Visa Bulletin updates for October 2026 establish the first immigrant-visa cutoffs of fiscal year 2027, advancing several family-sponsored and employment-based categories while maintaining significant backlogs for some applicants from India, China, Mexico and the Philippines.
The U.S. Department of State published the Visa Bulletin on September 30, 2026, for immigrant-visa numbers available during October.
The Visa Bulletin controls when certain applicants may receive immigrant visas through U.S. consulates and provides the priority-date framework used by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services for adjustment-of-status cases.
Applicants should not assume that a date shown in the Visa Bulletin automatically permits an adjustment-of-status filing.
USCIS separately identifies whether applicants filing Form I-485 may use the Final Action Dates chart or the Dates for Filing chart for a particular month.
Table of Contents
What the October 2026 Visa Bulletin changes
The October Visa Bulletin begins fiscal year 2027 with new annual immigrant-visa allocations.
The State Department says the Visa Bulletin dates advanced across various family-sponsored and employment-based categories as new fiscal-year numbers became available.
At the same time, some employment-based categories for applicants chargeable to countries other than China, India, Mexico and the Philippines moved backward to keep visa issuances within quarterly and annual limits.
The State Department said it will continue monitoring demand and may make additional adjustments during fiscal year 2027.
A priority date generally comes from the date a qualifying immigrant petition was properly filed, although the controlling date can vary by category and case type.
For a listed cutoff date, the applicant’s priority date must be earlier than the published date rather than equal to it.
A category marked “C” is current, meaning numbers are available to all qualified applicants in that category, subject to the applicable requirements.
Family-sponsored immigrant visa dates
The family-sponsored charts cover relatives in preference categories rather than immediate relatives of U.S. citizens, whose immigrant visas are not subject to the same annual preference limits.
For October, the Visa Bulletin makes the F2A Dates for Filing category current for all listed chargeability areas.
F2A covers spouses and children of lawful permanent residents.
| Category | All other areas | China | India | Mexico | Philippines |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| F1 final action | Jan. 22, 2020 | Jan. 22, 2020 | Jan. 22, 2020 | Sept. 8, 2008 | Nov. 1, 2013 |
| F2A final action | Sept. 22, 2026 | Sept. 22, 2026 | Sept. 22, 2026 | March 22, 2026 | Sept. 22, 2026 |
| F2B final action | Aug. 22, 2019 | Aug. 22, 2019 | Aug. 22, 2019 | May 15, 2010 | Oct. 1, 2013 |
| F3 final action | Oct. 22, 2014 | Oct. 22, 2014 | Oct. 22, 2014 | July 1, 2001 | July 22, 2006 |
| F4 final action | Oct. 22, 2011 | Oct. 22, 2011 | Dec. 15, 2006 | April 22, 2001 | May 15, 2008 |
F1 is the category for unmarried sons and daughters of U.S. citizens.
F2B covers unmarried sons and daughters age 21 or older of lawful permanent residents.
F3 covers married sons and daughters of U.S. citizens, while F4 covers brothers and sisters of adult U.S. citizens.
Under the October F2A rules, numbers exempt from the per-country limit are authorized for applicants from all countries with priority dates earlier than March 22, 2026.
F2A numbers subject to the per-country limit are available to applicants chargeable to countries other than Mexico with priority dates beginning March 22, 2026, and earlier than September 22, 2026.
The Visa Bulletin states that all F2A numbers provided for Mexico are exempt from the per-country limit.
Family Dates for Filing chart
The Dates for Filing chart allows eligible applicants to begin submitting required documentation to the National Visa Center when their priority dates are earlier than the listed dates.
The October Visa Bulletin family Dates for Filing chart makes F2A current for all listed chargeability areas.
| Category | All other areas | China | India | Mexico | Philippines |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| F1 filing | Feb. 1, 2020 | Feb. 1, 2020 | Feb. 1, 2020 | Dec. 1, 2008 | April 22, 2015 |
| F2A filing | Current | Current | Current | Current | Current |
| F2B filing | Sept. 1, 2019 | Sept. 1, 2019 | Sept. 1, 2019 | March 22, 2011 | Oct. 1, 2014 |
| F3 filing | Nov. 1, 2014 | Nov. 1, 2014 | Nov. 1, 2014 | Dec. 1, 2002 | Oct. 22, 2006 |
| F4 filing | Nov. 1, 2011 | Nov. 1, 2011 | Feb. 1, 2007 | April 30, 2001 | March 22, 2009 |
Applicants processing cases through the National Visa Center should wait for the required notice and follow the document-submission instructions provided for their case.
Employment-based visa dates for October
The Visa Bulletin shows a mixed opening to fiscal year 2027 for employment-based categories.
EB-1 is current for applicants from all chargeability areas except China and India.
For China, the EB-1 final action date is July 1, 2023, while India’s EB-1 final action date is February 1, 2023.
EB-2 final action dates are January 1, 2025, for applicants from most countries and Mexico and the Philippines.
The EB-2 final action date is October 1, 2021, for China and November 1, 2013, for India.
