The Department of State's October 2026 Visa Bulletin has two charts for each category group. "Final Action Dates" show when a visa number can be issued; "Dates for Filing" show when an applicant may submit documents. Only applicants whose priority date is earlier than the listed date qualify, and "C" means the category is current. The figures below are for the "All Chargeability Areas Except Those Listed" column; mainland China, India, Mexico, and the Philippines have their own columns, some with different dates, so check the bulletin itself for those.
Which chart applies to adjustment of status: USCIS posts its own determination each month. For October 2026, USCIS states that the Dates for Filing chart is to be used for both family-sponsored and employment-based adjustment filings. Confirm this on the USCIS visa bulletin page before you file, because USCIS can choose differently in a later month.
Family-sponsored Final Action Dates: F1 22JAN20; F2A 22SEP26 (for October, F2A numbers exempt from the per-country limit are authorized for priority dates earlier than 22MAR26, and numbers subject to the limit for priority dates beginning 22MAR26 and earlier than 22SEP26, for all countries except Mexico; all F2A numbers for Mexico are exempt); F2B 22AUG19; F3 22OCT14; F4 22OCT11.
Family-sponsored Dates for Filing: F1 01FEB20; F2A current; F2B 01SEP19; F3 01NOV14; F4 01NOV11.
Employment-based Final Action Dates: 1st current; 2nd 01JAN25; 3rd 15MAY24; Other Workers 01JAN22; 4th 15DEC22; Certain Religious Workers 15DEC22; 5th Unreserved current; the 5th set-aside categories (Rural, High Unemployment, Infrastructure) current.
Employment-based Dates for Filing: 1st current; 2nd 15MAR26; 3rd 01AUG24; Other Workers 01JUN22; 4th 01JAN25; Certain Religious Workers 01JAN25; 5th Unreserved current; the Rural and High Unemployment set-asides current.
A date on the chart is not a prediction of when your case will be approved, and dates can move forward, hold, or retrogress in later bulletins. If you have an approved petition and are not sure which column or chart applies to you, ask us to look at your priority date and chargeability.