October 2026 Visa Bulletin: Worldwide EB-2 and EB-3 Lose "Current" Status as China Surges Ahead

The U.S. Department of State's October 2026 Visa Bulletin — the first of fiscal year 2027 — brought a significant shift in employment-based categories. EB-2 (advanced-degree/exceptional ability) and EB-3 Skilled Workers and Professionals for all other countries, which had been current, now carry real cutoff dates under both the Final Action Date and Dates for Filing charts.

Employment: EB-2 and EB-3 lose "Current," China advances sharply

Under Final Action Dates, EB-2 for all other countries, Mexico, and the Philippines moved to January 1, 2025. EB-3 Skilled Workers retrogressed about 109 days to May 15, 2024 for all other countries and Mexico, while EB-3 Other Workers retrogressed about 90 days to January 1, 2022 for the same group.

The Dates for Filing chart shows the same pattern: EB-2 for all other countries, Mexico, and the Philippines moved to March 15, 2026, and EB-3 Skilled Workers for all other countries and Mexico moved to August 1, 2024. By contrast, EB-4 (special immigrants) advanced about 731 days (roughly two years) under Dates for Filing, reaching January 1, 2025 for every listed country.

China posted the month's strongest gains: EB-3 Skilled Workers under Dates for Filing advanced about 814 days (over two years) to April 1, 2024, and EB-5 Unreserved advanced about 1,461 days (roughly four years) to March 1, 2021. Meanwhile, EB-2 and EB-5 for India are listed as Unavailable under Final Action Dates.

Each month, USCIS separately announces whether I-485 adjustment-of-status applicants should use the Final Action Date or Dates for Filing chart — that decision is not part of the State Department bulletin itself. Some immigration outlets have reported USCIS will use the Dates for Filing chart for October, but applicants should confirm directly with USCIS before filing.

Family: steady worldwide, notable gains for Mexico and the Philippines

Family-sponsored categories for all other countries were largely unchanged. Only F2A (spouses and minor children of LPRs) moved, advancing about 31 days to September 22, 2026 under Final Action Dates; F1, F2B, F3, and F4 held steady on both charts.

Mexico and the Philippines saw more movement. Under Final Action Dates, Mexico's F2B advanced about 454 days, F1 about 251 days, and F2A about 212 days; under Dates for Filing, Mexico's F3 advanced about 504 days and F2B about 311 days. The Philippines advanced F4 about 267 days and F3 about 150 days under Final Action Dates, and both F4 and F2B by about 365 days under Dates for Filing.

What this means for applicants

Employment-based applicants — especially in EB-2 and EB-3 Skilled Workers for the worldwide category and China — should check both USCIS's monthly chart designation and their own priority dates against this month's cutoffs. Family-sponsored applicants from Mexico and the Philippines should also revisit their filing timelines given this month's larger advances. This article is general news information, not individualized legal advice.

