EB-3 India Priority Date Tracker
Latest September 2026 cut-off dates for Employment-Based Third Preference (EB-3) India.
Consular processing and green card approvals are currently frozen because the annual category limit has been reached.
Applicants with priority dates earlier than this date can submit documentation or file I-485 packets.
The Employment-Based Third Preference (EB-3) category accommodates skilled workers (requiring a minimum of two years of training or experience), professionals (requiring a U.S. bachelor's degree or equivalent), and other unskilled labor. Like the EB-2 category, EB-3 applicants from highly populated nations such as India face multi-year queues due to the 7% statutory per-country visa limit.
For the September 2026 Visa Bulletin, the EB-3 India Final Action date stands at January 1, 2014, and the Dates for Filing is set to January 15, 2015. This reflects steady dates for Indian skilled workers. Applicants whose priority dates are before the filing date should finalize their documents to enable rapid filing once USCIS determines their Chart B eligibility.
Understanding the Backlog (EB-3 India)
The EB-3 category covers skilled workers, professionals, and other workers born in India. The backlog in this category is heavily impacted by applicants downgrading from EB-2 when dates fluctuate, which often causes "retrogression" or sudden date rollbacks.
Key Survival Options:
- Priority Date Retention: Your priority date is established when your PERM Labor Certification is filed. If you switch employers and file a new PERM/I-140, you can carry over your approved EB-3 priority date.
- EB-3 to EB-2 Upgrade: If you gain additional experience or acquire an advanced degree while waiting, your employer can file a new EB-2 petition and retain your older EB-3 priority date.
- AC21 Portability Rules: Keep your I-140 approved for at least 180 days. This protects your priority date from being revoked if your original employer cancels the petition.
12-Month Priority Date Movement History
Month-by-month tracking of Chart A (Final Action) and Chart B (Dates for Filing) cut-off movements.
| Bulletin Month | Chart A (Final Action) | Chart B (Dates for Filing) | USCIS Filing Context |
|---|---|---|---|
| September 2026September 2026 | Jan 1, 2014 —No change (Held) | Jan 15, 2015 —No change (Held) | Steady; cut-off held unchanged. |
| August 2026August 2026 | Jan 1, 2014 —No change (Held) | Jan 15, 2015 —No change (Held) | Steady; cut-off held unchanged. |
| July 2026July 2026 | Jan 1, 2014 +17 d | Jan 15, 2015 —No change (Held) | Final Action crosses into 2014; no summer retrogression. |
| June 2026June 2026 | Dec 15, 2013 +0 mo 30 d | Jan 15, 2015 —No change (Held) | Regular monthly processing. |
| May 2026May 2026 | Nov 15, 2013 —No change (Held) | Jan 15, 2015 —No change (Held) | Steady; cut-off held unchanged. |
| April 2026April 2026 | Nov 15, 2013 —No change (Held) | Jan 15, 2015 +5 mo 1 d | Chart B reaches Jan 2015; filing window opens. |
| March 2026March 2026 | Nov 15, 2013 —No change (Held) | Aug 15, 2014 —No change (Held) | Steady; cut-off held unchanged. |
| February 2026February 2026 | Nov 15, 2013 —No change (Held) | Aug 15, 2014 —No change (Held) | Steady; cut-off held unchanged. |
| January 2026January 2026 | Nov 15, 2013 +1 mo 24 d | Aug 15, 2014 —No change (Held) | Regular monthly processing. |
| December 2025December 2025 | Sep 22, 2013 +1 mo 1 d | Aug 15, 2014 —No change (Held) | Regular monthly processing. |
| November 2025November 2025 | Aug 22, 2013 —No change (Held) | Aug 15, 2014 —No change (Held) | Steady; cut-off held unchanged. |
| October 2025October 2025 | Aug 22, 2013 +3 mo 1 d | Aug 15, 2014 +14 mo 7 d | Chart B jumps 14 months to Aug 2014 for early filing. |
How to Use This 12-Month Movement Data for Your Strategy
Department of State annual visa quotas replenish every October 1st. First-quarter bulletins (Oct-Jan) typically offer the widest Chart B filing windows, spring bulletins reach peak Chart A advancement, and summer months carry heightened risk of retrogression or category exhaustion.
Priority Date Movement (Historical Trend)
23-Month Trend
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