EB-3 final action dates are May 15, 2024, for most countries and Mexico, August 15, 2023, for the Philippines, January 8, 2022, for China and January 1, 2014, for India.
| Category | All other areas | China | India | Mexico | Philippines |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EB-1 final action | Current | July 1, 2023 | Feb. 1, 2023 | Current | Current |
| EB-2 final action | Jan. 1, 2025 | Oct. 1, 2021 | Nov. 1, 2013 | Jan. 1, 2025 | Jan. 1, 2025 |
| EB-3 final action | May 15, 2024 | Jan. 8, 2022 | Jan. 1, 2014 | May 15, 2024 | Aug. 15, 2023 |
| EB-4 final action | Dec. 15, 2022 | Dec. 15, 2022 | Dec. 15, 2022 | Dec. 15, 2022 | Dec. 15, 2022 |
| EB-5 unreserved final action | Current | Dec. 1, 2016 | Dec. 1, 2023 | Current | Current |
The EB-5 rural, high-unemployment and infrastructure set-aside categories are current for all listed chargeability areas in both the final action and filing charts.
The EB-5 unreserved category remains current for most chargeability areas but has a December 1, 2016, final action date for China and December 1, 2023, for India.
Employment Dates for Filing and adjustment of status
The employment-based Dates for Filing chart lists EB-1 as current for most countries, with July 1, 2024, dates for China and India.
For EB-2, the filing date is March 15, 2026, for most countries, Mexico and the Philippines, January 1, 2023, for China and January 15, 2015, for India.
For EB-3, the filing date is August 1, 2024, for most countries and Mexico, January 1, 2024, for the Philippines, April 1, 2024, for China and January 15, 2015, for India.
The EB-4 filing date is January 1, 2025, for all listed chargeability areas.
The EB-5 unreserved filing category is current for most countries, while the date is March 1, 2021, for China and May 1, 2024, for India.
Adjustment-of-status applicants must check the USCIS Visa Bulletin page for the agency’s October filing-chart determination before submitting Form I-485.
If USCIS requires the Final Action Dates chart, an applicant generally must have a priority date earlier than the applicable final-action cutoff to file or obtain approval, depending on the case and agency rules.
Religious worker category extended through December 11
The Visa Bulletin also addresses the Employment Fourth Preference Certain Religious Workers category, known as SR.
H.R.
6500, signed on September 2, 2026, extends the SR category through December 11, 2026.
The SR category uses the same filing and final-action dates as the other EB-4 categories for the applicable chargeability area.
Congressional action will be needed again if the category is to continue beyond December 11, 2026.
What applicants should do now
- Review the correct family-sponsored or employment-based category.
- Confirm the applicant’s country of chargeability, which generally follows the country of birth but can involve limited exceptions.
- Compare the priority date with the applicable October 2026 cutoff date.
- Check USCIS instructions before using the Dates for Filing chart for an adjustment-of-status application.
- Gather civil documents, identity documents, medical examination materials and other evidence required for the specific filing.
- Monitor later Visa Bulletin updates because dates can advance, retrogress or become unavailable as demand changes.
Applicants using consular processing should follow National Visa Center instructions and may also consult the State Department’s immigrant-visa interview scheduling information.
Applicants with complicated family relationships, possible status violations, prior removals, criminal records or questions about chargeability should consider obtaining advice from a qualified immigration attorney before filing.
Why priority-date changes matter
The Visa Bulletin does not approve a petition or guarantee that an immigrant visa will be issued.
Instead, it indicates when a visa number may be available under the statutory limits governing preference immigrants.
The October 2026 Visa Bulletin reflects the new fiscal-year supply of immigrant numbers, but actual availability also depends on reported demand, country limits and the pace of visa issuance and adjustment decisions.
Applicants should therefore treat the October dates as a snapshot of availability for that month rather than a promise of continued movement.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the October 2026 Visa Bulletin?
It is the State Department’s monthly publication showing immigrant-visa Final Action Dates and Dates for Filing for family-sponsored and employment-based preference categories.
Can every applicant with a date in the October bulletin file Form I-485?
No. Adjustment-of-status applicants must first check USCIS instructions to determine which chart applies for October 2026. The applicant must also meet all other eligibility and filing requirements.
What does “current” mean in the Visa Bulletin?
“Current” means immigrant numbers are available to all qualified applicants in the listed category, regardless of priority date, subject to the applicable legal and procedural requirements.
What happens if a priority date is the same as the listed cutoff date?
For a category with a listed date, the priority date generally must be earlier than the published cutoff date. A date equal to the cutoff is not earlier.
Did the October 2026 bulletin extend religious worker visas?
The bulletin reports that H.R. 6500 extended the Employment Fourth Preference Certain Religious Workers category through December 11, 2026. The category follows the applicable EB-4 dates.
Fact-Checked: This report was checked against the U.S. Department of State’s October 2026 Visa Bulletin and related official State Department and USCIS guidance pages on September 29, 2026.
Disclaimer: Immigration eligibility depends on the facts of each case and may change with later agency guidance or Visa Bulletin updates.
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