April 2026 Visa Bulletin: What Changed
April was the spring's big bulletin: 66 of 150 cutoff entries changed against March — 55 advances, ten status changes, one move backward — with movement across both family and employment categories. Two categories stood out: F2B (advanced 6 months) Largest in our archive and EB-4 (advanced 12 months) Largest in our archive. The Department's own notes that month tied part of the advancement to lower visa issuance for certain countries after administration actions, and cautioned that dates might have to move back later in the fiscal year to stay within annual limits — a warning worth remembering when reading the months that followed.
The family picture
The family story was a synchronized six-month jump at the top: F1 advanced (advanced 6 months) to May 1, 2017 — Largest since 2019 — and F2B matched it at (advanced 6 months) to May 22, 2017 Largest in our archive. F4 moved (advanced 5 months) and F3 (advanced 3 months) for most countries.
The Philippines had an unusually good month by its standards — F4 (advanced 5 months), F3 (advanced 4 months), F2B (advanced 4 months) — while Mexico's preference lines mostly held again, F1 (advanced 2 months) being the exception.
F2A's final-action date held at February 1, 2024 — but the quieter headline sat on the other chart: F2A's filing date opened to everyone in every country, so anyone in the category could file regardless of priority date.
- F1 · Most countries — (advanced 6 months) · May 1, 2017 Largest since 2019
- F2B · Most countries — (advanced 6 months) · May 22, 2017 Largest in our archive
- F4 · Most countries — (advanced 5 months) · June 8, 2008
Evidence: The family picture
- F1 · Most countries: May 1, 2017 (advanced 6 months) Largest since 2019
- F2B · Most countries: May 22, 2017 (advanced 6 months) Largest in our archive
- F4 · Most countries: June 8, 2008 (advanced 5 months)
- F3 · Philippines: July 1, 2005 (advanced 4 months)
Employment-based, briefly
A genuinely large work-based month: EB-2 opened to everyone for most countries, Mexico, and the Philippines; EB-4 advanced (advanced 12 months) across every country — Largest in our archive — with Religious Workers matching; EB-2 India moved (advanced 10 months) to July 15, 2014 Largest since 2023; EB-3 for most countries and Mexico advanced (advanced 8 months) and its filing date opened to everyone.
- EB-2 · Most countries — (open to everyone (was Oct 15, 2024))
- EB-4 · Most countries — (advanced 12 months) · July 15, 2022 Largest in our archive
- EB-4 Religious Workers · Most countries — (advanced 12 months) · July 15, 2022 Exceptional advance
Evidence: Employment-based, briefly
- EB-2 · Most countries: C (was Oct 15, 2024)
- EB-4 · Most countries: July 15, 2022 (advanced 12 months) Largest in our archive
- EB-4 Religious Workers · Most countries: July 15, 2022 (advanced 12 months) Exceptional advance
- EB-2 · India: July 15, 2014 (advanced 10 months) Largest since 2023
What happened next
April's warning that dates might move back did not, for the family categories, come true — the opposite did. Between April and September, F2B's cutoff traveled from May 22, 2017 to August 22, 2019, F1 from May 1, 2017 to January 22, 2020, and F3 from December 22, 2011 to October 22, 2014. F2A went from a filing date open to everyone in April to a final-action date within weeks of the bulletin itself by September. April, in hindsight, was the first loud month of a surge that kept building.
At a glance
- F1 most countries, China, and India — (advanced 6 months) Largest since 2019
- F2B most countries, China, and India — (advanced 6 months) Largest in our archive
- F4 most countries, China, and the Philippines — (advanced 5 months)
- F3 the Philippines — (advanced 4 months) to July 1, 2005
- EB-2 most countries, Mexico, and the Philippines — (opened to everyone)
- EB-4 all countries — (advanced 12 months) Largest in our archive
Against the archive
How records and stamps are judged →
For EB-4 (all countries), this is the largest single-bulletin EB-4 advance in our archive (since Oct 2015). For F2B (most countries, China, and India), this is the largest single-bulletin F2B advance in our archive (since Oct 2015). For F1 (most countries, China, and India), this is the largest single-bulletin F1 advance since 2019.
From the Department’s notes for April 2026
3 sections, reproduced verbatim from the U.S. Department of State’s April 2026 Visa Bulletin. The Department’s words, not ours.
C. THE DIVERSITY IMMIGRANT (DV) CATEGORY RANK CUT-OFFS WHICH WILL APPLY IN MAY
From the bulletin:
For May , immigrant numbers in the DV category are available to qualified DV-2026 applicants chargeable to all regions/eligible countries as follows. When an allocation cut-off number is shown, visas are available only for applicants with DV regional lottery rank numbers BELOW the specified allocation cut-off number:
Region
All DV Chargeability Areas Except
Those Listed Separately
AFRICA
55,000
Except: Algeria 37,000
Egypt 30,000
ASIA
35,000
Except: Nepal 10,000
EUROPE
20,000
NORTH AMERICA (BAHAMAS)
50
OCEANIA
1,500
SOUTH AMERICA,
and the CARIBBEAN
3,000
In plain words: “chargeability area” means country of birth.
D. AVAILABILITY OF FAMILY-SPONSORED AND EMPLOYMENT-BASED VISAS
Immigrant visa issuance rates for aliens from certain countries have decreased in light of various actions the…
From the bulletin:
Immigrant visa issuance rates for aliens from certain countries have decreased in light of various actions the administration has taken to protect national security and public safety, and to otherwise advance the interests of the United States (e.g. Presidential Proclamation 10949 , Presidential Proclamation 10998 , Immigrant Visa Processing Updates ). Consequently, to make visas available in accordance with sections 201-203 of the INA to prospective immigrants from other countries to use immigrant visa numbers that are available in FY-2026, dates for filing and final action dates have been advanced across various immigrant visa categories. Note that as additional immigrant visa demand materializes, or administration actions are amended, retrogression may be necessary later in the fiscal year to keep issuances within annual limits. This situation is being continually monitored, and any necessary adjustments will be made accordingly.
In plain words: “retrogress” means move back; “final action date” means approval date; “date for filing” means filing date.
E. U.S. GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEE SPECIAL IMMIGRANT VISAS (SIVs)
From the bulletin:
The National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2024, signed into law on December 22, 2023, may affect certain current and former employees of the U.S. Government abroad, as well as certain surviving spouses and children of deceased employees of the U.S. government abroad, applying for SIVs or adjustment of status, as described in section 101(a)(27)(D) of the INA. This does not affect certain Iraqis and Afghans applying for SQ and SI SIVs. Applicants should contact the consular section at which they filed their Form DS‑1884 for further information on the impact of that law on their case.
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Related categories
The full cutoff-date history behind this analysis.