Visa Bulletin for September 2026

What this is

The September 2026 Visa Bulletin sets cut-off dates that determine whether your green card application can move forward. EB-2 India remains completely unavailable. EB-1 and EB-3 India have specific priority date cut-offs. F2A spouses of permanent residents are nearly current for India. Check your category and priority date.

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

What you need to know

• EB-1 India: your priority date must be before 15 October 2022 to get a visa; you may file paperwork if your date is before 1 December 2023
• EB-2 India: no visas available at all (marked U — Unavailable); you may still file adjustment of status paperwork if your priority date is before 15 January 2015
• EB-3 India: your priority date must be before 1 January 2014 to get a visa; you may file if your date is before 15 January 2015
• EB-3 Other Workers India: same cut-offs as EB-3 India — final action 1 January 2014, filing from 15 January 2015
• EB-4 India: final action cut-off is 15 December 2022; filing allowed from 1 January 2023
• F2A (Spouses and Children of Permanent Residents) India: final action cut-off is 22 August 2026; filing is current with no backlog
• F1 (Unmarried Sons and Daughters of U.S. Citizens) India: final action cut-off is 22 January 2020
• F4 (brothers and sisters of adult US citizens) India final action cut-off: 1 November 2006 — roughly a 20-year backlog.
• Most employment categories are current (no backlog) for countries other than India and China
• The dates-for-filing column lets you submit your adjustment of status application earlier than the final action date
• 'C' (current) means no backlog — any priority date may proceed for that category and country.
• 'U' (unavailable) means no one in that category and country can proceed this month. EB-2 India is U for final action.
• EB-1 India final action cut-off: 15 October 2022. China: 1 July 2023. All other countries: current.
• EB-3 India final action cut-off: 1 January 2014. China: 1 January 2022. All other countries: 1 September 2024.
• EB-4 final action cut-off is 15 December 2022 for every country, including India and China.
• EB-2 India dates for filing: 15 January 2015. EB-3 India dates for filing: 15 January 2015. These allow earlier application submission if USCIS authorises this chart for the month.
• F2A (spouses and children of permanent residents) dates for filing are current for all countries — you can file adjustment of status now regardless of priority date.
• F2A India final action cut-off: 22 August 2026. F2B India (unmarried adult children of permanent residents): 22 August 2019.

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

What to do

• Find your priority date on your I-140 approval notice or immigrant visa petition
• Identify your preference category (EB-1, EB-2, EB-3, F1, F2A, etc.) and your country of birth
• 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 get a visa
• If your priority date is earlier than the dates-for-filing cut-off, check with your employer or attorney whether you can submit your adjustment of status application now, even before a visa becomes available
• Find your priority date on your I-140 approval notice (employment-based) or your approved petition receipt (family-sponsored).
• Look up your category and your country of birth in the final action dates chart. If your priority date is earlier than the cut-off shown, you may proceed.
• Check whether USCIS has announced use of the 'dates for filing' chart this month. If so, and your priority date is earlier than that chart's cut-off, you may file your adjustment-of-status application even if the final action date has not been reached.
• If your category shows U (unavailable), no visa action is possible for you this month — check again next month.

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

Frequently asked questions

EB-2 India shows 'U' instead of a date — does that mean no one from India can get an EB-2 visa this month? Yes. The bulletin shows 'U' for EB-2 India final action, where 'C' is defined as current with no backlog, making 'U' the opposite — no EB-2 visas are being issued to India-born applicants in September 2026. The dates-for-filing cut-off for EB-2 India is January 15, 2015, so only applicants with a priority date before that date can submit an I-485 this month — and even then, no visa number will be issued until the final action date moves.

My EB-1 India priority date is January 2022 — can I file my I-485 now even though I can't get the visa yet? Yes. The EB-1 final action date for India is October 15, 2022, so your January 2022 priority date has not reached final action and no visa can be issued to you this month. However, the dates-for-filing cut-off for EB-1 India is December 1, 2023, and your January 2022 date falls before that, so you can submit your I-485 application now while you wait for your priority date to become current for final action.

I have a green card — can my spouse file their I-485 right now without a years-long wait? The F2A dates-for-filing chart shows 'C' (current) for all countries including India, so your spouse can file an I-485 now with no cut-off restriction. The final action date for F2A India is August 22, 2026, meaning the visa itself can be issued once your spouse's priority date is before that date.

My EB-3 India priority date is March 2014 — am I current for final action or just for filing? The EB-3 final action date for India is January 1, 2014, so your March 2014 priority date is not yet current for final action and no visa can be issued to you this month. The dates-for-filing cut-off for EB-3 India is January 15, 2015, and your March 2014 date falls before that, so you can submit an I-485 application now and wait for your priority date to reach final action.

My US citizen sibling filed an F4 petition for me from India in 2008 — can I at least file my I-485 now? No. The F4 final action date for India is November 1, 2006, so a 2008 priority date has not yet reached the front of the line for visa issuance. The dates-for-filing cut-off for F4 India is December 15, 2006, and a 2008 priority date falls after that, so you cannot file an I-485 this month either.

When does this take effect? It takes effect on 2026-09-01. Dates named in the document: 2022-10-15; 2023-07-01; 2021-09-01; 2024-09-01; 2014-01-01; 2022-01-01; 2023-08-01; 2019-05-01; 2022-04-01; 2021-12-01; 2022-12-15; 2023-12-01; 2015-01-15; 2022-01-08; 2019-10-01; 2022-08-01; 2023-01-01; 2020-01-22; 2008-01-01; 2013-05-01; 2026-08-22; 2025-08-22; 2019-08-22; 2009-02-15; 2013-06-01; 2014-10-22; 2001-07-01; 2006-02-22; 2006-11-01; 2011-10-22; 2001-04-08; 2007-08-22; 2020-02-01; 2008-12-01; 2015-04-22; 2019-09-01; 2010-05-15; 2013-10-01; 2014-11-01; 2001-07-15; 2006-08-08; 2006-12-15; 2011-11-01; 2001-04-30; 2008-03-22; 2022-01-22.

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

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 September 2026 · in effect from 1 September 2026

Related topics

Green Card, I-140, PERM, Family

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