Understanding the September 2026 Visa Bulletin: FY 2026 Closeout & October Outlook
The monthly Visa Bulletin acts as a waiting list tracker for individuals applying for U.S. permanent residency (green cards). Because the U.S. government operates under strict statutory quotas set by Congress, the bulletin determines when applicants can file their final paperwork or attend consular interviews.
Here is a comprehensive breakdown of what the September 2026 Visa Bulletin (the final bulletin of Fiscal Year 2026) reveals, key movement across employment and family categories, and what to expect when Fiscal Year 2027 begins on October 1, 2026.
Key Takeaways from the September 2026 Visa Bulletin
For September 2026, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) confirmed that employment-based applicants must use the Final Action Dates chart (Chart A) for Form I-485 filing, while family-sponsored applicants are eligible to use the Dates for Filing chart (Chart B).
As the final month of Fiscal Year 2026 (ending September 30), statutory annual limits dictate available numbers. Here are the core highlights:
- EB-1 (Priority Workers): EB-1 India remains at October 15, 2022, while EB-1 China stands at July 1, 2023. Rest of World, Mexico, and Philippines remain Current (C). The State Department noted that high demand requires ongoing monitoring before the fiscal year concludes.
- EB-2 (Advanced Degrees / Exceptional Ability): EB-2 India remains UNAVAILABLE (U) for Final Action adjudications through September 30 due to 100% annual quota exhaustion. China holds at September 1, 2021, and ROW/Mexico/Philippines remain Current.
- EB-3 (Skilled Workers & Professionals): EB-3 ROW and Mexico stand at September 1, 2024. China is set at January 1, 2022, and India holds at January 1, 2014.
- EB-4 (Special Immigrants): Advanced by two full months from October 15, 2022 to December 15, 2022 across all countries, providing meaningful relief to religious workers and special immigrants.
- EB-5 (Immigrant Investors): Unreserved India remains Unavailable through September 30. Crucially, all EB-5 Set-Aside categories (Rural 20%, High Unemployment 10%, Infrastructure 2%) remain CURRENT for all countries including India and China.
Major Surges in Family-Sponsored Categories
While employment categories remained constrained due to year-end caps, family-sponsored preference categories saw substantial forward momentum in the September 2026 bulletin:
- F1 (Unmarried Sons & Daughters of U.S. Citizens): Jumped over 13 months forward from December 15, 2018 to January 22, 2020 for ROW, China, and India.
- F2B (Unmarried Adult Children of LPRs): Advanced over 19 months forward to August 22, 2019 for ROW, China, and India.
- F3 (Married Sons & Daughters of U.S. Citizens): Advanced over two years to October 22, 2014 for ROW, China, and India.
- F4 (Brothers & Sisters of Adult U.S. Citizens): ROW and China advanced to October 22, 2011; Philippines advanced to August 22, 2007.
What to Expect in October 2026 (FY 2027 Reset)
Federal Fiscal Year 2027 begins officially on <strong>October 1, 2026</strong>. Here is what applicants should prepare for:
Quota Replenishment: Categories currently marked "Unavailable" (including EB-2 India and EB-5 Unreserved India) will receive their new annual visa allocation quotas on October 1 and reopen with active cutoff dates.
Realistic Advancement Expectations: While new quotas unlock in October, initial movement may be measured as the Department of State accounts for documentarily qualified applicant pipelines built up during summer pauses.
Filing Recommendations for Eligible Applicants
If your priority date is current under the September 2026 charts, ensure your medical exams (Form I-693), financial affidavits, and civil documentation are current and ready for submission.
Applicants in categories marked Unavailable should continue maintaining lawful nonimmigrant status in the United States while awaiting the October 2026 fiscal year reset.