May 2026 Visa Bulletin: What Changed
After April's broad surge, May narrowed its focus: 34 of 150 cutoff entries moved, none backward, and nearly all of the action was family-sponsored. The month belonged to one category — F2A advanced (advanced 6 months) in every column at once, most countries, China, India, the Philippines, and Mexico alike, bringing the main cutoff to August 1, 2024. The significance was uniformity, not size.
The family picture
F2A's synchronized six-month step was the kind of across-the-board move the bulletin rarely prints — even Mexico's F2A, which had held in April, advanced (advanced 6 months) to August 1, 2023. And Mexico's movement didn't stop there: F1 Mexico advanced (advanced 6 months) to August 15, 2007 — its second advance in a row, after holding in March.
The Philippines continued its spring catch-up: F4 (advanced 5 months) to July 15, 2007 and F3 (advanced 5 months), both well ahead of the most-countries pace. Elsewhere the majors kept a steadier rhythm — F1 (advanced 4 months) to September 1, 2017, F4 (advanced 3 months), F3 (advanced 2 months) — while F2B, coming off April's (advanced 6 months) Largest in our archive, held in every column. F3 and F4 for Mexico, and F4 for India, stayed unchanged.
- F2A · Most countries — (advanced 6 months) · August 1, 2024
- F1 · Mexico — (advanced 6 months) · August 15, 2007
- F4 · Philippines — (advanced 5 months) · July 15, 2007
Evidence: The family picture
- F2A · Most countries: August 1, 2024 (advanced 6 months)
- F1 · Mexico: August 15, 2007 (advanced 6 months)
- F4 · Philippines: July 15, 2007 (advanced 5 months)
- F3 · Philippines: November 22, 2005 (advanced 5 months)
Employment-based, briefly
Nearly silent: EB-3 Other Workers advanced (advanced 3 months) for most countries and Mexico, EB-5 China moved (advanced 3 weeks), and everything else held. After April's wave of dates opening to everyone, May made the fiscal year's family-led character plain.
- EB-3 Other Workers · Most countries — (advanced 3 months) · February 1, 2022
- EB-5 · China — (advanced 3 weeks) · September 22, 2016
Evidence: Employment-based, briefly
- EB-3 Other Workers · Most countries: February 1, 2022 (advanced 3 months)
- EB-5 · China: September 22, 2016 (advanced 3 weeks)
What happened next
May's F2A step turned out to be the opening stride of the category's defining run: from August 1, 2024 in May, the cutoff reached August 22, 2026 by September — roughly two years of movement in four bulletins, ending within weeks of the bulletin date itself. F1 Mexico went on to reach January 1, 2008 by the fiscal year's end, and F4's most-countries column traveled from September 15, 2008 to October 22, 2011.
At a glance
- F2A all countries — (advanced 6 months)
- F1 Mexico — (advanced 6 months) to August 15, 2007
- F4 the Philippines — (advanced 5 months) to July 15, 2007
- F3 the Philippines — (advanced 5 months) to November 22, 2005
- EB-3 Other Workers most countries and Mexico — (advanced 3 months)
- EB-5 China — (advanced 3 weeks) to September 22, 2016
From the Department’s notes for May 2026
4 sections, reproduced verbatim from the U.S. Department of State’s May 2026 Visa Bulletin. The Department’s words, not ours.
C. THE DIVERSITY IMMIGRANT (DV) CATEGORY RANK CUT-OFFS WHICH WILL APPLY IN JUNE
From the bulletin:
For June , 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 11,000
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. VISA AVAILABILITY IN THE EMPLOYMENT-BASED FIFTH PREFERENCE (EB-5) UNRESERVED CATEGORIES FOR INDIA
From the bulletin:
Sufficient demand and increased number use by India in the EB-5 unreserved visa categories may make it necessary to retrogress the final action date or make the category unavailable to hold number use within the maximum allowed under the FY 2026 annual limit. This situation will be continually monitored, and any necessary adjustments will be made accordingly.
In plain words: “Unavailable” (“U”) means paused; “retrogress” means move back; “final action date” means approval date.
F. U.S. GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEE SPECIAL IMMIGRANT VISAS (SIVs)
The National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2024, signed into law on December 22, 2023, may affect…
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.
F. FOR THE LATEST INFORMATION ON VISA PROCESSING AT U.S. EMBASSIES AND CONSULATES, PLEASE VISIT THE BUREAU OF CONSULAR AFFAIRS WEBSITE AT TRAVEL.STATE.GOV
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Related categories
The full cutoff-date history behind this analysis.