Visa Bulletin Explained for Indians: How to Read the Charts
The monthly cutoff dates that control when Indian applicants can file or receive approval of an employment-based green card. This hub shows the current EB-1, EB-2 and EB-3 India dates at a glance, then routes you to the specialist guide for your category.
Quick Answer
The visa bulletin is a monthly Department of State chart, published around the second week of each month, that lists cutoff dates by green card category and country of birth. Read it in three steps: find your category row (EB-1/EB-2/EB-3), read down the India column, and compare that date to your own priority date — if yours is earlier, you may act. Two charts exist: Final Action Dates (Table A) control approval, and Dates for Filing (Table B) control when you may submit an I-485 in the months USCIS accepts it. "C" means current with no backlog; "U" means no visas are available that month.
India at a glance
Data: September 2026
| Category | Final Action | Dates for Filing |
|---|---|---|
| EB-1 India | Oct 15, 2022 | Dec 1, 2023 |
| EB-2 India | Unavailable | Jan 15, 2015 |
| EB-3 India | Jan 1, 2014 | Jan 15, 2015 |
September 2026 USCIS filing chart: Pending. The latest posted USCIS determination is for August 2026, which required Final Action Dates. You do not choose between the two charts — USCIS announces each month which one adjustment-of-status filers may use. Confirm on the USCIS Adjustment of Status Filing Charts page.
EB-2 India is Unavailable (“U”). The category's visa numbers for this fiscal year are exhausted, so no EB-2 India case can be approved regardless of priority date. Numbers reset with the new fiscal year on October 1, when a cutoff date typically reappears.
Key takeaways
- • Check the new bulletin when it posts — usually the second week, sometimes later — and note it takes effect the following month.
- • Compare against two charts every time: Final Action Dates for approval, Dates for Filing for submitting the I-485.
- • Remember why India is slower: the 7% per-country limit (INA §202) holds India’s usage share far below its demand — a proration cap across the combined family and employment preference totals, not a fixed India quota.
- • Read your date as a threshold — your priority date must be strictly earlier than the posted cutoff, and "U" means nobody is approved that month.
- • Confirm which chart USCIS accepts for adjustment of status each month at uscis.gov/visabulletininfo — it changes.
The visa bulletin explained in plain terms: it is the monthly Department of State publication that decides when an Indian applicant's green card can move forward. This guide is for H-1B workers, PERM and I-140 filers, and families trying to learn how to read the visa bulletin without wading through State Department formatting. The rule that explains everything is the INA §202 7% per-country limit — a proration cap across the combined family and employment preference totals (not a fixed India quota) that holds India’s usage share far below its demand, which is why the India column moves in weeks while Rest of World shows "C". Below: what the visa bulletin is and who publishes it, how to read the India charts step by step, the difference between dates for filing vs final action date, what "current" and "unavailable" mean, the live EB-1, EB-2 and EB-3 India dates for this month, and what to do the month your date is finally current.
Visa Bulletin alert
EB-2 India and EB-5 India Unreserved are Unavailable for the remainder of FY 2026. EB-1 India holds at October 15, 2022. EB-3 India holds at January 1, 2014. EB-4 advanced to December 15, 2022 worldwide. September 2026 USCIS filing chart: Pending. The latest posted USCIS determination is for August 2026, which required Final Action Dates.
The visa bulletin sets monthly cutoff dates for green card approval by category (EB-1/EB-2/EB-3) and country. Your priority date must be earlier than the published cutoff to file or receive I-485 approval. Current EB-1, EB-2 and EB-3 India dates are in the tables below; open a category guide for full analysis.
What Is the Visa Bulletin?
The US Department of State publishes the visa bulletin in the second week of each month, though release has slipped into the third week. It sets the priority date cutoffs for employment-based and family-based immigration for each country.
Published by
US Department of State (travel.state.gov)
Published when
Usually the second week of each month, effective the following month
What it controls
Whether your priority date is current for I-485 filing or approval
Country-specific
India has different (usually slower) dates than the Rest of World due to per-country caps
Why Does the Visa Bulletin Matter So Much for Indians?
The per-country 7% cap creates massive India backlogs
- • US immigration law limits each country to 7% of annual employment-based green cards
- • India accounts for far more than 7% of EB-2 and EB-3 applicants — creating a severe backlog
- • India EB-2 is Unavailable in the September 2026 bulletin (no numbers for the rest of FY 2026); new applicants face multi-decade waits when numbers return
- • The visa bulletin determines whether you can file I-485 this month — or must wait years longer
- • Retrogression (dates moving backward) can delay green card approval even after I-485 is filed
What Is a Priority Date and How Do You Find Yours?
| Category | Priority date = ? | Where to find it |
|---|---|---|
| EB-2 / EB-3 | Date PERM was filed with DOL | PERM receipt or I-140 approval notice (I-797) |
| EB-1 / EB-2 NIW | Date I-140 was filed with USCIS | I-140 receipt notice or approval notice |
How Do You Read the Final Action Date (Table A)?
