizens | 01DEC07 |
| F2A | Spouses & minor children of LPRs | 22JUL25 |
| F2B | Unmarried adult sons/daughters of LPRs | 15FEB09 |
| F3 | Married sons/daughters of citizens | 01JUL01 |
| F4 | Siblings of citizens | 08APR01 |
Verbatim from the Visa Bulletin for August 2026, Final Action Dates. “C” = Current, “U” = Unavailable.
How long is each wait?
Approximate years behind each Mexico cutoff, measured from the August 2026 bulletin. The listed date is what actually controls your case.
Approximate years since each cutoff date, measured from the August 2026 bulletin.
The 7% per-country cap, explained
U.S. immigration law limits each country to 7% of worldwide annual visas. The family-based annual limit is approximately 226,000, so Mexico’s family share is a small fraction of that total. Because demand from Mexico for family visas is far larger than its 7% allocation, the Visa Bulletin publishes a separate, much slower Mexico column for every preference except Immediate Relatives.
The effect compounds by category. F4 (siblings) is the most demanded and least prioritized preference, so it sinks to 08APR01. F3 (married children) reaches 01JUL01. F2B (unmarried adult children of LPRs) is 15FEB09, and F1 (unmarried adult children of citizens) is 01DEC07. Only F2A — spouses and minor children of permanent residents — stays within a year or two of the present, at 22JUL25.
Reading a Mexico priority date
A Final Action Date is when a visa number can actually be issued. For August 2026, a Mexican-born applicant is Current only if their priority date is on or before the date shown for their category above. Anyone later in the queue waits for the cutoff to advance — and for F3 and F4, that movement is measured in months per bulletin, against backlogs of many years.
What comes after the petition
The family petition, Form I-130, carries a USCIS fee of $675, and USCIS reports a typical processing time of 10–16 months. After approval, the beneficiary waits for the priority date to become current. Once it does, the case proceeds through National Visa Center and consular processing, or adjustment of status (Form I-485, fee $1,440) if already in the U.S. Work and travel permits (I-765 $260, I-131 $630) are separate filings.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does Mexico have its own family cutoff column?
U.S. law caps each country at 7% of worldwide annual visas. Mexico's family demand is so high that it consistently exceeds its 7% share, so the Visa Bulletin publishes a separate, much slower Mexico family column for F1–F4.
Which Mexico family category is closest to current?
F2A (spouses and minor children of LPRs) is nearest current at 22JUL25 in August 2026. The farthest is F4 siblings at 08APR01, followed by F3 married children at 01JUL01.
Are Immediate Relatives affected by the Mexico backlog?
No. Spouses, minor children, and parents of U.S. citizens are Immediate Relatives, not subject to numerical limits. They have no cutoff and no wait beyond normal processing, regardless of Mexican chargeability.
What is the family-based annual limit?
The family-based annual limit is approximately 226,000. Every family preference (F1–F4) competes for a share of that total, and the 7% per-country cap further restricts how many Mexico can receive each year.