September 2026 Visa Bulletin Released by U.S. Department of State

The U.S. Department of State released the September 2026 Visa Bulletin, detailing timelines for family-sponsored and employment-based green card applicants. September marks the conclusion of the fiscal year 2026, and the department has cautioned that several employment-based categories might face additional restrictions before September 30 if their annual visa limits are reached. The categories under notable pressure include EB-1 India, EB-2, and unreserved EB-5.

Which Chart Should Applicants Use?

This bulletin includes a Final Action Dates chart, which specifies when a visa number is issuable, alongside a Dates for Filing chart that allows applicants to submit documents sooner. Individuals seeking adjustment of status through U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) must refer to the chart designated by USCIS for September. USCIS permits the use of the Dates for Filing chart when it deems more immigrant visas are available than known applicants; otherwise, the Final Action Dates chart must be used. As of August 22, USCIS had not yet published its September chart selection.

For any chart, an applicant’s priority date must be before the listed cutoff. If a category states “Current”, no cutoff applies, whereas “Unavailable” implies no visa numbers are authorized for that category.

Family-Based Green Card Dates

The F2A category remains among the most advantageous family-sponsored categories, addressing spouses and children of lawful permanent residents. Its September final-action date is August 22, 2026, applicable to most countries, including China, India, and the Philippines, with Mexico having a cutoff of August 22, 2025. F2A appears as Current worldwide in the Dates for Filing chart, allowing status adjustment if USCIS approves its use for September.

Other family-sponsored final-action dates are:

• F1, addressing unmarried adult sons and daughters of U.S. citizens: January 22, 2020, for most countries.
• F2B, focusing on unmarried adult sons and daughters of permanent residents: August 22, 2019, for most countries.
• F3, dealing with married sons and daughters of U.S. citizens: October 22, 2014, for most countries.
• F4, addressing siblings of adult U.S. citizens: October 22, 2011, for most countries.

Countries like Mexico, India, and the Philippines have separate, generally older dates within several categories due to country-specific demand.

Employment-Based Green Card Dates

For the EB-1 category dedicated to priority workers, visa numbers are current for most countries, while China holds a final-action date of July 1, 2023, and India at October 15, 2022. EB-2 also remains current for most countries, however, China has a final-action date of September 1, 2021, and India is marked as Unavailable.

For EB-3 skilled workers and professionals, the final-action dates are:

• September 1, 2024, for most countries and Mexico.
• January 1, 2022, for China.
• January 1, 2014, for India.
• August 1, 2023, for the Philippines.

Regarding the unreserved EB-5 investor category, most countries remain current. China lists a final-action date of December 1, 2016, while India is labeled as unavailable. The three EB-5 set-aside categories for specific rural, high-unemployment-area, and infrastructure investments stay current for all listed countries.

Categories Facing Potential Restrictions

The State Department has noted that high demand might result in EB-1 India turning unavailable before the fiscal year concludes. Broader warnings have been issued for EB-2 and unreserved EB-5, stating their final-action dates might need to move backward, or the categories could become temporarily unavailable if visa consumption hits the fiscal year 2026 limits.

The department highlighted it had progressed dates within several family-sponsored and employment-based categories in recent months due to reduced visa issuance among nationals from certain countries following administrative actions impacting processing. It advised that dates might retreat if demand escalates.

Applicants are urged to refer to both the State Department bulletin and USCIS’s September filing-chart update before submitting an adjustment-of-status application. Those within EB-1 India, EB-2, and unreserved EB-5 should also monitor any alterations before September 30, as the published dates might not persist through month’s end.

For further information, please contact Newsweek editor Edward Pearcey.