The Final Action Date is the most important cutoff. Your priority date must be earlier than this date for USCIS to approve your green card. This date is always published — it is never optional. When a category shows “U” (Unavailable), no visa numbers are authorized that month and no case can be approved regardless of priority date.
Current Final Action Dates (September 2026)
| Category | India | Other countries |
|---|---|---|
| EB1 | 2022-10-15 | Current (C) |
| EB2 | Unavailable | Current (C) |
| EB3 | 2014-01-01 | 2024-09-01 |
Data from September 2026 bulletin. Always verify at travel.state.gov.
Dates for Filing vs Final Action Date: What's the Difference?
Table B shows earlier cutoff dates that sometimes allow you to file I-485 before Final Action Date is current — but only when USCIS authorizes it each month.
Dates for Filing (September 2026)
Pending USCIS determination| Category | India | Other countries |
|---|---|---|
| EB1 | 2023-12-01 | Current (C) |
| EB2 | 2015-01-15 | Current (C) |
| EB3 | 2015-01-15 | Current (C) |
Which Chart Matters for Filing Your I-485?
Table A (Final Action Date)
- • Always controls I-485 approval
- • Required every month — no exception
- • If current: USCIS can file AND approve
Table B (Dates for Filing)
- • Only valid when USCIS authorizes it monthly
- • If authorized + current: can file I-485, get EAD/AP
- • Green card approval still waits for Table A
EB-1 India: the fastest employment green card path
EB-1 skips PERM entirely and has a much shorter India backlog than EB-2 or EB-3. Three sub-categories:
EB-1A
Extraordinary ability
No — self-petition
EB-1B
Outstanding researcher/professor
No — employer petition
EB-1C
Multinational manager/exec
No — employer petition
EB-2 India: advanced degree workers and NIW
EB-2 requires a master's degree (or bachelor's + 5 years progressive experience). EB-2 NIW allows self-petition if work benefits the US national interest — no PERM needed. For September 2026, EB-2 India is Unavailable — no immigrant visa numbers are authorized for the remainder of FY 2026, so no EB-2 India case can receive final approval this month regardless of priority date.
EB-3 India: bachelor's degree holders and skilled workers
EB-3 covers professionals (bachelor's degree) and skilled workers (2+ years experience). Like EB-2 India, the wait is long — but EB-2 and EB-3 India move independently, creating the EB-2/EB-3 downgrade strategy.
EB-5 investor categories: Unreserved vs. set-asides
EB-5 splits into the Unreserved category and three reserved set-asides (Rural, High Unemployment, Infrastructure). For September 2026, EB-5 India Unreserved is Unavailable, but the set-aside categories remain Current — one reason set-aside investments draw India-born investors.
EB-5 set-aside categories
The reserved EB-5 set-asides are separate from EB-5 Unreserved (which is Unavailable for India this month). A set-aside Final Action Date that shows Current means there is no cutoff — any priority date qualifies.
| Set-aside category | Final Action Date | Dates for Filing |
|---|---|---|
| Rural (20% set-aside) | Current | Current |
| High Unemployment (10% set-aside) | Current | Current |
| Infrastructure (2% set-aside) | Current | Current |
Set-aside availability can change monthly. Always verify with the official Department of State Visa Bulletin.
What Is Retrogression, and Why Do Dates Move Backward?
Retrogression means the bulletin moved a cutoff date to an earlier date than the prior month — reducing the number of qualifying priority dates. It happens when visa demand is high and the per-country cap is consumed.
If I-485 is already filed
Retrogression does NOT cause denial or abandonment. USCIS holds the case until your date is current again. EAD and AP remain renewable.
If I-485 is not yet filed
You cannot file I-485 during retrogression (unless Table B is still authorized). Wait for your date to become current again.
What Happens When Your Priority Date Becomes Current?
When your priority date is earlier than the applicable cutoff, you may be able to file — or have USCIS approve — your I-485, but only under the chart USCIS authorizes that month, and dates can retrogress, so act promptly with your attorney. The step-by-step package, timing, and travel cautions are covered in the full guide.
Check your priority date against the September 2026 bulletin
Priority Date Checker
Where does your priority date stand?
Compare your priority date against the September 2026 visa bulletin data.
Bulletin data last updated: 2026-08-22 · Source: official visa bulletin
Verify before you file
Check the September 2026 figures against the official sources
Every cutoff on this page comes from the September 2026 stored in this site's data and is re-checked each month. Cutoffs change monthly and the Department of State is the only authority — confirm the current bulletin at travel.state.gov.
