The U.S. Department of State has released the September 2026 Visa Bulletin — the final bulletin of fiscal year 2026 — and it tells a tale of two immigration systems.
Family-sponsored categories saw their largest jumps of the entire fiscal year, with F3 advancing by 29 months, F4 by nearly 26 months, F2B by roughly 20 months, and F1 by over 13 months.
Meanwhile,
Final Action Dates for EB-1, EB-2, EB-3, and EB-5 Unreserved remain entirely unchanged from August, with the sole exception being EB-4 (including Certain Religious Workers), which advanced by two months.
The bulletin was released on August 22, 2026, and applicants have just weeks to act before the fiscal year resets on October 1.
Family-Based Categories: A Historic Month
For family-based green card applicants who have waited years — sometimes more than a decade — September's bulletin offers the most meaningful progress in recent memory.
F3 final action dates for China, India, and all other chargeability areas surged forward by roughly 29 months, to October 22, 2014. Mexico and the Philippines remain unchanged.
F4 final action dates for China and all other areas advanced by approximately 26 months, to October 22, 2011. The Philippines gained three weeks, to August 22, 2007; India and Mexico held steady.
F2B final action dates for China, India, and all other areas moved ahead by nearly 20 months, to August 22, 2019. Mexico and the Philippines were unchanged.
F1 final action dates for China, India, and all other areas advanced by about 13 months, to January 22, 2020. Mexico gained a month, while the Philippines did not advance. F2A final action dates advanced by one month for all countries, to August 22, 2026.
On the Dates for Filing chart — which USCIS has authorized family-based applicants to use this month —
F3 advanced 20 months, F4 about 16 months, F2B eight months, and F1 roughly 7.5 months for all areas except Mexico and the Philippines.
Why the Family Surge?
The Department of State attributes the movement to reduced immigrant visa issuance for nationals of certain countries under Administration policies affecting visa processing. To maximize use of available FY 2026 visa numbers, DOS has advanced Final Action Dates and, in some categories, Dates for Filing.
However, some immigration experts have questioned the timing.
WR Immigration noted that the movement "may have come much too late, since the September processing capacity at consular posts may be insufficient to fully utilize the required numbers."
In other words, while the dates on paper are encouraging, the practical window for applicants to benefit in FY 2026 is extremely narrow.
Employment-Based Categories: A Starkly Different Story
The employment-based side of the bulletin paints a far more sobering picture.
EB-1, EB-2, and EB-3 final action dates are steady across every country this month. EB-2 remains unavailable for Indian nationals.
The State Department announced that, effective May 22, the annual limit for the EB-2 India immigrant visa category had been met for FY 2026. As a result, the category became immediately unavailable and will remain so through September 30.
For applicants in that category, attorney Nicole Gunara of Manifest Law explained that while the government can still process cases in certain ways,
they "just can't finish the process and grant you the green card."
The specific Final Action Dates for key employment-based categories this month include:
- EB-1:
- EB-2:
- EB-3:
- EB-4:
- EB-5:
Year-End Retrogression Warnings
Perhaps the most critical aspect of this bulletin is the State Department's explicit warning about potential mid-month cutoffs.
The Department of State specifically identifies three employment-based categories that could face additional limitations before FY 2026 ends: EB-1 India may become unavailable if India's prorated limit is reached; EB-2 may retrogress or become unavailable because of increased demand and visa usage; and EB-5 Unreserved may also retrogress or become unavailable if demand reaches the annual limit.
The State Department warns these categories may become unavailable before the end of September, with availability resuming when the new fiscal year starts in October.
This means applicants could see their category go from "current" or having a usable priority date to "unavailable" with little advance notice.
FY 2026 Numerical Limits
The Department of State confirmed the final FY 2026 numerical limits: 226,000 family-sponsored preference visas and 186,317 employment-based preference visas.
Recent previous years' worldwide employment-based limits were 150,037 (FY 2025), 160,791 (FY 2024), 197,071 (FY 2023), 281,507 (FY 2022), and 262,288 (FY 2021).
The FY 2026 employment-based limit of 186,317 is well above the statutory floor of 140,000, providing a larger pool of visa numbers — though demand continues to outstrip supply in many categories.
Which Chart Should You Use?
USCIS determined that, for September 2026, applicants in all family-sponsored preference categories must use the Dates for Filing chart, while applicants in all employment-based preference categories must use the Final Action Dates chart.
This distinction is crucial: family-based applicants get the benefit of the more generous Dates for Filing chart, which may allow them to submit adjustment of status applications earlier, while employment-based applicants must rely on the Final Action Dates — a more restrictive standard.
What Applicants Should Do Now
For family-based applicants, the unprecedented advances mean that thousands of individuals who may not have been current last month could now be eligible to file. Applicants should immediately check whether their priority date falls before the new cutoff dates and, if so, move quickly to file adjustment of status applications or prepare for consular processing.
For employment-based applicants, the message is more cautious.
EB-2 India beneficiaries should prepare adjustment packages now so they are ready the day October availability is announced.
For EB-1 India, if the issuance pace holds, an Unavailable designation before September 30 is a live possibility. Cases at the National Visa Center or with pending adjustments should be documentarily complete now; there is no action to take once the category goes unavailable except to wait for October.
As FY 2026 draws to a close, this bulletin underscores a widening divergence in the U.S. immigration system: reduced visa processing abroad has created room for family-based dates to leap forward, while employment-based applicants — particularly those from India — continue to face severe bottlenecks. The October 2026 Visa Bulletin, which will be the first of FY 2027, will reset annual limits and is expected to be released in the second half of September. Applicants should consult with a qualified immigration attorney to understand how these changes affect their individual cases and to ensure all documentation is current and complete.