October 2026 visa bulletin changes

On 25 September 2026, the U.S. Department of State released the Visa Bulletin for October 2026, marking the beginning of the new fiscal year. The bulletin introduces significant adjustments to the Final Action Dates and Dates for Filing for several employment-based preference categories. Most notably, the EB-2 and EB-3 categories for applicants born in India and China have experienced substantial retrogression, reflecting a high volume of pending applications and the exhaustion of available visa numbers from the previous fiscal year. The October 2026 update indicates that while some categories remain current for "All Chargeability Areas Except Those Listed," the specific backlogs for high-demand countries have tightened considerably. Immigration experts advise applicants to carefully review the "Dates for Filing" chart, as U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has confirmed it will accept Form I-485 filings based on these dates for the month of October. This bulletin serves as a critical update for foreign nationals navigating the permanent residency process, highlighting the ongoing challenges posed by statutory visa caps and the persistent demand for employment-based green cards.