Business Immigration Insights

The State Department has published the September Visa Bulletin. Priority dates did not change from August, and the agency continues to warn that – although this is the last Bulletin of Fiscal Year 2026 – certain categories may still become unavailable or retrogress during the remainder of the fiscal year (see Note 2 below). Fortunately, since September is the last month of FY26, any additional stoppage or reversal will be temporary. Finally, in September, USCIS will continue to accept I‑485 applications based on Final Action Dates, not the more favorable Dates for Filing chart.

Below is a summary, which is based on Final Action Dates and shows changes from the previous month, but first – some background if you’re new to these blog posts.  If you’re familiar with the Visa Bulletin, feel free to skip the following bullet points:

• The Visa Bulletin is released monthly by the U.S. Department of State in collaboration with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), which then releases two charts – “Dates for Filing” and “Final Action Dates” – and designates which chart will apply that month.
• If USCIS designates Dates for Filing and your priority date (that is, the date you were placed on the waiting list) is earlier than the cutoff date for your nationality and category in that chart, you may submit your I‑485 adjustment of status application (if you’re eligible to apply with USCIS from inside the United States). However, USCIS cannot approve the application and issue your green card until your priority date is current in Final Action Dates.
• If you are applying from outside the United States, you cannot file your DS‑260 immigrant visa application until the National Visa Center notifies you to do so, and your home embassy cannot issue you an immigrant visa until your priority date is current in Final Action Dates.

Now, for the September Visa Bulletin:

Priority dates for India freeze across the board:

• EB-1 pauses at October 15, 2022
• EB-2 remains unavailable for the rest of the fiscal year
• EB-3 Professionals and EB-3 Other Workers halt at January 1, 2014

China also holds:

• EB-1 at July 1, 2023
• EB-2 at September 1, 2021
• EB-3 Professionals at January 1, 2022
• EB-3 Other Workers at May 1, 2019

 All Other Countries also stalls:

• EB-1 and EB-2 remain current
• EB-3 Professionals stalls at September 1, 2024 (except the Philippines, which holds at August 1, 2023)
• EB-3 Other Workers at April 1, 2022 (except the Philippines, which holds at December 1, 2021)

NOTE 1:  USCIS will accept I-485 applications in September based on Final Action Dates, not the more favorable Dates for Filing chart.

NOTE 2:  The State Department anticipates that EB-1 India may become unavailable before the end of the fiscal year. Moreover, EB-2 for all geographic regions could retrogress or become unavailable during the same timeframe.