November 2026 Visa Bulletin: What Changed
At a glance
- Family: F1, F2B, F3, and F4 approval dates (from the official Final Action Dates chart) for most countries advance 12 months.
- Work-based: EB-3 Other Workers approval date for most countries advances 5 months.
- Biggest change: F1, F2B, F3, and F4 approval dates for most countries advance 12 months.
- Which date to use: USCIS hasn't yet said which chart to use for November 2026. We'll update this page as soon as it does.
Read Q&A audio transcript
The two charts
Host: The November 2026 bulletin has two charts. How do we cover them?
Analyst: Each part gives the Final Action Dates first, then the Dates for Filing. The Final Action Dates are the approval dates, and the Dates for Filing are the filing dates. The page shows which chart USCIS says to use for work visas and for families.
Work & India/China
Host: Let's start with work visas. What's happening for India and China?
Analyst: Final Action Dates. EB-2 India is at November 1, 2013, unchanged. EB-2 China is at October 1, 2021, unchanged. EB-3 India moved ahead 3 weeks, to January 22, 2014. EB-3 China moved ahead 2 weeks, to January 22, 2022. Dates for Filing. EB-2 India is at January 15, 2015, unchanged. EB-2 China is at January 1, 2023, unchanged. EB-3 India is at January 15, 2015, unchanged. EB-3 China is at April 1, 2024, unchanged.
Host: Which other work-visa dates moved the most?
Analyst: Final Action Dates. EB-3 Other Workers for most countries moved ahead 5 months, to June 1, 2022; EB-2 for most countries moved ahead 3 months, to April 1, 2025; EB-3 for most countries moved ahead 1 month, to June 15, 2024. The rest moved less. Dates for Filing. EB-3 Other Workers for most countries moved ahead 1 month, to July 1, 2022.
Family
Host: Now families. Which dates moved the most?
Analyst: Final Action Dates. F1 for most countries moved ahead 12 months, to January 22, 2021; F2B for most countries moved ahead 12 months, to August 22, 2020; F3 for most countries moved ahead 12 months, to October 22, 2015; F4 for most countries moved ahead 12 months, to October 22, 2012. The rest moved less. Dates for Filing. F1 for most countries moved ahead 12 months, to February 1, 2021; F2B for most countries moved ahead 12 months, to September 1, 2020; F3 for most countries moved ahead 12 months, to November 1, 2015; F4 for most countries moved ahead 12 months, to November 1, 2012. China matched most countries.
Outlook
Host: What should people watch for next?
Analyst: The bulletin didn't say what to expect next. This is general information, not legal advice.
Family green cards
The short version: F1, F2B, F3, and F4 approval dates (from the official Final Action Dates chart) for most countries advance 12 months.
Which date do you check this month?
- Inside the U.S.: USCIS hasn't yet said which chart to use for November 2026. We'll update this page as soon as it does. (Outside the U.S.: use the filing date (from the official Dates for Filing chart) to submit documents and the approval date (from the official Final Action Dates chart) for visa issuance.)
- Your date: Check your Form I-130 receipt date. If it is earlier than the cutoff shown below, you can move forward.
This month at a glance
| Category | Who it's for | Approval date (Final Action) | Filing date (Dates for Filing) |
|---|---|---|---|
| F1 | Unmarried children (21+) of U.S. citizens | Jan 22, 2021 (12 months ahead) | Feb 1, 2021 (12 months ahead) |
| F2A | Spouses and kids (under 21) of green card holders | Oct 22, 2026 (1 month ahead) | C |
| F2B | Unmarried children (21+) of green card holders | Aug 22, 2020 (12 months ahead) | Sep 1, 2020 (12 months ahead) |
| F3 | Married children of U.S. citizens | Oct 22, 2015 (12 months ahead) | Nov 1, 2015 (12 months ahead) |
| F4 | Brothers and sisters of U.S. citizens | Oct 22, 2012 (12 months ahead) | Nov 1, 2012 (12 months ahead) |
These are the dates for most countries. India, China, Mexico, and the Philippines can have their own dates.
