Visa Bulletin September 2026: Family Categories Surge Again, EB-4 Advances 2 Months

The September 2026 Visa Bulletin — the final bulletin of fiscal year 2026 — keeps the family-based momentum going that started in August. F2B (unmarried adult children of green card holders) jumped about 20 months, F3 (married children of U.S. citizens) advanced roughly 29 months, and F4 (siblings of U.S. citizens) moved forward about 26 months. F1 (unmarried adult children of U.S. citizens) advanced about 13 months. F2A, last month's headline mover, settled into a more normal one-month advance.

Employment-based categories were quiet again — effectively frozen across the board, with the lone exception of EB-4, which advanced 2 months for all countries. India EB-2 and India EB-5 Unreserved remain marked Unavailable, unchanged since earlier this year, with no numbers issuing again until FY2027 opens October 1, 2026.

The Headlines: September 2026 at a Glance

How Far Family Categories Moved This Month

The chart below shows approximately how many months each family-sponsored category's Final Action Date advanced from August to September (All Other Countries / most-favored chargeability).

Bar length is proportional to months advanced. Employment-based categories not shown here (EB-1/EB-2/EB-3) held flat this month — see tables below.

Employment-Based Final Action Dates — Table A

These are the dates that control when your green card can actually be approved and issued. Your priority date must be earlier than or equal to the date shown for your country and category.

Employment-Based Dates for Filing — Table B

These dates control when you can file your I-485 adjustment of status application (if a visa number isn't yet available under Table A but you want to get in the queue). USCIS will confirm each month whether Table B is authorized for use.

What Changed Month Over Month

F3: The Biggest Move This Month (+~29 Months)

F3 (married sons and daughters of U.S. citizens) went from May 15, 2012 in August to October 22, 2014 in September — nearly two and a half years of movement in a single bulletin. This is the largest single-month advance across any category this month.

F4 and F2B: Large Advances Too

F4 (siblings of U.S. citizens) moved from September 1, 2009 to October 22, 2011 for all countries other than India — about 26 months forward. India F4 stayed frozen at November 1, 2006, unchanged from August. F2B (unmarried adult children of green card holders) jumped from January 1, 2018 to September 1, 2019 — about 20 months — for all countries except Mexico (which moved from February 15, 2009 to May 15, 2010, roughly 15 months) and the Philippines (June 1, 2013 to October 1, 2013, about 4 months).

F1: Another Double-Digit Jump

F1 (unmarried adult children of U.S. citizens) advanced from December 15, 2018 to January 22, 2020 — about 13 months forward, continuing the pattern of large family-category advances that started in August.

F2A: Back to a Normal Pace

After last month's ~18-month jump, F2A (spouses and children of green card holders) advanced a more typical one month — from July 22, 2026 to August 22, 2026 for all countries, and from July 22, 2025 to August 22, 2025 for Mexico. Dates for Filing for F2A remain Current for all countries.

India EB-2 and India EB-5 Unreserved: Still Unavailable

Both categories remain marked Unavailable, unchanged since earlier this year. No India-born EB-2 or EB-5 Unreserved green card can be issued until FY2027 begins October 1, 2026 at the earliest, when annual limits reset.

Employment-Based: Frozen Except EB-4

EB-1, EB-2, and EB-3 (including Other Workers) held their August positions exactly across every chargeability area — no movement at all. The one exception was EB-4, which advanced 2 months for all countries, from October 15, 2022 to December 15, 2022.

Family-Sponsored Priority Dates — September 2026

Dates for Filing in September remain Current for F2A across all countries — spouses and children of LPRs can file I-485 concurrently regardless of priority date, same as prior months.

USCIS Filing Instructions for September 2026

USCIS will announce which chart to use for I-485 filings shortly after the bulletin is published each month. Check the USCIS Adjustment of Status Filing Charts page for the official authorization. Generally:

• If USCIS authorizes Table B (Dates for Filing) for employment-based, applicants whose priority date is earlier than their Table B date can file I-485 even if Table A isn't current.
• India EB-2 being Unavailable in Table A does not necessarily prevent filing under Table B — Table B for India EB-2 shows January 15, 2015, so applicants with dates before that may still be able to file concurrently if USCIS authorizes Table B use.

What This Means for Your Case

If you're F3 or F4: This is your biggest opportunity of the year so far. If your priority date is anywhere before October 22, 2014 (F3) or October 22, 2011 (F4, most countries), you're now current for final action. Given that October resets FY2027 annual limits and could bring retrogression, if you're eligible to file now, don't wait.

If you're F2B or F1: Both categories jumped significantly. Check whether your priority date now falls within the new final action dates — many applicants who were waiting just outside the August cutoff are now eligible.

If you're India EB-2 or India EB-5 Unreserved: No change — still Unavailable through September 30, 2026. The October 2026 bulletin (first of FY2027) is the next real signal to watch.

If you're employment-based generally: Another quiet month. Only EB-4 moved (+2 months, all countries). EB-1, EB-2, and EB-3 held exactly flat — worth watching whether October brings movement once annual limits reset for FY2027.