As the new U.S. fiscal year approaches, October Visa Bulletin Prediction EB category searches are increasing among employment-based green card applicants, particularly those waiting under EB-1, EB-2, EB-3 and EB-5. The September 2026 Visa Bulletin was the final bulletin of Fiscal Year 2026, and the next bulletin will establish the first employment-based cutoff dates for Fiscal Year 2027. Although the October bulletin has not yet been officially published, several developments from the end of FY2026 provide important clues about what applicants may see when the new fiscal year begins.
The transition from September to October is especially important because employment-based immigrant visa numbers are governed by annual limits. Categories that reached their available numbers during FY2026 can become available again when the fiscal year resets on October 1, 2026. However, the new fiscal year does not eliminate existing backlogs. Applicants remain subject to category limits, country limits, demand and their individual priority dates.
Why October Is Important for Employment-Based Green Card Applicants
October is the first month of the U.S. federal fiscal year. Fiscal Year 2027 begins on October 1, 2026, creating a new annual pool of employment-based immigrant visa numbers.
That makes the October Visa Bulletin particularly important for applicants whose categories became unavailable during the final months of FY2026.
The September bulletin showed several employment-based categories under considerable numerical pressure. EB-2 India was unavailable, while EB-5 India in the unreserved category was also unavailable. The State Department additionally warned that EB-1 India could become unavailable if demand reached the applicable annual limit before the end of the fiscal year.
The arrival of October can therefore change the numerical situation significantly.
Still, applicants should not assume that every category will move forward by a large amount. The State Department determines cutoff dates according to projected demand and available visa numbers. A category can move forward, remain unchanged or later retrogress if demand is higher than expected.
EB-2 India Could Be One of the Most Closely Watched Categories
EB-2 India is likely to attract substantial attention when the October bulletin is released.
The category became unavailable during FY2026 after the available EB-2 numbers allocated to India were exhausted. The State Department explained that the annual limits would reset when FY2027 begins on October 1, allowing immigrant visa issuance to resume for qualified applicants subject to the new numerical limits and applicable priority dates.
The September 2026 bulletin therefore showed EB-2 India as unavailable for Final Action.
That does not mean EB-2 India applicants lose their approved petitions or priority dates. “Unavailable” means that visa numbers cannot be authorized under that category at that point in the fiscal year.
The July 2026 bulletin had already provided an important indication about October. The State Department said it was likely that the EB-2 India Final Action Date would advance in October to at least the Final Action Date that had been announced in May 2026. The Department also cautioned that the actual date would depend on demand and the FY2027 employment-based annual limit.
That statement makes EB-2 India one of the categories where applicants have a concrete government indication that movement could occur after the fiscal-year reset.
What EB-2 India Applicants Should Watch
Applicants should pay close attention to both the Final Action Date and the Dates for Filing chart.
The Final Action Date is particularly important for applicants waiting for final green card approval or immigrant visa issuance. A priority date generally must be earlier than the applicable Final Action Date for a visa number to be available.
The Dates for Filing chart serves a different purpose. It can allow eligible applicants to begin certain filing or document-submission steps before their priority dates reach the Final Action Date.
For adjustment-of-status applicants in the United States, however, the Dates for Filing chart cannot automatically be assumed to apply. USCIS determines which employment-based chart may be used for adjustment filings each month.
That distinction could become important in October.
EB-1 India Outlook for October
EB-1 India also enters the new fiscal year with considerable attention surrounding visa availability.
The September 2026 Final Action Date for EB-1 India was October 15, 2022. The category had experienced movement and retrogression during FY2026 as demand and visa-number usage changed.
The September bulletin also contained a warning that high demand and number use by applicants chargeable to India could require EB-1 India to become unavailable before the end of FY2026 if the applicable limit was reached.
The beginning of FY2027 provides a fresh annual allocation, which could permit the category to continue processing once new numbers become available.
However, the size of any October movement cannot be established until the new bulletin is published.
