The U.S. Department of State has released the September 2026 Visa Bulletin — and it tells two sharply different stories depending on whether you are a family-sponsored or employment-based green card applicant.
The bulletin closes out Fiscal Year 2026 with one of the most dramatic splits between family-sponsored and employment-based immigration categories in recent memory.
USCIS has 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.
Family-Sponsored Categories: Record-Breaking Gains
Family-sponsored categories saw their largest jumps of the entire fiscal year. Globally, F-3 advanced by 29 months, F-4 by nearly 26 months, F-2B by roughly 20 months, and F-1 by over 13 months.
The F-2A category advanced by one month to August 22, 2026.
Here is a breakdown of the key Final Action Date movements for most countries (Worldwide, China, India):
- F-1 (Unmarried Sons and Daughters of U.S. Citizens):
- F-2A (Spouses and Minor Children of LPRs):
- F-2B (Unmarried Adult Children of LPRs):
- F-3 (Married Sons and Daughters of U.S. Citizens):
- F-4 (Siblings of Adult U.S. Citizens):
On the Dates for Filing chart, which family-sponsored applicants use for adjustment of status filings, the gains were also significant.
F-3 advanced 20 months, F-4 about 16 months, F-2B eight months, and F-1 roughly 7.5 months for all areas except Mexico and the Philippines.
Why the Family Surge? Fewer Visas Issued at Consular Posts
The State Department provided an unusually candid explanation for the aggressive advancement.
The Department of State explains that immigrant visa issuance rates decreased during FY 2026 due in part to administration policies affecting visa processing and U.S. diplomatic posts experiencing limited or suspended visa operations because of global events.
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 analysts have noted a critical timing issue.
The movement of September dates may have come much too late, since the September processing capacity at consular posts may be insufficient to fully utilize the required numbers to reach the annual limits.
Employment-Based Categories: Nearly Frozen
The picture for employment-based applicants is starkly different.
The September 2026 Visa Bulletin Final Action Dates chart indicates no changes from August 2026 in the EB-1, EB-2, EB-3, and EB-5 categories.
The only Final Action Date movement on the employment-based side is EB-4 (Certain Special Immigrants) and Certain Religious Workers, which advanced from October 15, 2022 to December 15, 2022 across all chargeability areas.
Key employment-based Final Action Dates for September include:
- EB-1:
- EB-2:
- EB-3 India:
EB-2 India: Unavailable Through September 30
For Indian-born professionals in the EB-2 category, the situation remains particularly challenging.
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 is immediately unavailable and will remain so through September 30, the end of the fiscal year.
When a visa category is designated unavailable, USCIS will not approve any pending Adjustment of Status applications for applicants in that category and country of chargeability. No new immigrant visa numbers can be issued at U.S. consulates abroad for that category either. Applicants whose cases were pending do not lose their place in line, but forward movement stops until the category reopens.
The earliest relief will come on October 1, 2026.
Annual immigrant visa limits will reset with the start of the FY 2027 fiscal year on October 1, 2026. At that point, USCIS will be able to resume approving adjustment of status cases and embassies and consulates will be able to resume issuing immigrant visas in the EB-2 India category.
Retrogression Warnings: EB-1 India, EB-2, and EB-5
Beyond the EB-2 India unavailability, the State Department issued pointed warnings about several other categories.
According to the agency, EB-1 India may become unavailable in the coming weeks due to high demand and use of immigrant visa numbers in that category.
Also, the EB-2 and EB-5 unreserved categories may retrogress or become unavailable before the end of September due to sustained demand and increased immigrant visa number use.
The three EB-5 set-aside categories (rural, high unemployment, and infrastructure) remain current for all countries.
FY 2026 Visa Numbers: The Bigger Picture
The FY 2026 worldwide employment-based preference limit is 186,317.
The September bulletin confirms the actual annual limit at 186,317 — roughly 46,000 visas above the floor. The bonus approximately 46,000 visas exist because unused family-sponsored green cards from Fiscal Year 2025 automatically rolled over into the employment-based pool.
What Applicants Should Do Now
For family-sponsored applicants who are newly current, time is of the essence.
Applicants whose priority dates are approaching the new cutoffs should prepare now rather than assume the dates will remain unchanged.
Employers and employees with pending cases in the EB-1 India, EB-2, or EB-5 Unreserved categories should watch for announcements that could affect visa availability as the fiscal year closes on September 30, 2026.
Given the risk of retrogression or unavailability, eligible applicants may want to consider filing sooner rather than later, particularly in light of USCIS form changes due to the new public charge standard taking effect on September 18, 2026.
Importantly,
recent State Department action affecting immigrant visa appointments at U.S. embassies and consulates may create an additional delay for employees pursuing permanent residence through consular processing abroad. Accordingly, a current priority date or a documentarily complete case does not guarantee that a consular interview will be scheduled or that an immigrant visa will be issued immediately.
As the fiscal year draws to a close on September 30, applicants and their legal counsel should monitor the State Department and USCIS websites closely for any mid-month updates that could alter visa availability. The October 2026 Visa Bulletin — which will kick off Fiscal Year 2027 — is expected to be released in the second half of September.
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This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Individuals should consult a qualified immigration attorney regarding their specific circumstances.