Visa bulletin september 2026 brings important changes for family-sponsored and employment-based immigrants seeking U.S. permanent residence. The U.S. Department of State has published the September 2026 Visa Bulletin, while USCIS has determined which charts applicants must use for adjustment-of-status filings during the month. Family-sponsored applicants may use the Dates for Filing chart, while employment-based applicants must use the Final Action Dates chart.
The September bulletin is especially important because it is the final month of fiscal year 2026. The Department of State has set the worldwide family-sponsored preference limit at 226,000 and the worldwide employment-based preference limit at 186,317 for the fiscal year.
Applicants should pay close attention to their priority dates, country of chargeability and immigrant category. A case may be eligible for filing under one chart but not eligible for final approval under the other.
September 2026 USCIS Filing Rules
USCIS has made a clear distinction between family-sponsored and employment-based preference categories for September.
For family-sponsored preference categories, USCIS requires applicants filing adjustment of status to use the Dates for Filing chart.
For employment-based preference categories, USCIS requires applicants to use the Final Action Dates chart.
This distinction matters because the Dates for Filing chart generally allows an applicant to begin the adjustment-of-status process before a visa number is immediately available for final approval.
Applicants should not assume that the more favorable chart applies automatically. The Department of State bulletin specifically directs adjustment applicants to check USCIS for the chart designated for the month.
Family-Sponsored Final Action Dates
The September 2026 Final Action Dates chart establishes the dates when immigrant visa numbers are available for final action in family-sponsored preference categories.
| Category | All Other Countries | China | India | Mexico | Philippines |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| F1 | Jan. 22, 2020 | Jan. 22, 2020 | Jan. 22, 2020 | Jan. 1, 2008 | May 1, 2013 |
| F2A | Aug. 22, 2026 | Aug. 22, 2026 | Aug. 22, 2026 | Aug. 22, 2025 | Aug. 22, 2026 |
| F2B | Aug. 22, 2019 | Aug. 22, 2019 | Aug. 22, 2019 | Feb. 15, 2009 | June 1, 2013 |
| F3 | Oct. 22, 2014 | Oct. 22, 2014 | Oct. 22, 2014 | July 1, 2001 | Feb. 22, 2006 |
| F4 | Oct. 22, 2011 | Oct. 22, 2011 | Nov. 1, 2006 | Apr. 8, 2001 | Aug. 22, 2007 |
These dates are significant for final visa issuance or final approval. A listed date generally means the applicant’s priority date must be earlier than the applicable cutoff date.
The F2A category has particularly favorable final-action dates in September. For most countries, the cutoff is August 22, 2026, while Mexico has a cutoff of August 22, 2025.
The Department of State also explains that some F2A numbers are exempt from the per-country limit. For September, those numbers are available to applicants from all countries whose priority dates are earlier than August 22, 2025.
Family-Sponsored Dates for Filing
The Dates for Filing chart is more favorable in several family-sponsored categories.
| Category | All Other Countries | 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 | Sept. 1, 2019 | Sept. 1, 2019 | Sept. 1, 2019 | May 15, 2010 | Oct. 1, 2013 |
| F3 | Nov. 1, 2014 | Nov. 1, 2014 | Nov. 1, 2014 | July 15, 2001 | Aug. 8, 2006 |
| F4 | Nov. 1, 2011 | Nov. 1, 2011 | Dec. 15, 2006 | Apr. 30, 2001 | Mar. 22, 2008 |
F2A is listed as current across every country of chargeability on the September Dates for Filing chart. That means there is no priority-date cutoff for that chart in September.
Because USCIS selected the Dates for Filing chart for family-sponsored adjustment cases, eligible applicants whose priority dates fall within the September filing dates may generally submit Form I-485 if they meet the other requirements for adjustment of status.
The filing chart does not mean every applicant will immediately receive a green card. Final approval remains tied to visa-number availability and the applicable Final Action Date.
Employment-Based Final Action Dates
Employment-based applicants face a different rule in September. USCIS requires all employment-based preference categories to use the Final Action Dates chart for adjustment-of-status filings.
The September employment-based Final Action Dates are:
| Category | All Other Countries | China | India | Mexico | Philippines |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EB-1 | Current | July 1, 2023 | Oct. 15, 2022 | Current | Current |
| EB-2 | Current | Sept. 1, 2021 | Unavailable | Current | Current |
| EB-3 | Sept. 1, 2024 | Jan. 1, 2022 | Jan. 1, 2014 | Sept. 1, 2024 | Aug. 1, 2023 |
| EB-3 Other Workers | Apr. 1, 2022 | May 1, 2019 | Jan. 1, 2014 | Apr. 1, 2022 | Dec. 1, 2021 |
| EB-4 | Dec. 15, 2022 | Dec. 15, 2022 | Dec. 15, 2022 | Dec. 15, 2022 | Dec. 15, 2022 |
| Certain Religious Workers | Dec. 15, 2022 | Dec. 15, 2022 | Dec. 15, 2022 | Dec. 15, 2022 | Dec. 15, 2022 |
| EB-5 Unreserved | Current | Dec. 1, 2016 | Unavailable | Current | Current |
The EB-5 rural, high-unemployment and infrastructure set-aside categories are current for all listed countries in September.