Applicants with EB-1 India priority dates near the existing cutoff should therefore watch the October Final Action Date carefully rather than relying on unofficial forecasts.
EB-3 India Remains a Major Backlog Category
EB-3 India is another category closely followed by Indian professionals waiting for employment-based permanent residence.
The September 2026 Final Action Date for EB-3 India was January 1, 2014. The Dates for Filing date was January 15, 2015.
The difference between those two dates demonstrates why applicants need to understand the two Visa Bulletin charts. A person whose priority date falls within the Dates for Filing window may have a filing opportunity under the applicable rules, even though final green card approval may still require waiting for the priority date to become current under the Final Action chart.
October could bring some movement to EB-3 India as the new fiscal-year allocation becomes available. However, the backlog is substantial, and movement is dependent on actual demand.
A forward movement of even a few months can affect thousands of applicants, but it should not automatically be interpreted as a permanent acceleration of the category.
EB-1 China and EB-2 China
China employment-based categories will also be monitored closely in October.
The September 2026 Final Action Date for EB-1 China was July 1, 2023. EB-2 China had a Final Action Date of September 1, 2021.
Both categories are subject to country-specific demand and employment-based numerical limits.
The start of FY2027 could provide additional availability, but applicants should avoid assuming that all available numbers will immediately translate into large cutoff-date advances.
The State Department manages the categories throughout the year based on projected demand. If demand develops faster than expected, dates can stop advancing or move backward.
EB-3 China Could See Continued Attention
EB-3 China had a September 2026 Final Action Date of January 1, 2022.
The category has experienced movement during FY2026, but the backlog remains significant.
October will provide an early indication of how the State Department intends to manage the category during FY2027. A new fiscal year can create room for movement, but the actual pace depends on the number of applicants ready to use available visa numbers.
Applicants should therefore compare their priority dates with the official October cutoff instead of relying on broad expectations about fiscal-year resets.
EB-5 India and the October Reset
EB-5 India is another category that could see an important change after October 1.
The unreserved EB-5 category for India was unavailable at the end of FY2026 because the applicable annual allocation had been reached.
The State Department previously indicated that the EB-5 unreserved Final Action Date for India was likely to advance in October to at least the Final Action Date established in June, while also warning that the eventual date would depend on demand and the FY2027 annual limit.
EB-5 also includes reserved categories. These include rural-area investments, high-unemployment-area investments and infrastructure projects. These reserved categories are separate from the unreserved EB-5 pool and can therefore have different availability patterns.
Applicants should identify the exact EB-5 classification associated with their case before interpreting a Visa Bulletin update.
Understanding “Unavailable” in the Visa Bulletin
The word “Unavailable” can cause confusion for applicants.
An unavailable category does not mean that an immigrant petition has been canceled. It generally means that immigrant visa numbers are not currently authorized because the applicable numerical allocation has been reached or is otherwise unavailable.
When a new fiscal year begins, additional visa numbers become available under the new annual limits.
This is particularly relevant to EB-2 India and EB-5 India as October approaches.
However, the reappearance of a cutoff date does not necessarily mean every applicant with an older priority date will immediately receive a green card. The applicant must still satisfy all other requirements and have a priority date that falls within the applicable cutoff.
Final Action Dates and Dates for Filing Explained
Employment-based applicants should understand the difference between the two primary Visa Bulletin charts.
Final Action Dates
The Final Action Dates chart is used to determine when an immigrant visa number can be available for final action.
If an applicant’s priority date is earlier than the listed cutoff date, the case may be eligible for final processing, assuming all other requirements are satisfied.
Dates for Filing
The Dates for Filing chart identifies when applicants may begin certain parts of the immigrant visa or adjustment process, depending on the applicable rules.
For applicants processing immigrant visas through a U.S. consulate or embassy, the chart can indicate when required documentation may be submitted.
For applicants seeking adjustment of status inside the United States, USCIS separately determines whether the Dates for Filing chart or Final Action Dates chart applies in a particular month.
