As of September 13, 2026, the U.S. Department of State has not released the official October 2026 Visa Bulletin. The bulletin is expected in mid-September and will provide the first immigrant visa availability dates for fiscal year 2027, which begins on October 1, 2026.
October is significant because new annual visa number allocations become available at the beginning of each fiscal year. That change may restore categories that became unavailable during fiscal year 2026. It does not guarantee immediate advancement in every category.
Applicants and employers should treat all October projections as preliminary until the Department of State publishes the official bulletin.
What the October 2026 Visa Bulletin Will Determine
The Visa Bulletin establishes cutoff dates for immigrant visa categories subject to annual and per-country numerical limits. It separates applicants by:
- Preference category.
- Priority date.
- Country of chargeability.
- Final Action Dates.
- Dates for Filing.
A priority date generally establishes an applicant’s position in the immigrant visa queue. Country of chargeability usually refers to the applicant’s country of birth, subject to limited rules involving cross-chargeability.
The bulletin does not independently establish eligibility for a green card. An applicant must also satisfy the requirements of the underlying immigrant classification and the applicable adjustment of status or consular processing requirements.
The Department of State publishes the official Visa Bulletin. USCIS separately determines which chart applicants may use to file Form I-485 during each month.
Employment-Based Green Card Expectations for FY2027
Employment-based categories enter FY2027 after significant numerical pressure during the final months of FY2026. A business immigration attorney should review each pending case based on its category, country of chargeability, and priority date rather than relying on general predictions.
EB-2 India
EB-2 India became Unavailable for the remainder of FY2026 after the applicable annual and per-country limits were reached. No additional EB-2 India immigrant visa numbers are expected to be available before the fiscal year ends on September 30, 2026.
The Department of State’s July 2026 Visa Bulletin indicated that the October 2026 EB-2 India Final Action Date should advance to at least the date shown in the May 2026 bulletin: 15JUL14.
This guidance indicates that EB-2 India should reopen when FY2027 begins. It does not establish the final October cutoff date. The official October bulletin may list a date later than 15JUL14, but substantial advancement should not be assumed.
Employers and foreign national employees should prepare to evaluate:
- Approved or pending Form I-140 petitions.
- National Interest Waiver cases.
- Adjustment of status eligibility.
- Continuing job-offer requirements.
- H-1B or other nonimmigrant status expiration dates.
- Derivative spouse and child eligibility.
A category becoming available does not eliminate the requirement to prove eligibility under the EB-2 classification or adjustment of status rules.
EB-2 China
EB-2 China remained backlogged in September 2026, with a Final Action Date of 01SEP21. Applicants with priority dates later than the applicable October cutoff will remain unable to receive final approval or an immigrant visa in that month.
October may bring movement because new fiscal-year numbers become available. The extent of that movement will depend on demand, visa usage, and government allocation decisions.
EB-1 India and EB-1 China
The September 2026 employment-based baseline included the following EB-1 Final Action Dates:
- EB-1 India: 15OCT22.
- EB-1 China: 01JUL23.
- All other chargeability areas: Generally current.
Both India and China remain oversubscribed in EB-1. Applicants should not treat the beginning of FY2027 as an automatic reset to current status. New numbers may improve availability, but continued demand can limit advancement or cause later retrogression.
EB-1 eligibility is also classification-specific. Relevant categories include:
- Persons of extraordinary ability.
- Outstanding professors and researchers.
- Certain multinational executives and managers.
A current or advancing priority date does not replace the need to satisfy the substantive evidentiary requirements for the applicable classification.
Employment-Based Categories for Other Countries
Employment-based categories for the Rest of World chargeability areas are generally current or stronger than the oversubscribed India and China categories. However, “current” status remains subject to all other eligibility requirements and available visa numbers.
Employers should continue to monitor:
- EB-1, EB-2, and EB-3 category changes.
- Possible retrogression later in FY2027.
- The employee’s underlying status and work authorization.
- Changes in job duties, work location, salary, or corporate structure.
- The status of derivative family members.
An employment-based green card case requires coordination among the employer, the foreign national, human resources personnel, and immigration counsel.
Family-Based Green Card Expectations for FY2027
Family preference categories also remain subject to numerical limits. The September 2026 baseline indicates that October movement will likely be measured rather than a broad reset to current.
F2A Is the Strongest Family Preference Category
F2A covers spouses and minor children of lawful permanent residents. As of the September 2026 baseline:
- F2A was Current on the Dates for Filing chart.
- F2A was nearly current on the Final Action Dates chart.