| Category | Who it's for | Approval date (Final Action) | Filing date (Dates for Filing) |
|---|---|---|---|
| F1 | Unmarried children (21+) of U.S. citizens | Jan 22, 2021 (12 months ahead) | Feb 1, 2021 (12 months ahead) |
| F2A | Spouses and kids (under 21) of green card holders | Oct 22, 2026 (1 month ahead) | C |
| F2B | Unmarried children (21+) of green card holders | Aug 22, 2020 (12 months ahead) | Sep 1, 2020 (12 months ahead) |
| F3 | Married children of U.S. citizens | Oct 22, 2015 (12 months ahead) | Nov 1, 2015 (12 months ahead) |
| F4 | Brothers and sisters of U.S. citizens | Dec 15, 2006 | Feb 1, 2007 |
Dates for people born in India. Where India has no date of its own, the most-countries date applies.
| Category | Who it's for | Approval date (Final Action) | Filing date (Dates for Filing) |
|---|---|---|---|
| F1 | Unmarried children (21+) of U.S. citizens | Jan 22, 2021 (12 months ahead) | Feb 1, 2021 (12 months ahead) |
| F2A | Spouses and kids (under 21) of green card holders | Oct 22, 2026 (1 month ahead) | C |
| F2B | Unmarried children (21+) of green card holders | Aug 22, 2020 (12 months ahead) | Sep 1, 2020 (12 months ahead) |
| F3 | Married children of U.S. citizens | Oct 22, 2015 (12 months ahead) | Nov 1, 2015 (12 months ahead) |
| F4 | Brothers and sisters of U.S. citizens | Oct 22, 2012 (12 months ahead) | Nov 1, 2012 (12 months ahead) |
Dates for people born in China. Where China has no date of its own, the most-countries date applies.
| Category | Who it's for | Approval date (Final Action) | Filing date (Dates for Filing) |
|---|---|---|---|
| F1 | Unmarried children (21+) of U.S. citizens | Sep 22, 2008 (2 weeks ahead) | Dec 1, 2008 |
| F2A | Spouses and kids (under 21) of green card holders | Apr 22, 2026 (1 month ahead) | C |
| F2B | Unmarried children (21+) of green card holders | May 15, 2010 | Mar 22, 2011 |
| F3 | Married children of U.S. citizens | Jul 15, 2001 (2 weeks ahead) | Dec 1, 2002 |
| F4 | Brothers and sisters of U.S. citizens | Apr 22, 2001 | Apr 30, 2001 |
Dates for people born in Mexico. Where Mexico has no date of its own, the most-countries date applies.
| Category | Who it's for | Approval date (Final Action) | Filing date (Dates for Filing) |
|---|---|---|---|
| F1 | Unmarried children (21+) of U.S. citizens | Nov 1, 2013 | Apr 22, 2015 |
| F2A | Spouses and kids (under 21) of green card holders | Oct 22, 2026 (1 month ahead) | C |
| F2B | Unmarried children (21+) of green card holders | Oct 1, 2013 | Oct 1, 2014 |
| F3 | Married children of U.S. citizens | Jul 22, 2006 | Oct 22, 2006 |
| F4 | Brothers and sisters of U.S. citizens | May 15, 2008 | Mar 22, 2009 |
Dates for people born in the Philippines. Where the Philippines has no date of its own, the most-countries date applies.
Unmarked dates are unchanged from last month.
C = Current. U = Unavailable.
Country differences
- Mexico:
- F1: Approval date (from the official Final Action Dates chart): Sep 8, 2008 to Sep 22, 2008 (2 weeks ahead) | Filing date (from the official Dates for Filing chart): Dec 1, 2008
- F2A: Approval date: Mar 22, 2026 to Apr 22, 2026 (1 month ahead) | Filing date: C
- F3: Approval date: Jul 1, 2001 to Jul 15, 2001 (2 weeks ahead) | Filing date: Dec 1, 2002
All other Mexico categories held steady (select Mexico in the table above to view dates).
- Philippines:
Country-specific cutoffs held steady this month (select Philippines in the table above for all dates).
- India:
Country-specific cutoffs held steady this month (select India in the table above for all dates).
- China: Same as most countries this month.
What this means for you
- If your date moved ahead: Check whether your receipt-notice date is now earlier than the new cutoff.
- If nothing moved: No change this month for your category.