That means applicants should always check the USCIS announcement for October before submitting an adjustment-of-status application based on the filing chart.
Could October Bring Significant Movement?
The October bulletin could show movement in several employment-based categories because FY2027 will replace FY2026.
The most notable changes may involve categories that became unavailable during FY2026.
EB-2 India and EB-5 India are particularly important examples. Both experienced numerical limitations during the previous fiscal year, and the State Department had already indicated that their dates could advance after the October reset.
EB-1 India also deserves close attention because of the warning issued about potential unavailability near the end of FY2026.
At the same time, applicants should not assume that the new fiscal year will produce dramatic movement across every category.
Visa allocation is an ongoing process. The State Department must balance annual limits against demand, and cutoff dates can change throughout the fiscal year.
What Could Affect October Cutoff Dates?
Several factors can influence the October bulletin:
- The number of employment-based visas available for FY2027
- Demand from applicants in each preference category
- Demand from individual countries
- Number of applicants with priority dates earlier than the projected cutoff
- Consular immigrant visa demand
- Adjustment-of-status demand inside the United States
- Availability of unused numbers under applicable allocation rules
- Category-specific annual limits
- Per-country limitations
These factors explain why private predictions can differ considerably.
A forecast based on historical movement may not accurately reflect actual demand in a particular month.
October Visa Bulletin Prediction EB category: What Applicants Should Monitor
For applicants following the October Visa Bulletin Prediction EB category, the most important development will be the official publication of the October 2026 bulletin.
Applicants should compare the new Final Action Date and Dates for Filing date with their own priority date. They should also determine whether their country of chargeability and employment-based category match the table they are reviewing.
Indian applicants in EB-1, EB-2, EB-3 and EB-5 categories are likely to pay particularly close attention because several India-specific categories faced significant numerical constraints during FY2026.
The October bulletin will also provide an early indication of how the State Department is managing the FY2027 allocation.
Why Applicants Should Not Rely Only on Predictions
Visa Bulletin predictions can be useful for understanding possible scenarios, but they are not guarantees.
The State Department can change cutoff dates based on new demand information. A category that advances in October could later slow down. Conversely, a category that shows little movement initially could advance in a later month if visa availability permits.
Applicants should therefore avoid making major immigration decisions solely because a forecast suggests that a particular priority date may become current.
The official bulletin remains the controlling monthly source for cutoff dates.
What Green Card Applicants Can Do Before October
Applicants can prepare while waiting for the new bulletin.
First, verify the priority date listed on the underlying immigrant petition or immigration records.
Second, identify the correct employment-based preference category and country of chargeability.
Third, review the September cutoff against the priority date to understand the current position.
Fourth, keep documents and supporting evidence organized so that action can be taken promptly if the priority date becomes eligible.
Applicants in the United States should also monitor USCIS announcements concerning which Visa Bulletin chart can be used for adjustment-of-status filings.
Those processing immigrant visas through consular channels should monitor instructions from the National Visa Center and the applicable U.S. embassy or consulate.
Bottom Line for October 2026
The start of Fiscal Year 2027 makes October one of the most significant months of the year for employment-based green card applicants.
EB-2 India enters the new fiscal year after becoming unavailable during FY2026, while EB-5 India also reached its applicable limit in the unreserved category. EB-1 India faces its own demand-related concerns, and EB-3 India continues to have a lengthy backlog.
The State Department has already indicated that certain India categories could advance once FY2027 numbers become available. Nevertheless, the exact October cutoff dates will depend on demand and the new annual allocation.
For applicants, the key is to distinguish between a prediction and an official Visa Bulletin date. A forecast can provide context, but only the published October bulletin can establish the actual cutoff dates for the month.
As October approaches, applicants should have their priority dates readily available, understand whether they are tracking Final Action Dates or Dates for Filing, and watch for the corresponding USCIS filing-chart announcement.
The beginning of a new fiscal year can bring meaningful changes to employment-based immigration, but each applicant’s situation remains tied to the specific category, country of chargeability, priority date and applicable filing rules.