This makes F2A the strongest family preference category entering FY2027. Eligible applicants may have an opportunity to submit documentation or, if USCIS permits use of the Dates for Filing chart, file Form I-485 before final approval becomes available.
The applicable chart must be confirmed for the specific month. USCIS, not the Department of State, determines whether family-sponsored adjustment applicants may use the Dates for Filing chart or must use the Final Action Dates chart.
Other Family Preference Categories Remain Backlogged
The September Dates for Filing baseline for most chargeability areas, excluding specifically listed countries, included:
| Category | Beneficiaries | September 2026 Dates for Filing |
|---|---|---|
| F1 | Unmarried sons and daughters of U.S. citizens | 01FEB20 |
| F2B | Unmarried sons and daughters of lawful permanent residents | 01SEP19 |
| F3 | Married sons and daughters of U.S. citizens | 01NOV14 |
| F4 | Brothers and sisters of adult U.S. citizens | 01NOV11 |
These dates reflect substantial waiting periods. The publication of a new fiscal-year bulletin may produce movement, but applicants should not assume that older priority dates will immediately become current.
Family-based applicants should also evaluate age-out risks, changes in marital status, petitioner naturalization, and derivative beneficiary eligibility. These facts can affect the preference category and the availability of a family-based green card.
How Applicants Should Prepare Before October 1
Applicants and employers should complete the following steps before the October bulletin is released:
1. Confirm the Priority Date
Review the relevant approval notice, receipt notice, or labor certification documentation. Confirm that the priority date is accurate and corresponds to the correct immigrant category.
2. Confirm the Country of Chargeability
A person’s country of birth generally controls chargeability. Limited exceptions may apply. The analysis should be completed before comparing the case with a Visa Bulletin cutoff date.
3. Compare the Case With the Correct Chart
Review both:
- The Department of State Visa Bulletin.
- USCIS’s monthly adjustment of status filing chart guidance.
For September 2026, USCIS required family-sponsored applicants to use the Dates for Filing chart and employment-based applicants to use the Final Action Dates chart. The October instructions may differ.
4. Prepare Civil Documents
Applicants should obtain and review:
- Birth certificates.
- Marriage certificates.
- Divorce decrees.
- Police certificates, when required for consular processing.
- Passports and identity documents.
- Certified translations.
- Adoption or custody records, when applicable.
- Evidence concerning prior immigration history.
Document delays can prevent timely filing even when a priority date becomes available.
5. Prepare Financial and Employment Evidence
Family-based applicants should prepare the required Form I-864 financial sponsorship evidence and supporting income documentation.
Employment-based applicants should verify:
- The continuing job offer.
- Employer financial information, when required.
- Position, duties, salary, and work location.
- Evidence supporting the approved immigrant petition.
- Maintenance of lawful status, when required.
- Employment authorization and travel document needs.
Time-Sensitive Issues Requiring Legal Review
Certain cases require review before the October bulletin is published. These include cases involving:
- Expiring H-1B, L-1, or other nonimmigrant status.
- A child approaching the age of 21.
- Travel outside the United States.
- Pending or planned Form I-485 filing.
- Possible unlawful presence or status violations.
- Changes in employment, duties, work location, or corporate ownership.
- A derivative beneficiary who may lose eligibility.
- A family petitioner who may naturalize and change the preference category.
Travel and status decisions can produce direct legal consequences. Filing Form I-485 does not automatically authorize employment or travel. Separate employment authorization and advance parole requirements may apply.
Employers must also continue complying with Form I-9 requirements. A Visa Bulletin update does not itself authorize employment. Employers should monitor expiration dates and maintain accurate workforce compliance records.
What to Expect When the October Bulletin Is Released
The October 2026 Visa Bulletin will establish the official FY2027 cutoff dates. The most important developments may include:
- EB-2 India reopening after its FY2026 unavailability.
- EB-2 India advancing to at least the July 15, 2014 benchmark indicated by the Department of State.
- Continued EB-2 China and EB-1 India backlogs.
- Possible movement in other employment-based categories.
- Continued strength in F2A.
- Measured movement in the remaining family preference categories.
Applicants should not file solely on the basis of a prediction. The official Department of State bulletin and the applicable USCIS filing-chart instruction control filing decisions.
Blasingame Law LLC provides case-specific guidance for family-based green cards, employment-based green cards, business immigration, HR immigration planning, and workforce compliance. Schedule a consultation for a review of your priority date, country of chargeability, documentation, status, and October 2026 filing options. (719) 521-2115.
