The March 2026 Visa Bulletin from the U.S. Department of State brings renewed momentum for many green card applicants after a slow February. While several family-based categories remain stalled, employment-based applicants are seeing meaningful forward movement — and one major category that was previously unavailable has now reopened.
If you’ve been waiting for progress, this month may finally give you an opportunity to move forward.
Why the Visa Bulletin Matters
The monthly Visa Bulletin issued by the U.S. Department of State determines when green card applicants can:
- File their application (Dates for Filing)
- Receive approval (Final Action Dates)
Here’s how it works:
- If your priority date is earlier than the Date for Filing, you can submit your application.
- If your priority date is earlier than the Final Action Date, your green card can be approved because a visa number is available.
Understanding these two charts is critical — and March brings several important changes.
Family-Sponsored Green Cards: Limited but Notable Movement
Most family-based categories remain largely unchanged, but a few saw modest improvements.
F1 – Unmarried Adult Children of U.S. Citizens
No change across most countries. Mexico remains at December 22, 2006.
F2A – Spouses and Children of Green Card Holders
- Final Action Dates remain unchanged.
- Filing Dates move forward by one month worldwide (now February 22, 2026).
This means more families can begin submitting paperwork — even though final approvals are still limited.
F2B – Unmarried Adult Children of Green Card Holders
No movement.
F3 – Married Adult Children of U.S. Citizens
- Final Action Dates unchanged.
- The Philippines sees a four-month Filing Date jump, from February 1, 2006 to June 1, 2006.
F4 – Siblings of U.S. Citizens
- Mostly frozen.
- The Philippines advances from July 22, 2006 to September 1, 2006.
Bottom line: Family categories remain slow, but certain groups — especially from the Philippines — see small but meaningful progress.
Employment-Based Green Cards: The Real Momentum Is Here
March 2026 delivers some of the strongest forward movement we’ve seen this fiscal year in employment categories.
EB-1 – Priority Workers
- China and India advance by one month (Final Action Date now March 1, 2023).
- Filing Dates jump significantly for both countries (now December 1, 2023).
- All other countries remain current.
EB-2 – Advanced Degrees / Exceptional Ability
- India moves forward two months (Final Action Date now September 15, 2013).
- Filing Dates show major improvement:
- Category becomes current worldwide (including Mexico and the Philippines).
- India advances sharply from December 1, 2013 to November 1, 2014.
This is one of the most significant updates in the entire bulletin.
EB-3 – Skilled Workers & Professionals
Broad advancement across many countries:
Final Action Dates
- Most countries move from June 1, 2023 to October 1, 2023.
- Philippines advances to August 1, 2023.
- China and India remain unchanged.
Filing Dates
- Most countries move to January 15, 2024.
- China and India remain frozen.
EB-3 – Other Workers
- Final Action Dates advance two months for most countries.
- Filing Dates move significantly to June 22, 2022.
- India and China remain unchanged.
EB-4 – Special Immigrants (Major Shift)
This category saw one of the biggest improvements:
- Final Action Dates advance to July 15, 2021.
- Filing Dates jump dramatically to January 1, 2023.
Religious Workers — Reopened
After being unavailable in February, the Certain Religious Workers category is now restored:
- Final Action Date: July 15, 2021
- Filing Date: January 1, 2023
This reopening is one of the most important developments in March.
EB-5 – Investor Visas
- China sees a small Filing Date advance.
- India remains unchanged.
- Set-aside categories remain current.
What This Means for You
March 2026 marks the strongest forward movement so far this fiscal year, especially for:
- EB-2 applicants (worldwide current status)
- EB-3 applicants (broad advancement)
- EB-4 and religious workers (major reopening)
- Applicants from India and China in select employment categories
If your priority date is now current — even just for filing — this may be your opportunity to act.
Visa categories can retrogress without warning. Waiting too long could mean missing your window.
Ready to Move Forward?
Don’t risk delays, errors, or missed filing opportunities.
Check which forms you need and start your green card process today:
https://www.immigrationdirect.com/uscis-forms-directory/
If March 2026 made your category current, now is the time to file.
Your opportunity could be here — make sure you don’t miss it.
