Quick Answer: October 2026 Visa Bulletin
The U.S. Department of State has released the October 2026 Visa Bulletin with updated cutoff dates for family-sponsored and employment-based green card categories.
If you are filing Form I-485 with USCIS, check the USCIS-designated chart for October 2026 before determining whether your priority date allows you to file. Compare your priority date with the applicable cutoff date for your visa category and country of chargeability.
For applicants filing Form I-485 with USCIS in October 2026, USCIS has designated the following charts:
- Family-sponsored preference categories: Use the Dates for Filing chart.
- Employment-based preference categories: Use the Dates for Filing chart.
Final Action Dates still determine when an immigrant visa number is available for final action, including when USCIS may approve an adjustment-of-status application.
Before reviewing the tables below, identify your visa category and compare your priority date with the correct chart.
Key Updates in the October 2026 U.S. Visa Bulletin
October 2026 begins fiscal year 2027. Compared with September, family-sponsored filing-date movement is concentrated in Mexico, the Philippines, and F4 India, while employment-based filing dates show a mix of advances and retrogressions.
Family-Based Updates from September to October 2026
Comparing the September and October Dates for Filing charts:
- F1: No change across any listed country or chargeability area.
- F2A: Remains Current (C) across all countries.
- F2B: Mexico advances from May 15, 2010, to March 22, 2011, and the Philippines advances from October 1, 2013, to October 1, 2014. Other listed dates remain unchanged.
- F3: Mexico advances from July 15, 2001, to December 1, 2002, and the Philippines advances from August 8, 2006, to October 22, 2006. Other listed dates remain unchanged.
- F4: India advances from December 15, 2006, to February 1, 2007, and the Philippines advances from March 22, 2008, to March 22, 2009. Other listed dates remain unchanged.
Employment-Based Updates from September to October 2026
For October 2026, USCIS has designated the Dates for Filing chart for employment-based adjustment-of-status applicants. In September, employment-based applicants were required to use Final Action Dates.
Comparing the September and October employment-based Dates for Filing charts:
- EB-1: China and India advance from December 1, 2023, to July 1, 2024. All Other Areas, Mexico, and the Philippines remain Current.
- EB-2: China advances from January 1, 2022, to January 1, 2023, while India remains at January 15, 2015. All Other Areas, Mexico, and the Philippines retrogress from Current to March 15, 2026.
- EB-3: China advances from January 8, 2022, to April 1, 2024. India remains at January 15, 2015, and the Philippines remains at January 1, 2024. All Other Areas and Mexico retrogress from Current to August 1, 2024.
- EB-3 Other Workers: China advances from October 1, 2019, to October 1, 2020. India remains at January 15, 2015. All Other Areas, Mexico, and the Philippines move back from August 1, 2022, to June 1, 2022.
- EB-4: Advances from January 1, 2023, to January 1, 2025, for all countries.
- Certain Religious Workers: Advances from January 1, 2023, to January 1, 2025, for all countries.
- EB-5 Unreserved: China advances from March 1, 2017, to March 1, 2021. India remains at May 1, 2024. All Other Areas, Mexico, and the Philippines remain Current.
- EB-5 Set-Aside categories: Rural, High Unemployment, and Infrastructure remain Current across all countries.
October also marks the beginning of fiscal year 2027. The Department of State says the availability of FY2027 immigrant visa numbers allowed filing and final action dates to advance in several categories, while some employment-based dates for Rest of World countries retrogressed to keep visa use within quarterly and annual limits.
The Certain Religious Workers (SR) category has been extended through December 11, 2026 and uses the same filing and final action dates as the other EB-4 categories for the applicable country of chargeability.
The tables below show the October 2026 Final Action Dates and Dates for Filing.
Official source: U.S. Department of State – Visa Bulletin for October 2026
Need help understanding the cutoff dates and charts? Read our guide on How to Read the U.S. Visa Bulletin.
Family-Sponsored Preferences
Final Action Dates for Family-Sponsored Applications (October 2026)
| Family-Sponsored Categories | All Other Areas | CHINA (Mainland Born) | INDIA | MEXICO | PHILIPPINES |
| F1 | 22JAN20 | 22JAN20 | 22JAN20 | 08SEP08 | 01NOV13 |
| F2A | 22SEP26 | 22SEP26 | 22SEP26 | 22MAR26 | 22SEP26 |
| F2B | 22AUG19 | 22AUG19 | 22AUG19 | 15MAY10 | 01OCT13 |
| F3 | 22OCT14 | 22OCT14 | 22OCT14 | 01JUL01 | 22JUL06 |
| F4 | 22OCT11 | 22OCT11 | 15DEC06 | 22APR01 | 15MAY08 |
For October, F2A numbers exempt from the per-country limit are available to 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 all countries except Mexico with priority dates beginning March 22, 2026 and earlier than September 22, 2026.
All F2A numbers provided for Mexico are exempt from the per-country limit.
