October 2026 Visa Bulletin: China EB-3 Jumps Over Two Years, India EB-2 Reopens, Worldwide EB-2 and EB-3 Retrogress
Updated: 38 minutes ago
WASHINGTON, September 29, 2026 — The U.S. Department of State has released its October 2026 Visa Bulletin, the first of Fiscal Year 2027, delivering sharply divergent outcomes across preference categories and chargeability areas.
China saw substantial advancement in the Dates for Filing chart, with EB-3 Professionals and Skilled Workers leaping forward more than two years. India regained availability in EB-2 and EB-5 Unreserved after three consecutive months marked "Unavailable." Meanwhile, worldwide EB-2 and EB-3 retrogressed significantly as new fiscal year numbers were allocated.
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services has confirmed it will accept employment-based adjustment of status applications based on the Dates for Filing chart in October.
China: Significant Advancement Across Multiple Categories
Applicants chargeable to mainland China recorded the strongest gains in the Dates for Filing chart.
Category | Advancement | October Date for Filing |
EB-1 | Seven months | July 1, 2024 |
EB-2 | One year | January 1, 2023 |
EB-3 Professionals/Skilled Workers | Over two years and three months | April 1, 2024 |
EB-5 Unreserved | Four years | March 1, 2021 |
Final Action Dates for China moved more modestly, reflecting continued demand pressure.
Category | Advancement | October Final Action Date |
EB-1 | No change | July 1, 2023 |
EB-2 | One month | October 1, 2021 |
EB-3 Professionals/Skilled Workers | One week | January 8, 2022 |
EB-5 Unreserved | No change | December 1, 2016 |
The gap between the two charts means many Chinese applicants can now file adjustment applications but will still wait for final adjudication.
India: EB-2 and EB-5 Unreserved Reopen
The new fiscal year restored availability in two categories that had been exhausted through the final quarter of FY 2026.
EB-2 India is once again available. The Final Action Date is set at November 1, 2013, while the Date for Filing remains at January 15, 2015.
EB-5 Unreserved India also reopened, with a Final Action Date of December 1, 2023 — an advancement of one year and seven months from its most recent cut-off. The Date for Filing stands at May 1, 2024.
EB-1 India advanced three and a half months on the Final Action Date chart to February 1, 2023, and seven months on the Dates for Filing chart to July 1, 2024.
EB-3 India remained unchanged in both charts, with Final Action at January 1, 2014 and Date for Filing at January 15, 2015.
Worldwide: EB-2 and EB-3 Retrogress
All Chargeability Areas Except Those Listed saw retrogression as FY 2027 numbers were distributed against existing demand.
Category | September Status | October Final Action Date | Change |
EB-2 | Current | January 1, 2025 | Retrogressed, no longer current |
EB-3 Professionals/Skilled Workers | September 1, 2024 | May 15, 2024 | Retrogressed three and a half months |
EB-3 Other Workers | April 1, 2022 | January 1, 2022 | Retrogressed three months |
On the Dates for Filing chart, worldwide EB-2 moved to March 15, 2026, and EB-3 Professionals/Skilled Workers to August 1, 2024.
The State Department attributed these retrogressions to the need to keep immigrant visa issuance within quarterly and annual limits. During FY 2026, worldwide categories advanced unusually far because visa issuance was suspended for nationals of 75 countries, leaving numbers unused. With that suspension vacated by court order, competition for available numbers has normalised.
Full Employment-Based Charts
Final Action Dates — October 2026
Category | All Other | China | India | Mexico | Philippines |
EB-1 | Current | July 1, 2023 | February 1, 2023 | Current | Current |
EB-2 | January 1, 2025 | October 1, 2021 | November 1, 2013 | January 1, 2025 | January 1, 2025 |
EB-3 Professionals | May 15, 2024 | January 8, 2022 | January 1, 2014 | May 15, 2024 | August 15, 2023 |
EB-3 Other Workers | January 1, 2022 | October 1, 2019 | January 1, 2014 | January 1, 2022 | January 1, 2022 |
EB-4 | December 15, 2022 | December 15, 2022 | December 15, 2022 | December 15, 2022 | December 15, 2022 |
EB-5 Unreserved | Current | December 1, 2016 | December 1, 2023 | Current | Current |
Dates for Filing — October 2026
Category | All Other | China | India | Mexico | Philippines |
EB-1 | Current | July 1, 2024 | July 1, 2024 | Current | Current |
EB-2 | March 15, 2026 | January 1, 2023 | January 15, 2015 | March 15, 2026 | March 15, 2026 |
EB-3 Professionals | August 1, 2024 | April 1, 2024 | January 15, 2015 | August 1, 2024 | January 1, 2024 |
EB-3 Other Workers | June 1, 2022 | October 1, 2020 | January 15, 2015 | June 1, 2022 | June 1, 2022 |
EB-4 | January 1, 2025 | January 1, 2025 | January 1, 2025 | January 1, 2025 | January 1, 2025 |
EB-5 Unreserved | Current | March 1, 2021 | May 1, 2024 | Current | Current |
The EB-5 set-aside categories — Rural, High Unemployment, and Infrastructure — remain current for all countries in both charts.
What This Means for Applicants
China EB-3 applicants with priority dates before April 1, 2024 can now file adjustment applications, a window that opened by more than two years in a single month.
China EB-5 investors benefit from a four-year advancement on the Dates for Filing chart, allowing filings that were previously blocked.
India EB-2 applicants with priority dates before November 1, 2013 can resume final adjudication, while those before January 15, 2015 may file.
Worldwide applicants in EB-2 and EB-3 face new cut-offs where none existed before. Those with priority dates after the new Final Action Dates will need to wait for future advancement.
All applicants should verify current filing eligibility on the USCIS Visa Bulletin information page before submitting adjustment applications, as chart usage can change monthly.
Quick Reference Summary
Aspect | Detail |
Bulletin Month | October 2026 (FY 2027 first month) |
USCIS Filing Chart | Dates for Filing |
China EB-3 Advancement | Over two years (Dates for Filing) |
India EB-2 Status | Reopened at November 1, 2013 |
Worldwide EB-2 | Retrogressed to January 1, 2025 |
Worldwide EB-3 | Retrogressed to May 15, 2024 |
EB-5 Set-Asides | Current for all countries |
Read Also
Official Resources
Resource | Link |
October 2026 Visa Bulletin (PDF) | |
USCIS – When to File Adjustment of Status | |
USCIS – Visa Bulletin Information | |
State Department – Visa Office |
For the latest immigration updates, visa policy changes, and 2026 developments worldwide, visit: visasupdate.com/blog/category/usa
VisasUpdate.com – The world's most trusted visa intelligence hub.Unlock 2026 immigration breakthroughs, digital nomad policies, and real-time fee alerts—all in one place.
Bookmark us now: visasupdate.com/news – Stay ahead. Move smarter.
Comments