How October 2026 Visa Bulletin Affects H-1B & EB-2 Applicants

The October 2026 Visa Bulletin brings new employment-based visa numbers with the start of fiscal year 2027. For EB-2 applicants, this means the dates have changed again, including a new cutoff date for India after EB-2 numbers were exhausted for India during fiscal year 2026. For H-1B workers, the impact is different because H-1B is a nonimmigrant category and does not have a Visa Bulletin cutoff date of its own.

If you hold H-1B status and are waiting for an employment-based green card, however, the October bulletin can still affect your immigration plans through your EB-2 priority date.

To strategically evaluate your filing timeline and secure professional assistance with your priority date roadmap, you can book a free consultation for H-1B & EB-2 with Document Evaluation LLC.

What Is The October 2026 Visa Bulletin?

The U.S. Department of State publishes the Visa Bulletin each month to show when immigrant visa numbers are available in different family-based and employment-based categories.

For employment-based applicants, the bulletin contains two important charts:

• Final Action Dates: Used to determine when an immigrant visa may be issued or an adjustment of status application may be approved, subject to the applicable USCIS filing rules.
• Dates for Filing: Shows when applicants may be able to begin submitting the required immigrant visa or adjustment of status documents.

The bulletin also divides applicants by their country of chargeability because visa availability can differ by country.

Image Credits: Adjustment of Status (USCIS) 

Does The October 2026 Visa Bulletin Affect H-1B Applicants?

Not directly! H-1B is a temporary nonimmigrant classification, so the Visa Bulletin does not set an H-1B filing date or H-1B extension cutoff. H-1B petitions such as extensions, amendments, and qualifying changes of employer are handled through the Form I-129 process.

The Visa Bulletin becomes relevant when an H-1B worker also has an employment-based immigrant case, such as an approved or pending EB-2 petition.

USCIS guidance recognizes that an H-1B worker with an approved employment-based immigrant petition may qualify for certain H-1B extensions when an immigrant visa is not yet available because of the applicable per-country or preference-category limits.

So, if you are an H-1B worker with an EB-2 case, you should look at your EB-2 priority date, not an H-1B cutoff date.

October 2026 EB-2 Final Action Dates

The October 2026 Visa Bulletin lists these EB-2 Final Action Dates:

A priority date must be earlier than the applicable Final Action Date for an immigrant visa number to be available under the Final Action Dates chart.

For EB-2 India, the November 1, 2013 date is particularly important because EB-2 immigrant visa numbers for India had reached the FY 2026 limit. The State Department stated that availability would resume when the new fiscal year began on October 1, 2026.

October 2026 EB-2 Dates For Filing

The October 2026 dates for the filing chart list:

The Dates for Filing chart can allow eligible applicants to start the adjustment of status process before their priority date reaches the Final Action Date, but you must first confirm which chart USCIS has designated for employment-based adjustment filings for that month.

What October 2026 Means For EB-2 India Applicants

EB-2 India applicants see an important change in October.

During fiscal year 2026, the State Department announced that all available EB-2 immigrant visas for India had been used. The annual limit resets with the beginning of fiscal year 2027 on October 1, 2026.

For October 2026, the EB-2 India Final Action Date is November 1, 2013, while the Date for Filing is January 15, 2015.

This creates two different dates for applicants to watch:

• If your priority date is earlier than November 1, 2013, your case falls within the October Final Action cutoff.
• If your priority date is earlier than January 15, 2015, you may have a filing opportunity if USCIS allows the Dates for Filing chart for your adjustment of status filing.

The two dates serve different purposes, so you should not treat the Date for Filing as the same thing as visa approval availability.

What October 2026 Means For EB-2 China Applicants

EB-2 China also moves in October.

The Final Action Date is October 1, 2021, while the Date for Filing is January 1, 2023.

The difference between these dates matters if you are preparing to file Form I-485. A priority date that falls before the filing cutoff may provide a filing opportunity, while final approval still depends on visa availability under the applicable Final Action Date.

What October 2026 Means For EB-2 Applicants From Other Countries

For applicants chargeable to countries other than China and India, the October 2026 EB-2 Final Action Date is January 1, 2025.

The Date for Filing is March 15, 2026. 

The October bulletin also notes that some employment-based categories for applicants from countries other than those separately listed have retrogressed. The Department of State explains that these adjustments are being used to keep visa issuances within the fiscal year’s quarterly and annual limits. 