Final Action Dates
October 2026 vs September 2026
Family-Based
All other
China
India
Mexico
Philippines
F1
Jan 22, 2020
Jan 22, 2020
Jan 22, 2020
Sep 8, 2008
Nov 1, 2013
F2A
Sep 22, 2026
Sep 22, 2026
Sep 22, 2026
Mar 22, 2026
Sep 22, 2026
F2B
Aug 22, 2019
Aug 22, 2019
Aug 22, 2019
May 15, 2010
Oct 1, 2013
F3
Oct 22, 2014
Oct 22, 2014
Oct 22, 2014
Jul 1, 2001
Jul 22, 2006
F4
Oct 22, 2011
Oct 22, 2011
Dec 15, 2006
Apr 22, 2001
May 15, 2008
Employment-Based
All other
China
India
Mexico
Philippines
EB-1
Current
Jul 1, 2023
Feb 1, 2023
Current
Current
EB-2
Jan 1, 2025
Oct 1, 2021
Nov 1, 2013
Jan 1, 2025
Jan 1, 2025
EB-3 Skilled
May 15, 2024
Jan 8, 2022
Jan 1, 2014
May 15, 2024
Aug 15, 2023
EB-3 Other Workers
Jan 1, 2022
Oct 1, 2019
Jan 1, 2014
Jan 1, 2022
Jan 1, 2022
EB-4
Dec 15, 2022
Dec 15, 2022
Dec 15, 2022
Dec 15, 2022
Dec 15, 2022
EB-5
Current
Dec 1, 2016
Dec 1, 2023
Current
Current
Dates for Filing
October 2026 vs September 2026
Family-Based
All other
China
India
Mexico
Philippines
F1
Feb 1, 2020
Feb 1, 2020
Feb 1, 2020
Dec 1, 2008
Apr 22, 2015
F2A
Current
Current
Current
Current
Current
F2B
Sep 1, 2019
Sep 1, 2019
Sep 1, 2019
Mar 22, 2011
Oct 1, 2014
F3
Nov 1, 2014
Nov 1, 2014
Nov 1, 2014
Dec 1, 2002
Oct 22, 2006
F4
Nov 1, 2011
Nov 1, 2011
Feb 1, 2007
Apr 30, 2001
Mar 22, 2009
Employment-Based
All other
China
India
Mexico
Philippines
EB-1
Current
Jul 1, 2024
Jul 1, 2024
Current
Current
EB-2
Mar 15, 2026
Jan 1, 2023
Jan 15, 2015
Mar 15, 2026
Mar 15, 2026
EB-3 Skilled
Aug 1, 2024
Apr 1, 2024
Jan 15, 2015
Aug 1, 2024
Jan 1, 2024
EB-3 Other Workers
Jun 1, 2022
Oct 1, 2020
Jan 15, 2015
Jun 1, 2022
Jun 1, 2022
EB-4
Jan 1, 2025
Jan 1, 2025
Jan 1, 2025
Jan 1, 2025
Jan 1, 2025
EB-5
Current
Mar 1, 2021
May 1, 2024
Current
Current
Final Action Date — month-over-month
October 2026 vs September 2026
F2B · Mexico
▲ +15 months
F4 · Philippines
▲ +9 months
F1 · Mexico
▲ +8 months
F2A · Mexico
▲ +7 months
F1 · Philippines
▲ +6 months
EB-3 Other Workers · China
▲ +5 months
F3 · Philippines
▲ +5 months
F2B · Philippines
▲ +4 months
EB-1 · India
▲ +4 months
F4 · India
▲ +1 months
F2A · All other
▲ +1 months
F2A · China
▲ +1 months
F2A · India
▲ +1 months
F2A · Philippines
▲ +1 months
EB-3 Other Workers · Philippines
▲ +1 months
EB-2 · China
▲ +1 months
F4 · Mexico
▲ +14 days
EB-3 Skilled · Philippines
▲ +14 days
EB-3 Skilled · China
▲ +7 days
F1 · All other
— no change
F1 · China
— no change
F1 · India
— no change
F2B · All other
— no change
F2B · China
— no change
F2B · India
— no change
F3 · All other
— no change
F3 · China
— no change
F3 · India
— no change
F3 · Mexico
— no change
F4 · All other
— no change
F4 · China
— no change
EB-1 · All other
— no change
EB-1 · China
— no change
EB-1 · Mexico
— no change
EB-1 · Philippines
— no change
EB-3 Skilled · India
— no change
EB-3 Other Workers · India
— no change
EB-4 · All other
— no change
EB-4 · China
— no change
EB-4 · India
— no change
EB-4 · Mexico
— no change
EB-4 · Philippines
— no change
EB-5 · All other
— no change
EB-5 · China
— no change
EB-5 · Mexico
— no change
EB-5 · Philippines
— no change
EB-3 Other Workers · All other
▼ −3 months
EB-3 Other Workers · Mexico
▼ −3 months
EB-3 Skilled · All other
▼ −4 months
EB-3 Skilled · Mexico
▼ −4 months
EB-2 · All other
▼ left current
EB-2 · Mexico
▼ left current
EB-2 · Philippines
▼ left current
Δ from previous bulletin
Dates for Filing — month-over-month
October 2026 vs September 2026
EB-5 · China
▲ +49 months
EB-3 Skilled · China
▲ +27 months
EB-4 · All other
▲ +24 months
EB-4 · China
▲ +24 months
EB-4 · India
▲ +24 months
EB-4 · Mexico
▲ +24 months
EB-4 · Philippines
▲ +24 months
F3 · Mexico
▲ +17 months
EB-3 Other Workers · China
▲ +12 months
F2B · Philippines
▲ +12 months
F4 · Philippines
▲ +12 months
EB-2 · China
▲ +12 months
F2B · Mexico
▲ +10 months
EB-1 · China
▲ +7 months
EB-1 · India
▲ +7 months
F3 · Philippines
▲ +3 months
F4 · India
▲ +2 months
F1 · All other
— no change
F1 · China
— no change
F1 · India
— no change
F1 · Mexico
— no change
F1 · Philippines
— no change
F2A · All other
— no change
F2A · China
— no change
F2A · India
— no change
F2A · Mexico
— no change
F2A · Philippines
— no change
F2B · All other
— no change
F2B · China
— no change
F2B · India
— no change
F3 · All other
— no change
F3 · China
— no change
F3 · India
— no change
F4 · All other
— no change
F4 · China
— no change
F4 · Mexico
— no change
EB-1 · All other
— no change
EB-1 · Mexico
— no change
EB-1 · Philippines
— no change
EB-2 · India
— no change
EB-3 Skilled · India
— no change
EB-3 Skilled · Philippines
— no change
EB-3 Other Workers · India
— no change
EB-5 · All other
— no change
EB-5 · India
— no change
EB-5 · Mexico
— no change
EB-5 · Philippines
— no change
EB-3 Other Workers · All other
▼ −2 months
EB-3 Other Workers · Mexico
▼ −2 months
EB-3 Other Workers · Philippines
▼ −2 months
EB-2 · All other
▼ left current
EB-2 · Mexico
▼ left current
EB-2 · Philippines
▼ left current
EB-3 Skilled · All other
▼ left current
EB-3 Skilled · Mexico
▼ left current
Δ from previous bulletin

Source

Department of State — October 2026 Visa Bulletin

This article is not legal advice. Always confirm details with the official source below.