U.S. Visa Bulletin October 2026: What the New FY2027 Cutoff Dates Mean for Green Card Applicants

The first Visa Bulletin of fiscal year 2027 brings forward movement in several categories, but also new retrogressions for some employment-based applicants.

The U.S. Department of State has released the October 2026 Visa Bulletin, marking the beginning of fiscal year 2027 and setting new priority date cutoffs for family-sponsored and employment-based immigrant visa categories.

For applicants waiting for a U.S. green card, the October bulletin brings a mixed picture. Several family-sponsored categories moved forward, while employment-based categories saw both significant advances and new retrogressions. For applicants from countries generally included under the “All Chargeability Areas Except Those Listed” column, including many applicants from Africa and other regions, EB-2 moved forward to January 1, 2025, while EB-3 moved backward to May 15, 2024. EB-1 remains Current for most countries.

The October bulletin also marks the start of FY2027, with a worldwide employment-based preference level of at least 140,000 and an annual family-sponsored preference minimum of 226,000. The Department of State notes that some employment-based categories for Rest of World applicants have retrogressed as it manages visa issuance within the new fiscal year’s quarterly and annual limits.

Before looking at the numbers, it is important to remember that Final Action Dates and Dates for Filing serve different purposes. The Final Action Dates chart determines when visa numbers may be authorized, while the Dates for Filing chart may allow eligible applicants to begin submitting documentation or adjustment applications earlier when USCIS authorizes its use. Applicants filing adjustment of status with USCIS should check the USCIS Visa Bulletin information page to confirm which chart applies for October.

Family-Sponsored Categories

Family-sponsored preference categories cover several family relationships, including unmarried adult sons and daughters of U.S. citizens, spouses and children of permanent residents, married sons and daughters of U.S. citizens, and siblings of adult U.S. citizens.

October brings forward movement in several family categories, although the amount of movement varies significantly by country and category.

Final Action Dates: Family-Sponsored

The most notable movement appears in several Mexico and Philippines categories.

For Mexico, the F1 cutoff advances to September 8, 2008, F2B advances to May 15, 2010, and F4 moves to April 22, 2001. For the Philippines, F1 advances to November 1, 2013, F2B to October 1, 2013, F3 to July 22, 2006, and F4 to May 15, 2008.

F2A also advances for most applicants. Its Final Action Date moves to September 22, 2026 for applicants chargeable to most countries, China, India, and the Philippines. Mexico remains significantly further behind, with a March 22, 2026 cutoff.

The bulletin also provides a specific explanation for F2A. Numbers exempt from the per-country limit are available worldwide to applicants with priority dates earlier than March 22, 2026. Numbers subject to the per-country limit are available to applicants from countries other than Mexico with priority dates beginning March 22, 2026 and earlier than September 22, 2026. Mexico’s F2A numbers are exempt from the per-country limit.

Dates for Filing: Family-Sponsored

F2A remains Current on the Dates for Filing chart for every listed country. That means there is no priority-date cutoff on this particular chart. However, applicants seeking adjustment of status must still confirm that USCIS has authorized the Dates for Filing chart for October before relying on it for filing.

The Dates for Filing chart also shows additional forward movement in Mexico and the Philippines, particularly in F2B, F3, and F4.

Employment-Based Categories

For employment-based applicants, October presents a more complicated picture.

The beginning of FY2027 brings meaningful forward movement in EB-1 and EB-2, including for applicants chargeable to India and several other countries. At the same time, EB-3 and Other Workers have retrogressed for applicants in the Rest of World column and some separately listed countries.

The Department of State explains that these retrogressions are being made to keep visa issuances within the quarterly and annual limits for FY2027 and notes that the situation will continue to be monitored.

Final Action Dates: Employment-Based

EB-1: Current for Most Countries

EB-1 remains Current for applicants from the All Countries, Mexico, and Philippines columns. China remains at July 1, 2023, while India’s EB-1 Final Action Date advances significantly to February 1, 2023.

For applicants chargeable to countries other than those separately listed, the Current status means immigrant visa numbers are authorized for qualified applicants regardless of priority date, subject to the other requirements of the applicable immigrant category.

For professionals considering pathways such as EB-1A, this is an important October development. However, being Current does not itself establish eligibility for EB-1A. Applicants must still qualify under the requirements of the relevant immigrant category.

EB-2: A Major Advance for Rest of World Applicants

EB-2 is one of the most significant areas of movement in the October bulletin.

For applicants in the All Countries, Mexico, and Philippines columns, the Final Action Date advances to January 1, 2025. China advances to October 1, 2021, while India’s cutoff moves from Unavailable at the end of FY2026 to November 1, 2013.

This is particularly relevant for professionals pursuing employment-based second preference pathways, including cases based on advanced degrees or exceptional ability.

For applicants from countries in the All Chargeability Areas Except Those Listed column, the January 1, 2025 Final Action Date means that applicants with priority dates earlier than January 1, 2025 may have visa numbers authorized, subject to the applicable requirements and procedures.

The Dates for Filing chart is also considerably more generous in some EB-2 categories, with applicants from the All Countries, Mexico, and Philippines columns listed at March 15, 2026. China is at January 1, 2023, while India is at January 15, 2015.

Applicants filing adjustment of status should check USCIS’s October chart selection before relying on the Dates for Filing cutoff.

EB-3: A Step Back for Rest of World

EB-3 presents a different picture.

For applicants in the All Countries column, the Skilled Workers and Professionals cutoff moves backward from September 1, 2024 in September to May 15, 2024 in October. Mexico also moves to May 15, 2024. China advances slightly to January 8, 2022, while the Philippines moves to August 15, 2023. India’s date remains January 1, 2014.