Dates For Filing Family-Sponsored Applications (October 2026)
| Family-Sponsored Categories | All Other Areas | CHINA (Mainland Born) | INDIA | MEXICO | PHILIPPINES |
| F1 | 01FEB20 | 01FEB20 | 01FEB20 | 01DEC08 | 22APR15 |
| F2A | C | C | C | C | C |
| F2B | 01SEP19 | 01SEP19 | 01SEP19 | 22MAR11 | 01OCT14 |
| F3 | 01NOV14 | 01NOV14 | 01NOV14 | 01DEC02 | 22OCT06 |
| F4 | 01NOV11 | 01NOV11 | 01FEB07 | 30APR01 | 22MAR09 |
Employment-Based Preferences
Final Action Dates For Employment-Based Applications (October 2026)
| Employment-Based Categories | All Other Areas | CHINA (Mainland Born) | INDIA | MEXICO | PHILIPPINES |
| 1st | C | 01JUL23 | 01FEB23 | C | C |
| 2nd | 01JAN25 | 01OCT21 | 01NOV13 | 01JAN25 | 01JAN25 |
| 3rd | 15MAY24 | 08JAN22 | 01JAN14 | 15MAY24 | 15AUG23 |
| Other Workers | 01JAN22 | 01OCT19 | 01JAN14 | 01JAN22 | 01JAN22 |
| 4th | 15DEC22 | 15DEC22 | 15DEC22 | 15DEC22 | 15DEC22 |
| Certain Religious Workers | 15DEC22 | 15DEC22 | 15DEC22 | 15DEC22 | 15DEC22 |
| 5th Unreserved (including C5, T5, I5, R5, NU, RU) | C | 01DEC16 | 01DEC23 | C | C |
| 5th Set Aside: Rural (20%) | C | C | C | C | C |
| 5th Set Aside: High Unemployment (10%) | C | C | C | C | C |
| 5th Set Aside: Infrastructure (2%) | C | C | C | C | C |
Dates for Filing Employment-Based Applications (October 2026)
| Employment-Based Categories | All Other Areas | CHINA (Mainland Born) | INDIA | MEXICO | PHILIPPINES |
| 1st | C | 01JUL24 | 01JUL24 | C | C |
| 2nd | 15MAR26 | 01JAN23 | 15JAN15 | 15MAR26 | 15MAR26 |
| 3rd | 01AUG24 | 01APR24 | 15JAN15 | 01AUG24 | 01JAN24 |
| Other Workers | 01JUN22 | 01OCT20 | 15JAN15 | 01JUN22 | 01JUN22 |
| 4th | 01JAN25 | 01JAN25 | 01JAN25 | 01JAN25 | 01JAN25 |
| Certain Religious Workers | 01JAN25 | 01JAN25 | 01JAN25 | 01JAN25 | 01JAN25 |
| 5th Unreserved (including C5, T5, I5, R5) | C | 01MAR21 | 01MAY24 | C | C |
| 5th Set Aside: Rural (20%) | C | C | C | C | C |
| 5th Set Aside: High Unemployment (10%) | C | C | C | C | C |
| 5th Set Aside: Infrastructure (2%) | C | C | C | C | C |
Is your priority date current?
If you may be eligible to file Form I-485, ImmigrationDirect can help you prepare your application with guided form support.
October 2026 Visa Bulletin: Which Chart Should You Use to File Form I-485?
If you are applying for a green card from inside the United States through adjustment of status using Form I-485, USCIS determines which Visa Bulletin chart you must use each month.
For October 2026, USCIS directs both family-sponsored and employment-based preference applicants to use the Dates for Filing chart to determine whether their priority date allows them to file Form I-485.
To check your filing date:
- Identify your family-sponsored or employment-based visa category.
- Identify your country of chargeability.
- Find your category in the applicable October 2026 Dates for Filing chart.
- Compare your priority date with the listed cutoff date.
If your priority date is earlier than the listed cutoff date, or your category is marked Current (C), you may be able to file Form I-485 if you meet the other applicable USCIS requirements.
The Final Action Dates chart serves a different purpose. A visa number generally must be available under the Final Action Dates chart before USCIS can approve a preference-based adjustment-of-status application.
Ready to prepare your green card application?
Get guided support for preparing your immigration forms and organizing your supporting information to help reduce common filing mistakes.
Understanding Chart Notations
- C (Current): There is no priority-date cutoff for the category in that chart.
- U (Unauthorized): Visa numbers are not authorized for issuance in that category.
Listed cutoff date: Your priority date generally must be earlier than the listed date for the purpose represented by that chart.
Want to estimate next steps after your date becomes current? See our guide to green card processing times.
When and How to Check the Visa Bulletin
The U.S. Department of State publishes a new Visa Bulletin each month to show whether green card applicants can move forward based on visa availability and priority dates.
To avoid missing filing opportunities, review the latest bulletin monthly and compare your priority date using the correct USCIS filing chart for that month.
If you’re unsure how to read cutoff dates, determine whether your priority date is current, or understand the difference between Final Action Dates and Dates for Filing, read our detailed guide:
Related: How to Read the U.S. Visa Bulletin (2026 Guide)
Once you understand how to read the bulletin, return to the October 2026 tables above and compare your priority date with the applicable chart.
Ready to prepare Form I-485?
Use ImmigrationDirect’s guided form-preparation service.
FAQs About Visa Bulletin
What is the October 2026 Visa Bulletin?
The October 2026 Visa Bulletin is a monthly publication from the U.S. Department of State that lists cutoff dates for family-sponsored and employment-based immigrant visa categories.
Does the Visa Bulletin apply to immediate relatives of U.S. citizens?
No. Immediate relatives—spouses and unmarried children under 21 of U.S. citizens, and parents of U.S. citizens who are at least 21—are not subject to the family-preference numerical limits reflected in these cutoff-date charts.
What if my date is current under Dates for Filing but not Final Action Dates?
If USCIS allows your category to use Dates for Filing and your priority date is earlier than the listed filing date, you may be able to file Form I-485 if otherwise eligible. USCIS generally cannot approve the application until a visa number is available under Final Action Dates.
Can Visa Bulletin cutoff dates move backward?
Yes. This is called retrogression. DOS may move a cutoff date backward when demand or visa use requires it to stay within annual or quarterly numerical limits. The October 2026 bulletin itself includes retrogression in some Rest of World employment categories.
Does a current priority date guarantee green card approval?
No. A current priority date addresses visa availability. You must still meet the eligibility and admissibility requirements that apply to your green card application, and USCIS makes the final decision.