How An EB-2 Priority Date Affects Your Green Card Case

Your priority date determines your place in line for an immigrant visa number.

For employment-based cases requiring labor certification, the priority date is generally the date the labor certification application is accepted for processing by the Department of Labor. For cases that do not require labor certification, it is generally the date the Form I-140 is properly filed. You should check your case records to confirm your assigned priority date.

The October 2026 bulletin then tells you whether that date falls before the applicable cutoff for your category and country. 

For example, an EB-2 India applicant with a priority date of October 10, 2013 is earlier than the October 2026 Final Action Date of November 1, 2013. An applicant with a priority date of December 10, 2013 is not earlier than that Final Action Date.

The same comparison must be made against the Date for Filing when determining whether you may file based on the chart USCIS has selected for adjustment of status filings.

Can H-1B Workers File Form I-485 Based On The October 2026 Bulletin? 

An H-1B worker may be able to file Form I-485 if the person has an employment-based immigrant case and meets the requirements for adjustment of status, including the applicable visa availability and filing-date rules.

Being in H-1B status by itself does not make you eligible to file Form I-485.

Your case may involve:

1. An approved or concurrently filed Form I-140.
2. An eligible employment-based immigrant category, such as EB-2.
3. A priority date that meets the applicable cutoff.
4. Eligibility to adjust status in the United States.
5. The other requirements applicable to Form I-485.

USCIS determines adjustment of status eligibility under its immigration rules and the filing chart designated for the month.

Can Your EB-2 Priority Date Affect An H-1B Extension? 

In some cases, yes. An H-1B worker with an approved I-140 may qualify for an H-1B extension beyond the normal six-year limit when an immigrant visa is unavailable because of applicable per-country or preference-category limits under the American Competitiveness in the Twenty-First Century Act.

USCIS guidance provides for qualifying extensions in three-year increments under certain AC21 provisions when an immigrant visa is not available.

This is why your EB-2 priority date can matter even though H-1B itself does not appear in the Visa Bulletin. 

What Should H-1B And EB-2 Applicants Check in October 2026?

If you are an H-1B worker with an EB-2 case, check these details before deciding what to file:

• Check Your Priority Date

Find the priority date on your immigration records and compare it with the October 2026 EB-2 dates for your country of chargeability.

• Check Your I-140 Status

If your EB-2 case is based on Form I-140, confirm whether the petition is pending or approved and keep the approval notice with your immigration records.

• Check the USCIS Filing Chart

Do not rely only on the Department of State bulletin when deciding whether you can submit Form I-485. USCIS separately announces which Visa Bulletin chart employment-based adjustment applicants must use for that month. The October bulletin specifically directs applicants to check the USCIS website for this determination.

• Review Your H-1B Expiration Date

Your H-1B status has its own validity period. The Visa Bulletin does not extend H-1B status, so keep your H-1B extension timeline separate from your green card timeline.

• Keep Your Immigration Records Consistent

Your H-1B petition, I-140, employment information, priority date, and adjustment of status filing should be reviewed together when you are preparing the next step in your case.

Can The EB-2 Dates Change Again?

Yes, visa bulletin dates are not permanent. The Department of State can advance, hold, retrogress, or make a category unavailable depending on visa demand and the number of immigrant visas available.

The October 2026 bulletin specifically states that the employment-based dates are being monitored and that adjustments may be made as needed to keep visa use within fiscal-year limits.

This means you should check the Visa Bulletin each month rather than assuming that an October cutoff will remain unchanged in November or later months. 

How Can Document Evaluation LLC Help H-1B & EB-2 Applicants? 

If you are reviewing your EB-2 case after the October 2026 Visa Bulletin, reviewing your education and case documents can help identify whether additional supporting documents may be needed.

Document Evaluation LLC can review your degree, transcripts, and academic records and prepare a credential evaluation report showing U.S. equivalency. 

If you need an expert opinion letter, we write for your specific case, based on your background, evidence, and the issue being addressed. We work with 140+ professors and field experts, and you can choose from matched expert profiles.

Related News Coverage

For additional reporting on the October 2026 Visa Bulletin and EB-2 India, see the (Times of India coverage of the October 2026 Visa Bulletin)

Official Resources:
October 2026 Visa Bulletin (US Department of State)
Visa Bulletin Information (USCIS)
AC21 H-1B Extension Guidance (USCIS)
Permanent Labor Certification (US Department of Labor) 

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