The bulletin specifically states that some employment-based categories for Rest of World countries have retrogressed because the Department is managing visa issuances within FY2027 quarterly and annual limits.

This means applicants who appeared eligible to move forward under September’s EB-3 dates may now face a longer wait depending on their priority date.

EB-3 Other Workers: Another Retrogression

The Other Workers category also moves backward for Rest of World applicants.

The Final Action Date for the All Countries column moves from April 1, 2022 to January 1, 2022. Mexico follows the same January 1, 2022 cutoff, while China advances to October 1, 2019 and the Philippines moves to January 1, 2022. India’s cutoff remains January 1, 2014.

This reinforces the broader October theme: the employment-based system is not moving uniformly. Some categories have advanced substantially while others have been pushed backward to keep visa usage within the fiscal year’s limits.

EB-4 and Religious Workers

The standard EB-4 Final Action Date remains December 15, 2022 for all listed chargeability areas. The Certain Religious Workers category carries the same date in October.

The bulletin also notes that H.R. 6500, signed on September 2, 2026, extends the Certain Religious Workers category through December 11, 2026. The category remains subject to the same applicable Final Action and Dates for Filing cutoffs as the other EB-4 categories.

EB-5: India Becomes Available Again

EB-5 Unreserved is Current for applicants in the All Countries, Mexico, and Philippines columns. China remains at December 1, 2016.

India’s EB-5 Unreserved category, which was Unavailable in September, now has a December 1, 2023 Final Action Date.

The EB-5 Rural, High Unemployment Area, and Infrastructure set-aside categories remain Current across all listed chargeability areas.

Dates for Filing: Employment-Based

The Dates for Filing chart shows especially large advances in EB-1 and EB-2 for China and India. EB-1 moves to July 1, 2024 for both China and India, while EB-2 moves to January 1, 2023 for China and remains January 15, 2015 for India.

At the same time, EB-3 Skilled Workers and Professionals is listed at August 1, 2024 for the All Countries and Mexico columns, while EB-3 Other Workers moves back to June 1, 2022 for those same columns.

Again, applicants adjusting status inside the United States should verify USCIS’s October chart selection before using these Dates for Filing cutoffs.

What the October 2026 Visa Bulletin Means for Applicants

The October bulletin highlights an important reality about the Visa Bulletin: progress is not always linear.

The beginning of a new fiscal year has brought significant movement to several categories, particularly EB-1, EB-2, and certain family-sponsored categories. At the same time, the Department of State has retrogressed some employment-based dates to keep visa issuances within FY2027 limits.

For many applicants chargeable to countries in the Rest of World column, the key employment-based developments are:

• EB-1 remains Current.
• EB-2 advances to January 1, 2025.
• EB-3 Skilled Workers and Professionals retrogresses to May 15, 2024.
• EB-3 Other Workers retrogresses to January 1, 2022.
• EB-5 Unreserved remains Current.

For applicants pursuing an employment-based green card, the significance of a cutoff date depends on both the visa category and the applicant’s priority date.

This is particularly important for professionals pursuing pathways such as EB-1A and EB-2 NIW. A category being Current or moving forward does not replace the underlying eligibility requirements. Rather, the Visa Bulletin determines when an otherwise eligible applicant may move forward based on visa-number availability.

FY2027 Starts With New Numerical Limits

October also marks the beginning of a new fiscal year for the U.S. immigration system.

For FY2027, the INA provides an annual minimum of 226,000 family-sponsored preference immigrant visas and a worldwide employment-based preference level of at least 140,000. The statutory per-country limit is 7% of the combined family-sponsored and employment-based preference limits, which the bulletin lists as 25,620, while the dependent area limit is 2%, or 7,320.

The Department of State says the October allocations were made based on demand received through September 4, 2026. It also notes that categories can become oversubscribed and that Final Action Dates can be retrogressed when necessary.

That means October’s dates should not be treated as permanent. The Department of State is continuing to monitor demand and may make additional adjustments during FY2027.

What to Watch in the Coming Months

The October Visa Bulletin is a reminder that priority dates can move in different directions depending on category and country of chargeability.

For applicants in EB-2, the move to January 1, 2025 for the Rest of World column is an important development. For EB-1 applicants in the same column, the Current status remains significant.

For EB-3 applicants, however, the October retrogression means priority date movement cannot be assumed to continue in a straight line.

As FY2027 progresses, future Visa Bulletins will show whether these October advances hold, whether retrogressed categories recover, or whether further adjustments are necessary as demand develops.

Applicants should review their own priority date against the relevant category and chargeability area each month rather than relying on a previous month’s cutoff.

What This Means for Your U.S. Immigration Strategy

Understanding the Visa Bulletin is only one part of preparing for a U.S. immigration strategy.

For professionals considering employment-based pathways such as EB-1A or EB-2 NIW, the relevant question is not simply whether a category is Current. It is also whether the applicant qualifies for the underlying immigration category and how the priority date, filing route, and available visa numbers affect the overall strategy.

AgoraVisa helps skilled professionals and global talent understand U.S. immigration pathways and prepare stronger, well-aligned applications based on their individual profiles.

Learn more at agoravisa.com or explore your eligibility at eligibility.agoravisa.com.

Disclaimer

AgoraVisa is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice or formal legal representation. This article is for general informational purposes and is based on the U.S. Department of State’s October 2026 Visa Bulletin. Visa availability, priority dates, filing procedures, and eligibility requirements can change. For advice specific to your circumstances, consult a licensed immigration attorney.

Ademide Kolawole

Hi! I’m Ademide, a content strategist and digital marketer who loves helping brands grow through better storytelling, smarter SEO, and impactful content.

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