US Department of State Releases March 2026 Visa Bulletin

The US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will use the Dates for Filing Chart for Employment-Based Adjustment of Status Applications in March 2026. The Dates for Filing chart shows significant advancement in several categories.

The US Department of State has released its March 2026 Visa Bulletin outlining per-country priority date cutoffs that regulate immigrant visa availability and the flow of adjustment of status application and consular immigrant visa application filings and approvals.

WHAT DOES THE MARCH 2026 VISA BULLETIN SAY?

The bulletin includes both a Dates for Filing Visa Applications chart and an Application Final Action Dates chart. The former indicates when intending immigrants may file their applications for adjustments of status or immigrant visas, and the latter indicates when adjustment of status applications or immigrant visa applications may be approved and permanent residence granted.

Each month, the USCIS chooses which chart it will follow. For March 2026, the USCIS will follow the Dates for Filing chart for employment-based (EB) filings for adjustment of status. This means that individuals seeking to file applications for adjustment of status with the USCIS in March 2026 must use the Dates for Filing chart below.

DATES FOR FILING CUTOFF DATES

To be eligible to file an EB adjustment application in March 2026, a foreign national must have a priority date that is earlier than the date listed below for their preference category and country. The “C” listing indicates that the category is current, and applications may be filed regardless of the applicant’s priority date. The listing of a date for any category indicates that only applicants with a priority date that is earlier than the listed date may file their applications.

EMPLOYMENT-BASED FIRST PREFERENCE (EB-1)

The EB-1 cutoff date for All Chargeability Areas, Mexico, and the Philippines will remain current. This means that all applicants chargeable to these areas whose I-485 applications have not yet been filed can file their I-485 applications with the USCIS.

The EB-1 cutoff date for China will advance four months to December 1, 2023. This means that China EB-1 applicants whose I-485 applications have not yet been filed and who have a priority date before December 1, 2023 can file their I-485 applications with the USCIS.

The EB-1 cutoff date for India will advance four months to December 1, 2023. This means that Indian EB-1 applicants whose I-485 applications have not yet been filed and have a priority date before December 1, 2023 can file their I-485 applications with the USCIS.

EMPLOYMENT-BASED SECOND PREFERENCE (EB-2)

The EB-2 cutoff date for All Chargeability Areas, Mexico, and the Philippines will become current. This means that all applicants who are chargeable to these areas whose I-485 applications have not yet been filed can file their I-485 applications with the USCIS.

The EB-2 cutoff date for China will remain January 1, 2022. This means that China EB-2 applicants whose I-485 applications have not yet been filed and have a priority date before January 1, 2022 can file their I-485 applications with the USCIS.

The EB-2 cutoff date for India will advance eleven months to November 1, 2014. This means that Indian EB-2 applicants whose I-485 applications have not yet been filed and have a priority date before December 1, 2013 can file their I-485 applications with the USCIS.

EMPLOYMENT-BASED THIRD PREFERENCE (EB-3)

The EB-3 cutoff date for All Chargeability Areas and Mexico advances three-and-a-half months to January 15, 2024. This means that all applicants who are chargeable to these areas whose I-485 applications have not yet been filed and have a priority date before January 15, 2024, can file their I-485 applications with the USCIS.

The EB-3 cutoff date for China will remain January 1, 2022. This means that China EB-3 applicants whose I-485 applications have not yet been filed and have a priority date before January 1, 2022 can file their I-485 applications with the USCIS.

The EB-3 cutoff date for India will remain August 15, 2014. This means that India EB-3 applicants whose I-485 applications have not yet been filed and have a priority date before August 15, 2014 can file their I-485 applications with the USCIS.

The EB-3 cutoff date for the Philippines will advance three months to January 1, 2024. This means that Indian EB-3 applicants whose I-485 applications have not yet been filed and have a priority date before January 1, 2024 can file their I-485 applications with the USCIS.

OTHER WORKERS

The Other Workers cutoff date for All Chargeability Areas, Mexico, and the Philippines will advance six months and three weeks to June 22, 2022. This means that Other Worker applicants from these areas whose I-485 applications have not yet been filed and have a priority date before June 22, 2022 can file their I-485 applications with the USCIS.

The Other Workers cutoff date for China will remain October 1, 2019. This means that Other Worker applicants from China whose I-485 applications have not yet been filed and have a priority date before October 1, 2019 can file their I-485 applications with the USCIS.

The Other Workers cutoff date for India will remain August 15, 2014. This means that Other Worker applicants from India whose I-485 applications have not yet been filed and have a priority date before August 15, 2014 can file their I-485 applications with the USCIS.

SIGNIFICANT DEVELOPMENTS

The issuance rates of immigrant visas for individuals from specific countries have decreased due to various actions implemented by the administration. As a result, to allocate visas in compliance with sections 201–203 of the Immigration and Nationality Act for potential immigrants from other nations to utilize the immigrant visa numbers available in FY 2026, the dates for filing and final action have been advanced across multiple immigrant visa categories.

The March 2026 Visa Bulletin states: “Note that as additional immigrant visa demand materializes, or administration actions are amended, retrogression may be necessary later in the fiscal year to keep issuances within annual limits.”