The State Department did not include additional commentary or forward projections for this section in the November 2026 bulletin.
Viewing Family only · Show Work-based green cards · Show both
Work-based green cards
The short version: EB-3 Other Workers approval date (from the official Final Action Dates chart) for most countries advances 5 months (Jan 1, 2022 to Jun 1, 2022).
Which date do you check this month?
- Inside the U.S.: USCIS hasn't yet said which chart to use for November 2026. We'll update this page as soon as it does. (Outside the U.S.: use the filing date (from the official Dates for Filing chart) to submit documents and the approval date (from the official Final Action Dates chart) for visa issuance.)
- Your date: Check your PERM or Form I-140 date. If it is earlier than the cutoff shown below, you can move forward.
India and China cutoffs
Approval date (from the official Final Action Dates chart) and filing date (from the official Dates for Filing chart) for each category.
| Category | India | China |
|---|---|---|
| EB-1 | Approval: Feb 1, 2023; Filing: Jul 1, 2024 | Approval: Aug 1, 2023 (1 month ahead); Filing: Jul 1, 2024 |
| EB-2 | Approval: Nov 1, 2013; Filing: Jan 15, 2015 | Approval: Oct 1, 2021; Filing: Jan 1, 2023 |
| EB-3 | Approval: Jan 22, 2014 (3 weeks ahead); Filing: Jan 15, 2015 | Approval: Jan 22, 2022 (2 weeks ahead); Filing: Apr 1, 2024 |
| EB-3 Other Workers | Approval: Jan 22, 2014 (3 weeks ahead); Filing: Jan 15, 2015 | Approval: Oct 1, 2019; Filing: Oct 1, 2020 |
| EB-5 | Approval: Dec 1, 2023; Filing: May 1, 2024 | Approval: Dec 1, 2016; Filing: Mar 1, 2021 |
C = Current. U = Unavailable.
This month at a glance
| Category | Who it's for | Approval date (Final Action) | Filing date (Dates for Filing) |
|---|---|---|---|
| EB-1 | Top talent, researchers, and executives | C | C |
| EB-2 | Advanced degrees or exceptional ability | Apr 1, 2025 (3 months ahead) | Mar 15, 2026 |
| EB-3 | Skilled workers and professionals | Jun 15, 2024 (1 month ahead) | Aug 1, 2024 |
| EB-3 Other Workers | Jobs needing under 2 years of training | Jun 1, 2022 (5 months ahead) | Jul 1, 2022 (1 month ahead) |
| EB-4 | Special groups, including religious ministers | Dec 15, 2022 | Jan 1, 2025 |
| EB-4 Religious Workers | Religious workers who aren't ministers | Dec 15, 2022 | Jan 1, 2025 |
| EB-5 | Investors | C | C |
These are the dates for most countries. India, China, Mexico, and the Philippines can have their own dates.
| Category | Who it's for | Approval date (Final Action) | Filing date (Dates for Filing) |
|---|---|---|---|
| EB-1 | Top talent, researchers, and executives | Feb 1, 2023 | Jul 1, 2024 |
| EB-2 | Advanced degrees or exceptional ability | Nov 1, 2013 | Jan 15, 2015 |
| EB-3 | Skilled workers and professionals | Jan 22, 2014 (3 weeks ahead) | Jan 15, 2015 |
| EB-3 Other Workers | Jobs needing under 2 years of training | Jan 22, 2014 (3 weeks ahead) | Jan 15, 2015 |
| EB-4 | Special groups, including religious ministers | Dec 15, 2022 | Jan 1, 2025 |
| EB-4 Religious Workers | Religious workers who aren't ministers | Dec 15, 2022 | Jan 1, 2025 |
| EB-5 | Investors | Dec 1, 2023 | May 1, 2024 |
Dates for people born in India. Where India has no date of its own, the most-countries date applies.
