The October 2026 Visa Bulletin has opened the new fiscal year with an unusual split.
Several employment-based green card categories for China and India moved forward, including the return of visa availability in two categories that had closed for India. At the same time, EB-2 and EB-3 applicants from most other countries lost ground.
The change is especially important because USCIS will let employment-based applicants use the more generous Dates for Filing chart in October. That means some people can submit Form I-485 even though their green card cannot yet receive final approval.
China Gets Some of the Largest Moves
China is the clearest winner in the October bulletin, although the size of the improvement depends on which chart you look at.
Under the filing chart, China EB-2 advances to January 1, 2023, a full year forward. EB-3 skilled workers and professionals jump to April 1, 2024, an advance of more than two years.
| Category | October Filing Date | October Final Action Date |
|---|---|---|
| China EB-1 | July 1, 2024 | July 1, 2023 |
| China EB-2 | January 1, 2023 | October 1, 2021 |
| China EB-3 | April 1, 2024 | January 8, 2022 |
| China EB-5 Unreserved | March 1, 2021 | December 1, 2016 |
China EB-5 shows why the two charts should not be confused. Someone with a qualifying priority date before March 1, 2021 may be able to file an adjustment application in October, but the October Visa Bulletin keeps the final action cutoff at December 1, 2016.
Filing earlier therefore does not mean receiving a green card immediately.
India Gets Two Categories Back
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October also ends a difficult stretch for some Indian applicants.
India EB-2 and unreserved EB-5 were listed as unavailable near the end of fiscal 2026 after their available visa numbers were exhausted. New FY 2027 numbers restore both categories.
- EB-2 India final action returns at November 1, 2013.
- EB-5 India final action returns at December 1, 2023.
- EB-1 India advances to February 1, 2023 for final action.
- India EB-2 and EB-3 filing dates are both January 15, 2015.
That is a clear improvement from the situation described in our August green card update, when India EB-2 and unreserved EB-5 had no visa numbers available.
Most Other EB-2 Applicants Move Back
The surprise comes outside China and India.
EB-2 had been current for most countries in September. In October, the final action date moves back to January 1, 2025. The filing date is now March 15, 2026.
Mexico and the Philippines follow the same EB-2 dates.
EB-3 also slips backward for most countries. The final action cutoff moves from September 1, 2024 to May 15, 2024. The filing cutoff is August 1, 2024.
The State Department says the retrogression is necessary to control visa use within FY 2027 quarterly and annual limits.
Why Would Dates Move Back When a New Fiscal Year Just Started?
October resets the annual visa allocation, but it also gives the State Department a new picture of expected demand.
The worldwide employment-based preference limit is at least 140,000 visas per year, and individual countries are also subject to statutory limits. Cutoff dates are adjusted to keep approvals within those numbers.
That is why a new fiscal year can produce large advances in one category and an immediate retreat in another.
USCIS Is Using the Dates for Filing Chart
For applicants already in the United States, one October decision is particularly useful.
USCIS has selected the Dates for Filing chart for employment-based adjustment applications. Applicants whose priority date falls before the listed filing cutoff can submit Form I-485 if they meet the other eligibility requirements.
The agency explains the difference between the two charts on its Visa Bulletin filing page.
Filing Date and Approval Date Are Not the Same
A filing date answers one question: when can an eligible applicant submit the adjustment application?
The Final Action Date answers another: when is a visa number available for final approval?
An applicant can therefore have a pending I-485 for months or years before the priority date becomes current for final action. Our report on USCIS processing delays explains how visa availability adds another waiting period on top of agency processing time.
EB-4 Makes a Large Jump Too
One less discussed change affects EB-4.
The filing date advances to January 1, 2025 for all listed countries, compared with January 2023 previously. The final action date remains December 15, 2022.
The Certain Religious Workers category has also been extended through December 11, 2026 after legislation signed in September.
October Gives Some Applicants a Filing Window, Not a Green Card
The October bulletin is positive for many Chinese applicants and restores movement for India EB-2 and EB-5 after both categories ran out of numbers late in FY 2026.
The picture is less favorable for EB-2 and EB-3 applicants from most other countries, where new cutoffs replace dates that had been current or further ahead.
The practical date to watch depends on what stage the case has reached. Applicants preparing an I-485 need the October filing chart. Cases waiting for final approval still depend on the much earlier Final Action Dates.
More people can enter the final stage of the green card process, but many will still be waiting when the month ends.
