October 2026 Visa Bulletin: Fiscal-Year Reset and What It Means for EB-1 and EB-2 India
October begins fiscal year 2027, but a new annual allocation does not guarantee that EB-1 or EB-2 India will advance. Prepare for the official bulletin without invented predictions.
Publication-status note
The October 2026 Visa Bulletin has not been published as of August 11, 2026. This is a fiscal-year planning guide, not an official cutoff-date report. It must be updated when the State Department releases the bulletin.
Direct answer
October starts a new federal fiscal year and a new annual employment-based visa allocation, but that does not guarantee forward movement for EB-1 India or EB-2 India. Demand carried from earlier years, per-country limits, category usage, and agency estimates all matter. Wait for the official October bulletin and USCIS filing-chart selection before acting.
What You Should Know First
- A fiscal-year reset replenishes numbers; it does not erase the queue.
- Movement can be uneven, limited, or followed by retrogression.
- OPT and STEM EAD deadlines continue regardless of Visa Bulletin optimism.
What ‘Fiscal-Year Reset’ Really Means
Employment-based immigrant visa numbers are allocated annually. October opens the new fiscal year, so agencies begin with the new year's supply. However, thousands of documentarily ready cases and adjustment applications may already be waiting for those numbers.
The State Department sets cutoff dates based on reported demand and expected use. It can hold, advance, retrogress, or make a category unavailable when necessary.
- New annual numerical allocation
- Existing demand and priority-date queue remain
- Per-country and category limits still apply
- USCIS separately identifies the filing chart
A Better Planning Model for OPT Workers
Build a status plan that succeeds even if October does not advance. Track the EAD expiration, STEM eligibility, employer sponsorship steps, and any cap-gap timeline independently. Green-card preparation can run in parallel, but it should not replace a valid nonimmigrant work plan.
If the priority date approaches the possible filing range, organize birth, marriage, travel, status, and employment records early. Filing strategy and maintenance of status can be legally complex, so coordinate with employer counsel.
Vinay's practical note
Use the bulletin as a monthly decision input, not as your immigration plan. Your plan should still work during a hold or retrogression.
What to Verify on Release Day
Read the employment Final Action Dates and Dates for Filing tables, confirm the country column and category row, then check the USCIS page for the chart adjustment applicants may use. Compare the actual cutoff to the priority date exactly; ‘current’ and a printed date are not interchangeable.
Your Action Checklist
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Promising that October will advance because numbers reset.
- Comparing the priority date to the wrong country or category.
- Letting OPT work authorization lapse while waiting for an immigrant filing.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Will EB-1 or EB-2 India automatically advance in October 2026?
No. A new annual allocation can create room, but the State Department sets dates using demand and statutory limits.
Is the October 2026 bulletin available now?
Not as of August 11, 2026. Use only the official State Department bulletin after publication.
Does a current priority date grant work authorization?
No. Work authorization must come from an independent valid basis, such as OPT, H-1B status, or an approved adjustment EAD.
Official Sources
Rules can change. We checked this guide against the primary sources below; always open the current form instructions or agency page before acting.
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Written by Vinay Kumar
Vinay is a content writer at TrackMyOPT who specializes in immigration guidance for international students. All content is researched using official USCIS, SEVP, and Department of Labor sources and reviewed for accuracy by the TrackMyOPT team, which includes former F-1 students who navigated OPT, STEM OPT, and H-1B transitions firsthand.