| Category | Who it's for | Approval date (Final Action) | Filing date (Dates for Filing) |
|---|---|---|---|
| EB-1 | Top talent, researchers, and executives | Aug 1, 2023 (1 month ahead) | Jul 1, 2024 |
| EB-2 | Advanced degrees or exceptional ability | Oct 1, 2021 | Jan 1, 2023 |
| EB-3 | Skilled workers and professionals | Jan 22, 2022 (2 weeks ahead) | Apr 1, 2024 |
| EB-3 Other Workers | Jobs needing under 2 years of training | Oct 1, 2019 | Oct 1, 2020 |
| EB-4 | Special groups, including religious ministers | Dec 15, 2022 | Jan 1, 2025 |
| EB-4 Religious Workers | Religious workers who aren't ministers | Dec 15, 2022 | Jan 1, 2025 |
| EB-5 | Investors | Dec 1, 2016 | Mar 1, 2021 |
Dates for people born in China. Where China has no date of its own, the most-countries date applies.
| Category | Who it's for | Approval date (Final Action) | Filing date (Dates for Filing) |
|---|---|---|---|
| EB-1 | Top talent, researchers, and executives | C | C |
| EB-2 | Advanced degrees or exceptional ability | Apr 1, 2025 (3 months ahead) | Mar 15, 2026 |
| EB-3 | Skilled workers and professionals | Jun 15, 2024 (1 month ahead) | Aug 1, 2024 |
| EB-3 Other Workers | Jobs needing under 2 years of training | Jun 1, 2022 (5 months ahead) | Jul 1, 2022 (1 month ahead) |
| EB-4 | Special groups, including religious ministers | Dec 15, 2022 | Jan 1, 2025 |
| EB-4 Religious Workers | Religious workers who aren't ministers | Dec 15, 2022 | Jan 1, 2025 |
| EB-5 | Investors | C | C |
Dates for people born in Mexico. Where Mexico has no date of its own, the most-countries date applies.
| Category | Who it's for | Approval date (Final Action) | Filing date (Dates for Filing) |
|---|---|---|---|
| EB-1 | Top talent, researchers, and executives | C | C |
| EB-2 | Advanced degrees or exceptional ability | Apr 1, 2025 (3 months ahead) | Mar 15, 2026 |
| EB-3 | Skilled workers and professionals | Aug 15, 2023 | Jan 1, 2024 |
| EB-3 Other Workers | Jobs needing under 2 years of training | Jan 1, 2022 | Jun 1, 2022 |
| EB-4 | Special groups, including religious ministers | Dec 15, 2022 | Jan 1, 2025 |
| EB-4 Religious Workers | Religious workers who aren't ministers | Dec 15, 2022 | Jan 1, 2025 |
| EB-5 | Investors | C | C |
Dates for people born in the Philippines. Where the Philippines has no date of its own, the most-countries date applies.
Unmarked dates are unchanged from last month.
C = Current. U = Unavailable.
Country differences
- India:
- EB-3: Approval date (from the official Final Action Dates chart): Jan 1, 2014 to Jan 22, 2014 (3 weeks ahead) | Filing date (from the official Dates for Filing chart): Jan 15, 2015
- EB-3 Other Workers: Approval date: Jan 1, 2014 to Jan 22, 2014 (3 weeks ahead) | Filing date: Jan 15, 2015
All other India categories held steady (see the India and China table above for cutoff dates).
- China:
- EB-1: Approval date: Jul 1, 2023 to Aug 1, 2023 (1 month ahead) | Filing date: Jul 1, 2024
- EB-3: Approval date: Jan 8, 2022 to Jan 22, 2022 (2 weeks ahead) | Filing date: Apr 1, 2024
All other China categories held steady (see the India and China table above for cutoff dates).
- Mexico: Same as most countries this month.
- Philippines:
Country-specific cutoffs held steady this month (select Philippines in the table above for all dates).
Investors (EB-5)
The rural, high-unemployment, and infrastructure set-asides are still open to everyone. The main EB-5 date for China held at Dec 1, 2016. The main EB-5 date for India held at Dec 1, 2023.
What this means for you
- If your date moved ahead: Check whether your date is now earlier than the new cutoff. If it is, talk to your attorney or your employer's attorney.
- If nothing moved: No change this month for your category.
The State Department did not include additional commentary or forward projections for this section in the November 2026 bulletin.
Viewing Work-based only · Show Family green cards · Show both
What to do now
- Check your date to see where you stand in your category.
- If you can move forward, talk to an immigration attorney, or your employer's attorney, about your next step.
- Get an email when the next bulletin posts: sign up for the digest.