Visa Bulletin priority dates and chart determination
Every month USCIS decides separately whether adjustment of status applicants may use the Dates for Filing chart or must use Final Action Dates. That decision determines whether an application may be filed at all.
Chart in use — October 2026
- Family-sponsored: Dates for Filing
- Employment-based: Dates for Filing
Priority date cutoffs — October 2026
The cutoff dates published in the October 2026 Visa Bulletin, read from the State Department's own PDF. The department publishes each month as a separate document and does not publish the difference between them, so the movement figures below are computed here by comparing consecutive bulletins.
Employment-based, Final Action Dates
| Category | All areas except those listed | China (mainland) | India | Mexico | Philippines |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Current | 1 Jul 2023 | 1 Feb 2023 | Current | Current |
| 2nd | 1 Jan 2025 | 1 Oct 2021 | 1 Nov 2013 | 1 Jan 2025 | 1 Jan 2025 |
| 3rd | 15 May 2024 | 8 Jan 2022 | 1 Jan 2014 | 15 May 2024 | 15 Aug 2023 |
| Other Workers | 1 Jan 2022 | 1 Oct 2019 | 1 Jan 2014 | 1 Jan 2022 | 1 Jan 2022 |
| 4th | 15 Dec 2022 | 15 Dec 2022 | 15 Dec 2022 | 15 Dec 2022 | 15 Dec 2022 |
| Certain Religious Workers | 15 Dec 2022 | 15 Dec 2022 | 15 Dec 2022 | 15 Dec 2022 | 15 Dec 2022 |
| 5th Unreserved | Current | 1 Dec 2016 | 1 Dec 2023 | Current | Current |
| 5th Set Aside: Rural | Current | Current | Current | Current | Current |
| 5th Set Aside: High Unemployment | Current | Current | Current | Current | Current |
| 5th Set Aside: Infrastructure | Current | Current | Current | Current | Current |
Employment-based, Dates for Filing
| Category | All areas except those listed | China (mainland) | India | Mexico | Philippines |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Current | 1 Jul 2024 | 1 Jul 2024 | Current | Current |
| 2nd | 15 Mar 2026 | 1 Jan 2023 | 15 Jan 2015 | 15 Mar 2026 | 15 Mar 2026 |
| 3rd | 1 Aug 2024 | 1 Apr 2024 | 15 Jan 2015 | 1 Aug 2024 | 1 Jan 2024 |
| Other Workers | 1 Jun 2022 | 1 Oct 2020 | 15 Jan 2015 | 1 Jun 2022 | 1 Jun 2022 |
| 4th | 1 Jan 2025 | 1 Jan 2025 | 1 Jan 2025 | 1 Jan 2025 | 1 Jan 2025 |
| Certain Religious Workers | 1 Jan 2025 | 1 Jan 2025 | 1 Jan 2025 | 1 Jan 2025 | 1 Jan 2025 |
| 5th Unreserved | Current | 1 Mar 2021 | 1 May 2024 | Current | Current |
| 5th Set Aside: Rural | Current | Current | Current | Current | Current |
| 5th Set Aside: High Unemployment | Current | Current | Current | Current | Current |
| 5th Set Aside: Infrastructure | Current | Current | Current | Current | Current |
Family-sponsored, Final Action Dates
| Category | All areas except those listed | China (mainland) | India | Mexico | Philippines |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| F1 | 22 Jan 2020 | 22 Jan 2020 | 22 Jan 2020 | 8 Sep 2008 | 1 Nov 2013 |
| F2A | 22 Sep 2026 | 22 Sep 2026 | 22 Sep 2026 | 22 Mar 2026 | 22 Sep 2026 |
| F2B | 22 Aug 2019 | 22 Aug 2019 | 22 Aug 2019 | 15 May 2010 | 1 Oct 2013 |
| F3 | 22 Oct 2014 | 22 Oct 2014 | 22 Oct 2014 | 1 Jul 2001 | 22 Jul 2006 |
| F4 | 22 Oct 2011 | 22 Oct 2011 | 15 Dec 2006 | 22 Apr 2001 | 15 May 2008 |
Family-sponsored, Dates for Filing
| Category | All areas except those listed | China (mainland) | India | Mexico | Philippines |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| F1 | 1 Feb 2020 | 1 Feb 2020 | 1 Feb 2020 | 1 Dec 2008 | 22 Apr 2015 |
| F2A | Current | Current | Current | Current | Current |
| F2B | 1 Sep 2019 | 1 Sep 2019 | 1 Sep 2019 | 22 Mar 2011 | 1 Oct 2014 |
| F3 | 1 Nov 2014 | 1 Nov 2014 | 1 Nov 2014 | 1 Dec 2002 | 22 Oct 2006 |
| F4 | 1 Nov 2011 | 1 Nov 2011 | 1 Feb 2007 | 30 Apr 2001 | 22 Mar 2009 |
Recent retrogressions
A retrogression is a cutoff date moving backwards from one month to the next.
- 3rd, worldwide moved back 4 months in October 2026 (1 Sep 2024 to 15 May 2024)
- 3rd, mexico moved back 4 months in October 2026 (1 Sep 2024 to 15 May 2024)
- Other Workers, worldwide moved back 3 months in October 2026 (1 Apr 2022 to 1 Jan 2022)
- Other Workers, mexico moved back 3 months in October 2026 (1 Apr 2022 to 1 Jan 2022)
- Other Workers, worldwide moved back 61 days in October 2026 (1 Aug 2022 to 1 Jun 2022)
- Other Workers, mexico moved back 61 days in October 2026 (1 Aug 2022 to 1 Jun 2022)
- Other Workers, philippines moved back 61 days in October 2026 (1 Aug 2022 to 1 Jun 2022)
- 1st, india moved back 61 days in July 2026 (15 Dec 2022 to 15 Oct 2022)
- 1st, india moved back 4 months in June 2026 (1 Apr 2023 to 15 Dec 2022)
- 2nd, india moved back 10 months in June 2026 (15 Jul 2014 to 1 Sep 2013)
Based on 51 monthly bulletins from 2022-03 to 2026-10, covering 1,479 recorded changes.
The two charts
Dates for Filing allows applications to be submitted earlier than final approval would allow. When USCIS designates this chart, adjustment applicants whose priority date is earlier than the listed date may file, even though a visa is not yet available for final approval.
Final Action Dates shows when a visa may actually be issued or status approved. When USCIS designates this chart, an application may only be filed once the priority date is earlier than the listed date.
Past determinations
- October 2026 — family: Dates for Filing, employment: Dates for Filing
- September 2026 — family: Dates for Filing, employment: Final Action Dates
- August 2026 — family: Dates for Filing, employment: Final Action Dates
Where the interview happens
A current priority date is not the last step — the interview is, and it happens at a consular post. How many visas each post issues, by month and by class, is on the consular posts pages.
This page reports what the bulletin says, which chart USCIS designated, and how the cutoff dates changed. It does not indicate whether any particular application may be filed, which depends on a priority date, category and country of chargeability.
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Data updated October 2, 2026