Department of State has released its September 2026 Visa Bulletin, setting out when family-sponsored and employment-based green card applicants may move forward with their cases. September is the final month of fiscal year 2026, and the department warned that several employment-based categories could face further restrictions before September 30 if their annual visa limits are reached. The categories under particular pressure include EB-1 India, EB-2 and unreserved EB-5.
The bulletin contains a Final Action Dates chart, which determines when a visa number may be issued, and a Dates for Filing chart, which can allow applicants to submit documents earlier. People applying for adjustment of status through U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services must use the chart USCIS designates for September.
USCIS says it permits use of the Dates for Filing chart when it determines that more immigrant visas are available than there are known applicants; otherwise, applicants must use Final Action Dates. As of August 22, USCIS had not posted its September chart selection. In either chart, an applicant’s priority date must be earlier than the listed cutoff.
The F2A category, covering spouses and children of lawful permanent residents, remains among the most favorable family-sponsored categories. Its September final-action date is August 22, 2026, for most countries, including China, India and the Philippines. Mexico has a cutoff of August 22, 2025.
F2A is Current worldwide in the Dates for Filing chart. Applicants seeking adjustment of status can use that chart only if USCIS authorizes it for September. Other family-sponsored final-action dates include: Mexico, India and the Philippines have separate, generally older dates in several categories because of country-specific demand.
In the EB-1 category for priority workers, visa numbers remain current for most countries. China has a final-action date of July 1, 2023, while India is at October 15, 2022. EB-2 is current for most countries, but China has a final-action date of September 1, 2021 and India is Unavailable.
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