The U.S. Department of State has released the October 2026 Visa Bulletin, marking the start of the new federal fiscal year. October is always a significant month for employment-based immigration, as all annual visa numbers reset. This reset frequently results in forward movement for many categories, though some categories also see retrogressions as the new year begins. Below is a summary of the key changes affecting employment-based and family-based preference categories.
Employment-Based Preference Categories
EB-1: Priority Workers
For EB-1, all chargeability areas remain current, meaning there is no backlog for most applicants. China and India continue to have priority dates rather than being current:
• China: Advances to August 1, 2022
• India: Advances to January 15, 2020
These movements provide some relief for Chinese and Indian nationals with approved EB-1 petitions who have been waiting for a visa number to become available.
EB-2: Professionals Holding Advanced Degrees or Exceptional Ability
Important note for All Other Countries: EB-2 All Chargeability Areas retrogressess to January 1, 2025. The September 2026 bulletin had this category as Current (C), meaning there was no backlog. With the new fiscal year, a cutoff date has been imposed. Applicants who were current in September will now need to monitor their priority date against this new cutoff.
• China: Advances to November 1, 2019
• India: Advances to October 1, 2012
• All Other Countries: Retrogressess to January 1, 2025 (was Current in September 2026)
Applicants with approved EB-2 petitions in the All Other Countries category should confirm their priority date against the January 1, 2025 cutoff before taking any action.
EB-3: Skilled Workers and Professionals
EB-3 sees mixed movement across countries:
• China: Advances to January 1, 2020
• India: Advances to July 1, 2012
• All Other Countries: Advances to October 1, 2023
These advances are welcome news for EB-3 applicants who have been waiting through multi-year backlogs.
EB-3: Other Workers
The Other Workers subcategory generally follows EB-3 trends:
• China: Advances to October 1, 2019 (was May 1, 2019 in September 2026)
• India: Advances to July 1, 2012
• All Other Countries: Advances to October 1, 2023
EB-4: Certain Special Immigrants
All countries advance from October 15, 2022 to December 15, 2022. The Certain Religious Workers (SR) category is also at December 15, 2022.
EB-5: Immigrant Investors
EB-5 unreserved categories see the following movement:
• China: Advances to June 15, 2016
• India: Remains at January 1, 2020
• All Other Countries: Remains Current
The reserved set-aside categories (Rural, High Unemployment, Infrastructure) remain Current for all chargeability areas.
Family-Based Preference Categories
F1: Unmarried Sons and Daughters of U.S. Citizens
• All Chargeability Areas: Advances to May 15, 2018
• Mexico: Advances to September 8, 2008
• Philippines: Advances to October 8, 2015
F2A: Spouses and Children of Permanent Residents
• All Chargeability Areas: Advances to June 8, 2024
• Mexico: Advances to June 8, 2024
F2A continues to move forward, which is encouraging for this high-demand category.
F2B: Unmarried Sons and Daughters (21 or older) of Permanent Residents
• All Chargeability Areas: Advances to November 1, 2019
• Mexico: Advances to March 1, 2005
• Philippines: Advances to August 15, 2013
F3: Married Sons and Daughters of U.S. Citizens
• All Chargeability Areas: Advances to July 1, 2013
• Mexico: Advances to October 15, 2000
• Philippines: Advances to November 15, 2003
F4: Brothers and Sisters of U.S. Citizens
• All Chargeability Areas: Advances to November 15, 2010
• Mexico: Advances to April 22, 2001
• Philippines: Advances to July 8, 2004
What This Means for Applicants
The start of the new fiscal year typically brings a combination of forward movement and retrogressions as annual visa numbers reset. The most notable development in the October 2026 bulletin is the retrogression of EB-2 All Chargeability Areas, which was Current in September 2026 and now carries a January 1, 2025 priority date cutoff. Applicants in this category should review their situation carefully.
On the positive side, EB-1, EB-3, and EB-4 all show forward movement for most countries, and family-based categories across the board continue to advance, though the pace varies significantly by country of birth.
Applicants should also be aware that USCIS may accept filings based on the Dates for Filing chart rather than the Final Action Dates chart for certain categories, depending on whether USCIS issues an announcement permitting this. Always confirm which chart applies before filing.
Questions About Your Priority Date?
Understanding how the Visa Bulletin affects your specific case depends on your category, your country of birth, and when your petition was approved. If you have questions about your priority date or what the October 2026 bulletin means for your timeline, contact NPZ Law Group.
Call us at 201-670-0006 x104 or visit visaserve.com to schedule a consultation. Our immigration attorneys are here to help you understand your options and plan your next step.