For USCIS filing authorization (Table B), check uscis.gov/visabulletininfo.
How to track the monthly bulletin →Explore this visa bulletin guide
Analysis · FY2027 reset
October 2026 Predictions
EB-2 India is Unavailable until Sept 30. What the October bulletin should bring, and the statutory math behind it.
Visa bulletin
Priority Date
Your priority date is the most important number in your green card process — it sets your place in the queue.
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Visa bulletin
Final Action Date vs Dates for Filing
The visa bulletin has two charts — Final Action Date and Dates for Filing — and which one matters depends on what USCIS announces each month.
5 min read
Visa bulletin
EB-1 India
EB-1 skips PERM entirely and has a much shorter India backlog than EB-2 or EB-3 — making it the fastest employment green card path for qualifying Indians.
9 min read
Visa bulletin
EB-2 India
EB-2 India tracks the current Final Action Date, Dates for Filing, and monthly movement — with the live cutoffs in the panel above and how to read them below.
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Visa bulletin
EB-3 India
EB-3 India tracks the current Final Action Date, Dates for Filing, and monthly movement — with the live cutoffs in the panel above and how to read them below.
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Visa bulletin
Retrogression Explained
Retrogression happens when the visa bulletin moves backward — and for Indian applicants with pending I-485, it can feel alarming. Here is exactly what it means.
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Visa bulletin
Priority Date Current — What Next
When your priority date becomes current in the visa bulletin, you have a window to file I-485. Here is exactly what to do — and how not to miss it.
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Visa bulletin
EB-2 to EB-3 Downgrade
An EB-2 to EB-3 downgrade can let Indian applicants file I-485 sooner if EB-3 India is more current — it generally requires a new EB-3 I-140 (sometimes a new PERM) and carries real costs and risks.
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Visa bulletin
EB-3 to EB-2 Interfiling
If your I-485 was filed under EB-3 and EB-2 India becomes more current, you can request USCIS to adjudicate under your EB-2 I-140 without refiling — this is interfiling.
3 min read
Visa bulletin
Cross-Chargeability
If your spouse was born outside India, INA §202(b) may let you read the 'All Other Countries' column instead of the India column — often a decade or more of difference.
14 min read
Visa bulletin
Monthly Update Guide
The visa bulletin is updated every month — here is exactly how to track it, what changes to watch for, and how to set up alerts for your EB category.
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Frequently asked questions
What is the visa bulletin?
The visa bulletin is a monthly publication from the US Department of State that sets priority-date cutoffs for each employment-based (EB) and family-based category by country. For Indian applicants pursuing employment green cards, it determines when a priority date is current — which controls eligibility to file or receive approval of Form I-485 (adjustment of status).
Why are the India visa bulletin dates so much further back than other countries?
US law limits each country of birth to 7% of the annual employment-based green cards. India accounts for far more than 7% of EB-2 and EB-3 demand, so unused demand piles up into a backlog measured in years to decades. Country of birth — not citizenship — determines which cutoff applies to you.
Which chart lets me file I-485 — Final Action Dates or Dates for Filing?
Final Action Dates (Table A) always control when a green card can be approved. Dates for Filing (Table B) is an earlier cutoff that can let you file I-485 sooner and unlock EAD/Advance Parole — but only in months USCIS authorizes it. Confirm which chart USCIS is accepting for adjustment of status at uscis.gov/visabulletininfo, and see our Final Action Date vs Dates for Filing guide for the full comparison.
How often does the visa bulletin change and where do I verify it?
The State Department publishes a new bulletin in the second week of each month (sometimes later) for the following month, and dates can move forward, hold, or retrogress. Always verify the current month at travel.state.gov and confirm the USCIS filing chart at uscis.gov/visabulletininfo before making any filing decision.
How do I read the visa bulletin?
Three steps: find your category row (EB-1, EB-2, or EB-3), read down the column for your country of birth — India for most readers here — and compare the date shown to your own priority date. If your priority date is earlier than the posted cutoff, you may act that month. 'C' means current with no backlog, and 'U' means no visa numbers are available at all that month.
What does 'C' mean in the visa bulletin?
'C' stands for Current: there is no backlog for that category and country, so any priority date qualifies that month. Rest of World applicants often see 'C' in categories where India shows a date years in the past, because the 7% per-country cap only binds high-demand countries like India and China.
Related guides and tools
Green Card Guide
PERM, I-140, priority date, I-485, EAD — full process
Priority Date Checker
Compare your date to the current bulletin
Green Card Stage Finder
Find your current stage and what to do next
NVC interview wait after documentarily qualified
How long from DQ to a consular interview
USCIS Case Status Guide
What your USCIS case status means
Deepak Middha, CA, Series 65Founder & Author
Deepak has experience in cross-border finance, tax-aware planning, and immigrant money decisions. View full profile →
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