Key dates

Key immigration dates & deadlines

The recurring U.S. immigration deadlines that matter — counted down from today, with the official source for each. Missing a window can cost you a full year, so we surface them early. This is timing, not legal or tax advice.

Reviewed Sep 15, 2026. Deadlines are checked against the official source for each. Dates set by an agency can move; always confirm on the linked government page before relying on one.

Key dates

Every deadline, counted down

Sorted soonest-first. Recurring monthly or per-person items are listed last.

All dates →

H-1B
H-1B electronic registration
USCIS opens the H-1B cap registration window in early March for at least 14 calendar days — about two weeks. Miss it and you wait a full year for the next lottery.
Recurring
USCIS — H-1B cap season ↗Get help:Boundless Find an immigration attorney
Taxes
Federal tax filing deadline
Individual returns are due April 15 — including nonresident (1040-NR) returns for many F-1 and J-1 visa holders. File or request an extension by this date.
Recurring
IRS — Tax deadlines ↗Get help:Sprintax
Green card
Diversity Visa (green-card) lottery
The DV lottery registration opens for about one month in the fall, free, for nationals of eligible countries. A rare path to a green card with no employer or family sponsor.
Recurring
U.S. Dept. of State — DV Program ↗Get help:Boundless Certified document translation
H-1B
New fiscal year — H-1B start date
October 1 begins the federal fiscal year: cap-subject H-1B employment can start and a fresh set of visa numbers becomes available.
Recurring
USCIS — H-1B specialty occupations ↗Get help:Boundless Find an immigration attorney
Green card
Visa Bulletin
The State Department publishes priority-date movement for family- and employment-based green cards. Check it the moment it drops to see if your date is current.
Released monthly · around mid-month
U.S. Dept. of State — Visa Bulletin ↗Get help:Boundless Find an immigration attorney
Students
F-1 OPT application window
Post-completion OPT can be filed from 90 days before your program end date to 60 days after. Apply early — USCIS processing can take months.
Per student · up to 90 days before graduation
USCIS — Optional Practical Training ↗Get help:Foreign degree evaluation

Dates recur each year; exact windows (H-1B registration, the DV lottery, the Visa Bulletin) are set by the agency annually — always confirm with the official source. Not legal or tax advice. Some “get help” links are partnerships. How this works →

Methodology & sources

Countdowns are computed from your device’s current date. Exact windows for H-1B registration, the Diversity Visa lottery, and the Visa Bulletin are announced by USCIS and the State Department each year — always confirm the official dates at the linked source before acting. For your own case, consult a qualified immigration professional. See the resources directory for help with any of these. Read the full methodology →

Every deadline, counted down

H-1B electronic registration

Federal tax filing deadline

Diversity Visa (green-card) lottery

New fiscal year — H-1B start date

Visa Bulletin

F-1 OPT application window