The U.S. September 2026 Visa Bulletin brings a difficult end to the fiscal year for many India-born employment-based green-card applicants. India’s EB-2 and EB-5 unreserved Final Action categories remain Unavailable, while India’s EB-1 Final Action Date stays at October 15, 2022 and the State Department warns that EB-1 India itself could become unavailable before September 30 if its limit is reached. India EB-3 remains at January 1, 2014.
Key takeaways for Indian applicants
- EB-1 India Final Action Date: October 15, 2022.
- EB-2 India Final Action: Unavailable (“U”).
- EB-3 India Final Action Date: January 1, 2014.
- EB-5 India unreserved: Unavailable.
- EB-5 rural, high-unemployment and infrastructure set-asides: Current.
- State warns India’s EB-1 could become unavailable before September 30 if its prorated limit is reached.
- India’s employment-based Dates for Filing remain considerably further ahead than the Final Action Dates in several categories.
What changed in the September 2026 Visa Bulletin?
For India’s major employment-based categories, September largely preserves the position seen in August.
The Final Action Date for EB-1 India remains October 15, 2022. EB-2 India remains marked “U,” or Unavailable, while EB-3 remains January 1, 2014. India’s EB-5 unreserved category also remains unavailable. There is, however, an important warning for EB-1 applicants.
The State Department says high demand and visa-number use by applicants chargeable to India may require EB-1 India to become unavailable in the coming weeks if India’s prorated EB-1 limit is reached before the fiscal year ends. That is a warning not an announcement that EB-1 is already unavailable.
India employment-based green-card dates for September
| Category | India Final Action Date | India Date for Filing |
|---|---|---|
| EB-1 | Oct. 15, 2022 | Dec. 1, 2023 |
| EB-2 | Unavailable | Jan. 15, 2015 |
| EB-3 | Jan. 1, 2014 | Jan. 15, 2015 |
| Other Workers | Jan. 1, 2014 | Jan. 15, 2015 |
| EB-4 | Dec. 15, 2022 | Jan. 1, 2023 |
| EB-5 Unreserved | Unavailable | May 1, 2024 |
| EB-5 Rural | Current | Current |
| EB-5 High Unemployment | Current | Current |
| EB-5 Infrastructure | Current | Current |
These are Department of State September figures. “Current” means no priority-date cutoff applies for visa-number availability in that category, while “Unavailable” means numbers are not authorized for issuance during the period.
Why EB-2 India still says “Unavailable”
“Unavailable” is more severe than ordinary retrogression. When a category has a Final Action Date, applicants with sufficiently early priority dates may still receive final action, subject to all other requirements. When the category is designated U, visa numbers are not authorized for issuance. That does not mean the EB-2 program has been abolished, nor does it automatically cancel an approved I-140.
The September bulletin comes at the end of fiscal year 2026. The Department of State reports a worldwide FY2026 employment-based preference limit of 186,317 and a statutory per-country limit of 7% of the combined family- and employment-based annual limits. The new U.S. fiscal year begins October 1, 2026, making the October Visa Bulletin particularly important for India EB-2 and EB-5 applicants.
EB-1 India faces a new end-of-year risk
For many Indian professionals, the most important forward-looking statement in the September bulletin concerns EB-1. The cutoff remains October 15, 2022, but State specifically says demand and number use could force the India EB-1 category to become unavailable before the fiscal year ends.
Applicants should therefore distinguish the published September cutoff from visa availability later in the month. A priority date earlier than the published Final Action Date does not guarantee approval. Visa numbers must remain available when final action occurs, and the applicant must otherwise qualify.
EB-5 India: unreserved versus set-aside categories
Indian investors should also pay close attention to the distinction between EB-5 categories. India’s unreserved EB-5 Final Action category is unavailable, but the three set-aside categories rural, high unemployment and infrastructure are listed as Current for September.
That does not mean every EB-5 applicant can switch into a current category. Eligibility depends on the petition, investment and applicable statutory requirements.
What about family-sponsored applicants from India?
September also contains substantial family-based movement. For India, the Final Action Dates are January 22, 2020 for F1; August 22, 2026 for F2A; August 22, 2019 for F2B; October 22, 2014 for F3; and November 1, 2006 for F4. The family Dates for Filing are February 1, 2020 for F1; Current for F2A; September 1, 2019 for F2B; November 1, 2014 for F3; and December 15, 2006 for India F4.
Final Action Date versus Date for Filing
The two charts should not be confused.
A Final Action Date determines when an immigrant visa number can be authorized for final action. The Date for Filing can allow earlier submission of documents under the applicable procedure.
For adjustment-of-status applicants inside the United States, USCIS determines which chart applicants may use for filing. The State Department itself directs adjustment applicants to check USCIS’s monthly chart determination rather than assuming that the Dates for Filing chart automatically applies.
Check USCIS Visa Bulletin filing-chart guidance
What Indian applicants should do now
Applicants should first identify their preference category, chargeability and priority date, then compare those details with the correct September chart. Adjustment-of-status applicants should separately verify which chart USCIS permits for September before filing Form I-485.
India EB-1 applicants with priority dates near or before October 15, 2022 should monitor State Department and USCIS updates particularly closely because State has explicitly warned of possible unavailability before September 30. India EB-2 and EB-5 unreserved applicants should watch the October 2026 Visa Bulletin, when FY2027 begins and new annual visa allocations become relevant.
FAQ’s
Is India EB-2 current in September 2026?
No. India’s EB-2 Final Action category is marked Unavailable. Its Date for Filing is January 15, 2015.
Did India EB-3 advance in September?
No. The India EB-3 Final Action Date remains January 1, 2014, the same as August.
Is India EB-1 unavailable?
Not in the published September chart. Its Final Action Date is October 15, 2022. State warns, however, that the category may become unavailable before fiscal year-end if India’s prorated EB-1 limit is reached.
When does FY2027 begin?
October 1, 2026.
The September 2026 Visa Bulletin offers little immediate relief for India’s heavily backlogged employment categories: EB-2 and EB-5 unreserved remain unavailable, EB-3 stays at January 1, 2014, and EB-1 stays at October 15, 2022 while facing a specific warning of possible fiscal-year-end unavailability. Indian applicants should verify their priority date against the appropriate chart and monitor USCIS filing guidance and the upcoming October bulletin