EB-1 India Faces a Warning
The September bulletin contains a specific warning for the EB-1 category for India.
The State Department says high demand and increased visa-number use could require the EB-1 India category to become unavailable before the end of fiscal year 2026 if India’s prorated limit is reached. The Department says it will continue monitoring the situation.
This warning is important because a category that is available can later move backward or become unavailable when annual limits are reached.
Applicants with eligible EB-1 India priority dates should therefore pay attention to any subsequent State Department announcement rather than assuming that the September cutoff will continue.
EB-2 India Is Unavailable
EB-2 India is listed as U in the September Final Action Dates chart. The State Department uses “U” to mean that immigrant visa numbers are unauthorized for that category during the month.
The bulletin also warns that demand in EB-2 could require the Final Action Date to retrogress or the category to become unavailable before the fiscal year ends.
The warning reflects the pressure on available employment-based numbers during the final month of FY 2026.
EB-5 India Is Also Unavailable for Final Action
The September Final Action chart lists EB-5 unreserved for India as unavailable.
By comparison, EB-5 unreserved remains current for all other chargeability areas, Mexico and the Philippines. China has a December 1, 2016 final-action date.
The EB-5 set-aside categories have different treatment. Rural, high-unemployment and infrastructure categories are current across the countries shown in the September bulletin.
Employment-Based Dates for Filing
Although USCIS does not permit employment-based adjustment applicants to use this chart in September, the Department of State has published the following Dates for Filing:
| Category | All Other Countries | China | India | Mexico | Philippines |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EB-1 | Current | Dec. 1, 2023 | Dec. 1, 2023 | Current | Current |
| EB-2 | Current | Jan. 1, 2022 | Jan. 15, 2015 | Current | Current |
| EB-3 | Current | Jan. 8, 2022 | Jan. 15, 2015 | Current | Jan. 1, 2024 |
| EB-3 Other Workers | Aug. 1, 2022 | Oct. 1, 2019 | Jan. 15, 2015 | Aug. 1, 2022 | Aug. 1, 2022 |
| EB-4 | Jan. 1, 2023 | Jan. 1, 2023 | Jan. 1, 2023 | Jan. 1, 2023 | Jan. 1, 2023 |
| EB-5 Unreserved | Current | Mar. 1, 2017 | May 1, 2024 | Current | Current |
These dates are useful for tracking visa availability, but employment-based applicants filing adjustment of status in September must follow the Final Action chart selected by USCIS.
Diversity Visa Cutoffs for September 2026
The September bulletin also provides the final Diversity Visa availability for DV-2026.
The September regional allocation cutoffs are:
- Africa: 101,250
- Algeria: 85,000
- Egypt: 50,000
- Asia: 40,000
- Nepal: 13,500
- Europe: 47,500
- North America — Bahamas: Current
- Oceania: 3,000
- South America and the Caribbean: 4,750
The State Department emphasizes that DV-2026 eligibility ends on September 30, 2026. DV-2026 visas cannot be issued after that date, and visa numbers could run out before the end of September.
The bulletin also states that the FY 2026 DV annual limit is approximately 52,101 after statutory reductions.
Why September Is an Important Month
September marks the end of fiscal year 2026, making visa-number management particularly important.
The State Department says that dates have advanced in several categories during recent months because lower immigrant visa issuance from certain countries allowed numbers to be made available to applicants from other countries. However, the Department warns that retrogression may become necessary as additional demand develops.
Categories can also become unavailable before the fiscal year ends if annual, category or prorated country limits are reached.
For applicants, that means a favorable September date should not be interpreted as a guarantee that the same date will remain available in October or later.
What Applicants Should Check in September 2026
Applicants following the September bulletin should compare four key pieces of information:
- Immigrant category: Determine whether the case is F1, F2A, F2B, F3, F4, EB-1, EB-2, EB-3, EB-4 or EB-5.
- Priority date: Compare the priority date with the applicable cutoff.
- Country of chargeability: China, India, Mexico and the Philippines have separate columns in the bulletin.
- USCIS filing chart: Family-sponsored adjustment applicants use Dates for Filing in September, while employment-based adjustment applicants use Final Action Dates.
Applicants outside the United States should also distinguish between filing documentation with the National Visa Center and filing Form I-485 with USCIS. The Visa Bulletin provides separate instructions for these processes.
September 2026 Visa Bulletin: The Bottom Line
The September 2026 bulletin provides several notable opportunities for family-sponsored applicants. F2A is current on the Dates for Filing chart for every listed country, while F1, F2B, F3 and F4 also have filing dates that are generally ahead of their Final Action Dates.
Employment-based applicants face a more restrictive filing rule because USCIS requires the Final Action Dates chart for September. EB-2 India and EB-5 India are unavailable for final action, while the State Department has issued warnings about possible changes involving EB-1 India, EB-2 and EB-5 unreserved categories.
The biggest takeaway is that applicants should use the September rules that apply specifically to their category and country rather than relying on a general cutoff date. The fiscal year ends September 30, so visa availability can change quickly if demand or annual limits require further action.
Have you checked your priority date against the September 2026 cutoff? Share your category and country of chargeability in the comments and stay updated as the next Visa Bulletin brings new dates.