The Department of State has released the October 2026 Visa Bulletin. D&S provides a monthly summary of the employment-based priority dates. In October 2026, USCIS will accept employment-based adjustment of status applications based on the Dates for Filing for Employment-Based Preference Cases chart.
To be eligible to file an adjustment of status application in October 2026, foreign nationals must have a priority date that is earlier than the applicable date listed on the Dates for Filing chart.
This visa bulletin marks the beginning of the new fiscal year, which has results in significant forward movement in many categories.
| Employment-Based | All Chargeability Areas Except Those Listed | China-mainland born | India | Mexico | Philippines |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | C | 01JUL23 | 01FEB23 | C | C |
| 2nd | 01JAN25 | 01OCT21 | 01NOV13 | 01JAN25 | 01JAN25 |
| 3rd | 15MAY24 | 08JAN22 | 01JAN14 | 15MAY24 | 15AUG23 |
| Other Workers | 01JAN22 | 01OCT19 | 01JAN14 | 01JAN22 | 01JAN22 |
| 4th | 15DEC22 | 15DEC22 | 15DEC22 | 15DEC22 | 15DEC22 |
| Certain Religious Workers | 15DEC22 | 15DEC22 | 15DEC22 | 15DEC22 | 15DEC22 |
| 5th Unreserved (including C5, T5, I5, R5, NU, RU) |
C | 01DEC16 | 01DEC23 | C | C |
| 5th Set Aside: Rural (20%, including NR, RR) |
C | C | C | C | C |
| 5th Set Aside: High Unemployment (10%, including NH, RH) |
C | C | C | C | C |
| 5th Set Aside: Infrastructure (2%, including RI) |
C | C | C | C | C |
| Employment-Based | All Chargeability Areas Except Those Listed | China-mainland born | India | Mexico | Philippines |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | C | 01JUL24 | 01JUL24 | C | C |
| 2nd | 15MAR26 | 01JAN23 | 15JAN15 | 15MAR26 | 15MAR26 |
| 3rd | 01AUG24 | 01APR24 | 15JAN15 | 01AUG24 | 01JAN24 |
| Other Workers | 01JUN22 | 01OCT20 | 15JAN15 | 01JUN22 | 01JUN22 |
| 4th | 01JAN25 | 01JAN25 | 01JAN25 | 01JAN25 | 01JAN25 |
| Certain Religious Workers | 01JAN25 | 01JAN25 | 01JAN25 | 01JAN25 | 01JAN25 |
| 5th Unreserved (including C5, T5, I5, R5) |
C | 01MAR21 | 01MAY24 | C | C |
| 5th Set Aside: (Rural: NR, RR - 20%) |
C | C | C | C | C |
| 5th Set Aside: (High Unemployment: NH, RH - 10%) |
C | C | C | C | C |
| 5th Set Aside: (Infrastructure: RI - 2%) |
C | C | C | C | C |
| Family-Sponsored | All Chargeability Areas Except Those Listed | China-mainland born | India | Mexico | Philippines |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| F1 | 22JAN20 | 22JAN20 | 22JAN20 | 08SEP08 | 01NOV13 |
| F2A | 22SEP26 | 22SEP26 | 22SEP26 | 22MAR26 | 22SEP26 |
| F2B | 22AUG19 | 22AUG19 | 22AUG19 | 15MAY10 | 01OCT13 |
| F3 | 22OCT14 | 22OCT14 | 22OCT14 | 01JUL01 | 22JUL06 |
| F4 | 22OCT11 | 22OCT11 | 15DEC06 | 22APR01 | 15MAY08 |
| Family-Sponsored | All Chargeability Areas Except Those Listed | China-mainland born | India | Mexico | Philippines |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| F1 | 01FEB20 | 01FEB20 | 01FEB20 | 01DEC08 | 22APR15 |
| F2A | C | C | C | C | C |
| F2B | 01SEP19 | 01SEP19 | 01SEP19 | 22MAR11 | 01OCT14 |
| F3 | 01NOV14 | 01NOV14 | 01NOV14 | 01DEC02 | 22OCT06 |
| F4 | 01NOV11 | 01NOV11 | 01FEB07 | 30APR01 | 22MAR09 |
The EB-1 Date for Filing for India and China is July 1, 2024. All other countries will remain current.
The EB-2 Date for Filing for India is January 15, 2015 and the Date for Filing for China is January 1, 2023. The Date for Filing for all other countries is March 15, 2026.
The EB-3 Professional/Skilled Worker Date for Filing for India is January 15, 2015, and the Date for Filing for China is April 1, 2024. The Date for Filing for the Philippines is January 1, 2024. The Date for Filing for all other countries is August 1, 2024. The EB-3 Other Workers Date for Filing for India is January 15, 2015. The Date for Filing for China is October 1, 2020 and the Date for Filing for all other countries is June 1, 2022.
The EB-4 Date for Filing for all countries is January 1, 2025. The Certain Religious Workers Date for Filing is likewise January 1, 2025.
With respect to the EB-5 Unreserved categories, the Date for Filing for India is May 1, 2024 and the Date for Filing for China is March 1, 2024. All other countries will remain current. The EB-5 set-aside categories (Rural, High Unemployment, and Infrastructure) will also remain current for all countries.