The State Department’s October 2026 Visa Bulletin, the first of fiscal year 2027, shows some employment-based green card categories moving backward for applicants worldwide. The October 2026 Visa Bulletin sets the EB-2 final action date for “all chargeability” at 1 January 2025 and EB-3 at 15 May 2024, and says some Rest of World categories retrogressed to keep issuances within quarterly and annual limits.
In this report
- The key dates
- Why dates moved back
- How to read it as an applicant
- What happens next
- October 2026 Visa Bulletin: questions
The key dates
Final action dates for October 2026, per the bulletin (numbers are available only to applicants with an earlier priority date):
- EB-1: current for all chargeability; 1 July 2023 for China; 1 February 2023 for India.
- EB-2: 1 January 2025 for all chargeability; 1 October 2021 for China; 1 November 2013 for India.
- EB-3: 15 May 2024 for all chargeability; 8 January 2022 for China; 1 January 2014 for India.
- EB-3 Other Workers: 1 January 2022 for all chargeability; 1 October 2019 for China; 1 January 2014 for India.
Why dates moved back
The bulletin says retrogression keeps issuances within FY2027 limits, does not name every affected category, and says the situation is being monitored and adjustments may follow. It also notes that the annual limit for Other Workers is reduced by about 150 for FY2027 under a NACARA provision. A summary from law firm Grape Law, reported in its October immigration update, also notes the F4 family category has reached priority dates around October 2011.
How to read it as an applicant
Take a Chinese researcher with an EB-2 priority date of March 2021: under the China column the final action date of 1 October 2021 means that case is current, whereas a worldwide applicant with a 2025 date would not be. Dates apply per country of birth, not citizenship, and USCIS separately publishes which chart adjustment-of-status filers must use each month. Check both before filing. Policy shifts elsewhere, such as the revised public charge assessment, can matter as much as the queue.
What happens next
The Department of State publishes a new bulletin monthly, so November’s will show whether the retrogression deepens. Use our visa eligibility checker to compare pathways, and confirm your own priority date against the official bulletin before acting. See also the H-1B fee ruling.
October 2026 Visa Bulletin: questions
What is a final action date?
The priority date cut-off at which immigrant visa numbers can be issued to applicants in a category.
Which categories moved backward?
The bulletin says some employment-based Rest of World categories retrogressed but does not list them all. Grape Law reports EB-2, EB-3 and EB-3 Other Workers dates went backward.
Is India worse off than China in EB-2?
On these dates, yes: 1 November 2013 for India against 1 October 2021 for China.
Can the dates change again?
Yes. The bulletin says it is monitoring and adjustments may follow.
Where do I check my own date?
The official Visa Bulletin on travel.state.gov and USCIS’s monthly filing chart guidance.
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