Visa Bulletin for August 2026

What this is

The August 2026 Visa Bulletin sets employment-based green card cut-off dates. India faces the longest waits: EB-2 India is unavailable, and EB-3 India requires a priority date before January 2014. Most countries other than India and China are current in EB-1, EB-2, and EB-3. Separate filing dates let some applicants submit paperwork earlier.

Source: Visa Bulletin for August 2026 · in effect from 1 August 2026

What you need to know

• 'C' means current — no backlog, any priority date qualifies. 'U' means unavailable — no applications can move forward.
• EB-1 final action: India 2022-10-15, China 2023-07-01, all other countries current.
• EB-2 final action: India is unavailable (U), China 2021-09-01, all other countries current.
• EB-3 final action: India 2014-01-01, China 2022-01-01, all other countries 2024-09-01, Philippines 2023-08-01.
• EB-3 Other Workers final action: India 2014-01-01, China 2019-05-01, all other countries 2022-04-01, Philippines 2021-12-01.
• EB-4 final action: all countries 2022-10-15.
• Filing dates are earlier than final action dates for India and China across most categories, meaning you may be able to submit your application before your final action date is reached.
• EB-2 India filing date is 2015-01-15 — even though the final action date is unavailable, you may still file if your priority date is before 2015-01-15.
• There are two sets of dates: Final Action dates (when USCIS can approve your green card) and Dates for Filing (when you can submit your adjustment application).
• 'C' means the category is current — no backlog, anyone with an approved petition may proceed.
• 'U' means unavailable — EB-2 India applicants cannot move forward this month.
• EB-1 final action: India cut-off is 2022-10-15; China is 2023-07-01; all other countries are current.
• EB-2 final action: India is unavailable; China cut-off is 2021-09-01; all other countries are current.
• EB-3 final action: India cut-off is 2014-01-01; China is 2022-01-01; all other countries are 2024-09-01.
• EB-3 Other Workers final action: India cut-off is 2014-01-01; China is 2019-05-01; all other countries are 2022-04-01.
• EB-4 final action: all countries cut-off is 2022-10-15.
• Filing dates are earlier than final action dates, meaning you may be able to submit your I-485 before your visa is technically available.
• EB-2 and EB-3 filing dates for India are 2015-01-15 — much earlier than the final action cut-offs.

Source: Visa Bulletin for August 2026 · in effect from 1 August 2026

What to do

• Find your priority date — it is printed on your I-140 approval notice.
• Compare your priority date to the final action cut-off for your category and country. If your date is earlier than the cut-off, you may proceed to the final step of your green card process.
• Also compare your priority date to the filing date for your category and country. If your date is earlier than the filing cut-off, you may submit your adjustment of status application now, even if the final action date has not been reached yet.
• Find your priority date on your approved I-140 petition.
• Compare your priority date to the cut-off for your category (EB-1, EB-2, EB-3, etc.) and your country of birth.
• If your priority date is earlier than the Final Action cut-off, you may be eligible for your green card to be approved.
• If your priority date is earlier than the Date for Filing cut-off, you may be able to submit your I-485 application now even if your final action date has not been reached yet.
• If you are Indian-born in EB-2, do not file or expect movement this month — the category is marked unavailable.

Source: Visa Bulletin for August 2026 · in effect from 1 August 2026

Frequently asked questions

I'm from India in EB-2. My priority date is 2019. Can I do anything this month? No. The final action date for EB-2 India is listed as U, meaning no visas are being issued in this category at all this month. The filing cutoff for EB-2 India is January 15, 2015, and your 2019 priority date is after that, so you cannot submit an adjustment of status application either.

My EB-3 India priority date is December 15, 2013. Can I get my green card now? Yes. The final action cutoff for EB-3 India is January 1, 2014, and your December 15, 2013 date falls before it, so a visa number is available for you this month. You also clear the filing cutoff for EB-3 India, which is January 15, 2015.

I'm from China with EB-1 and my priority date is November 2023. Can I file my I-485 yet? Yes, you can file. The filing cutoff for EB-1 China is December 1, 2023, and your November 2023 date is earlier than that. However, the final action cutoff for EB-1 China is July 1, 2023, which is before your priority date, so you are not yet eligible for final approval — filing gets you in line but the visa is not available yet.

My EB-4 priority date is September 2022. Does it matter which country I'm from? No. Every country — India, China, Mexico, Philippines, and all others — shares the same EB-4 cutoffs: October 15, 2022 for final action and January 1, 2023 for filing. Your September 2022 date is before both cutoffs, so you are eligible for final action and for filing.

I'm from the Philippines in EB-3. My priority date is July 2023. Can I get my green card this month? Yes. The final action cutoff for EB-3 Philippines is August 1, 2023, and your July 2023 date falls before it, so a visa number is available for you. The filing cutoff for EB-3 Philippines is current, meaning anyone in that category can file regardless of priority date.

When does this take effect? It takes effect on 2026-08-01. Dates named in the document: 2022-10-15 — EB-1 India and EB-4 all countries: final action cut-off; 2023-07-01 — EB-1 China: final action cut-off; 2023-12-01 — EB-1 India and China: filing cut-off; 2021-09-01 — EB-2 China: final action cut-off; 2015-01-15 — EB-2 India and EB-3 India: filing cut-off; 2022-01-01 — EB-2 China: filing cut-off; 2014-01-01 — EB-3 India and EB-3 Other Workers India: final action cut-off; 2022-01-01 — EB-3 China: final action cut-off; 2022-01-08 — EB-3 China: filing cut-off; 2024-09-01 — EB-3 all other countries and Mexico: final action cut-off; 2023-08-01 — EB-3 Philippines: final action cut-off; 2019-05-01 — EB-3 Other Workers China: final action cut-off; 2019-10-01 — EB-3 Other Workers China: filing cut-off; 2022-04-01 — EB-3 Other Workers all other countries and Mexico: final action cut-off; 2022-08-01 — EB-3 Other Workers all other countries: filing cut-off; 2021-12-01 — EB-3 Other Workers Philippines: final action cut-off; 2023-01-01 — EB-4 all countries: filing cut-off; 2022-10-15; 2023-07-01; 2021-09-01; 2014-01-01; 2022-01-01; 2024-09-01; 2023-08-01; 2019-05-01; 2022-04-01; 2021-12-01; 2023-12-01; 2015-01-15; 2022-01-08; 2019-10-01; 2022-08-01; 2023-01-01.

Who does this apply to? This relates to Green Card, I-140, PERM.

Where does this information come from? U.S. Department of State, published at https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/legal/visa-law0/visa-bulletin.html.

Source: Visa Bulletin for August 2026 · in effect from 1 August 2026

Related topics

Green Card, I-140, PERM

Source: Visa Bulletin for August 2026 · in effect from 1 August 2026