United States | October 2026 Visa Bulletin: India and China advance in certain categories amid worldwide retrogression

The U.S. State Department has released the October 2026 Visa Bulletin. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services announced filings for employment-based visa preference categories must use the Dates for Filing chart in the October Bulletin.

Dates for Filing cutoff dates determine when a foreign national may submit an adjustment of status application to USCIS. To file an employment-based adjustment application in October, a foreign national’s priority date must be earlier than the applicable Dates for Filing cutoff date listed below for their preference category and country of chargeability.

Dates for Filing chart category movement: 

EB-1 visa

• China EB-1 visa Dates for Filing will advance seven months, with a cutoff date of July 1, 2024.
• India EB-1 visa Dates for Filing will advance seven months, with a cutoff date of July 1, 2024.
• For all other countries under the EB-1 visa category, including Mexico and the Philippines, Dates for Filing remain current.

EB-2 visa

• China EB-2 visa Dates for Filing will advance one year, with a cutoff date of Jan. 1, 2023.
• India EB-2 visa Dates for Filing will remain the same, with a cutoff date of Jan. 15, 2015.
• For all other countries under the EB-2 visa category, including Mexico and the Philippines, Dates for Filing will retrogress six-and-a-half months, to March 15, 2026.

EB-3 visa

• China EB-3 visa Dates for Filing will advance almost two years and three months, with a cutoff date of April 1, 2024.
• India EB-3 visa Dates for Filing remain the same, with a cutoff date of Jan. 15, 2015.
• For all other countries under the EB-3 visa category and Mexico, the Dates for Filing will retrogress two years and two months, with a cutoff date of Aug. 1, 2024. Dates for Filing for the Philippines remain the same, with a cutoff date of Jan. 1, 2024.

EB-5 visa (unreserved)

• China EB-5 visa Dates for Filing will advance four years, with a cutoff date of March 1, 2021.
• India EB-5 visa Dates for Filing will remain the same, with a cutoff date of May 1, 2024.
• For all other countries under the EB-5 unreserved visa category, including Mexico and the Philippines, Dates for Filing remain current.

Dates for Filing chart for employment-based visa applications

Additional Information: Regarding the retrogressions for certain EB visa categories, the Department of State noted, “some employment-based visa categories for ‘Rest of World’ countries have retrogressed, and these retrogressions are necessary to keep visa issuances within FY 2027 quarterly and annual limits.  This situation is being continually monitored, and any necessary adjustments will be made accordingly.”

No Diversity Visa updates were provided in the October Visa Bulletin.

In the September 2026 Visa Bulletin, USCIS announced employment-based visa preference categories must use the Final Action Dates chart.

The Final Action Dates chart indicates who is eligible for final action (adjudication) on their permanent residence application and when a visa can be issued. Review BAL’s employer’s guide to reading the Visa Bulletin to better understand this monthly report.

This alert has been provided by the BAL U.S. Practice Group.  

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