Visa BulletinOfficial tables · archived month
September 2026 Visa Bulletin: Final Action Dates, Dates for Filing and What Happened Next
Official September 2026 Visa Bulletin tables: employment-based and family Final Action Dates and Dates for Filing, where EB-2 India was unavailable, and how October and November moved afterwards.
Publication-status note
Updated November 8, 2026: this page now carries the official September 2026 tables (internal date August 10, 2026) and a note on what the October and November bulletins did afterwards. September was the last month of fiscal year 2026; the current bulletin is November 2026 and the December outlook is linked below.
Direct answer
The September 2026 Visa Bulletin, the last of fiscal year 2026, listed EB-1 India at October 15, 2022, EB-2 India as unavailable (U), and EB-3 India at January 1, 2014 for final action, while EB-1, EB-2 and EB-3 were current for most other countries. Dates for Filing for India were December 1, 2023 for EB-1 and January 15, 2015 for EB-2 and EB-3. The October reset then restored EB-2 India to November 1, 2013 and moved EB-1 India to February 1, 2023.
What You Should Know First
- September 2026 was a year-end bulletin: EB-2 India and EB-5 India unreserved were unavailable, and the Department warned EB-1 India could follow.
- EB-1, EB-2 and EB-3 were current for all other countries in September; October then retrogressed EB-2 and EB-3 for those countries to manage the new fiscal year.
- A priority date becoming current does not extend OPT or STEM OPT work authorization.
September 2026 employment-based Final Action Dates
These are the official employment-based Final Action Dates from the September 2026 bulletin. "C" means current; "U" means no numbers were authorized for that category and country in September.
| Category | All other countries | China | India | Mexico | Philippines |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EB-1 | C | Jul 1, 2023 | Oct 15, 2022 | C | C |
| EB-2 | C | Sep 1, 2021 | U | C | C |
| EB-3 | Sep 1, 2024 | Jan 1, 2022 | Jan 1, 2014 | Sep 1, 2024 | Aug 1, 2023 |
| EB-3 Other Workers | Apr 1, 2022 | May 1, 2019 | Jan 1, 2014 | Apr 1, 2022 | Dec 1, 2021 |
| EB-4 | Dec 15, 2022 | Dec 15, 2022 | Dec 15, 2022 | Dec 15, 2022 | Dec 15, 2022 |
| EB-5 Unreserved | C | Dec 1, 2016 | U | C | C |
Sources: Visa Bulletin for September 2026
September 2026 employment-based Dates for Filing
Dates for Filing govern when an applicant may submit documents to the National Visa Center or, when USCIS permits that chart, file Form I-485. Whether USCIS accepted this chart in September is recorded on the USCIS filing-charts page for that month.
| Category | All other countries | China | India | Philippines |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EB-1 | C | Dec 1, 2023 | Dec 1, 2023 | C |
| EB-2 | C | Jan 1, 2022 | Jan 15, 2015 | C |
| EB-3 | C | Jan 8, 2022 | Jan 15, 2015 | Jan 1, 2024 |
| EB-3 Other Workers | Aug 1, 2022 | Oct 1, 2019 | Jan 15, 2015 | Aug 1, 2022 |
| EB-5 Unreserved | C | Mar 1, 2017 | May 1, 2024 | C |
Sources: Visa Bulletin for September 2026; Adjustment of Status Filing Charts from the Visa Bulletin
September 2026 family-sponsored Final Action Dates
Family categories are listed for completeness; most OPT workers follow the employment-based tables above.
| Category | All other countries | China | India | Mexico | Philippines |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| F1 | Jan 22, 2020 | Jan 22, 2020 | Jan 22, 2020 | Jan 1, 2008 | May 1, 2013 |
| F2A | Aug 22, 2026 | Aug 22, 2026 | Aug 22, 2026 | Aug 22, 2025 | Aug 22, 2026 |
| F2B | Aug 22, 2019 | Aug 22, 2019 | Aug 22, 2019 | Feb 15, 2009 | Jun 1, 2013 |
| F3 | Oct 22, 2014 | Oct 22, 2014 | Oct 22, 2014 | Jul 1, 2001 | Feb 22, 2006 |
| F4 | Oct 22, 2011 | Oct 22, 2011 | Nov 1, 2006 | Apr 8, 2001 | Aug 22, 2007 |
Sources: Visa Bulletin for September 2026
What happened next: October and November 2026
The fiscal year 2027 reset in October gave EB-2 India a printed date again and moved EB-1 India forward, but it also retrogressed EB-2 and EB-3 for all other countries, which had been current in September. November recovered part of that retrogression and nudged EB-3 India.
| Category | September 2026 | October 2026 | November 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|
| EB-1 India | Oct 15, 2022 | Feb 1, 2023 | Feb 1, 2023 |
| EB-2 India | U | Nov 1, 2013 | Nov 1, 2013 |
| EB-3 India | Jan 1, 2014 | Jan 1, 2014 | Jan 22, 2014 |
| EB-2 all other countries | C | Jan 1, 2025 | Apr 1, 2025 |
| EB-3 all other countries | Sep 1, 2024 | May 15, 2024 | Jun 15, 2024 |
| EB-5 India unreserved | U | Dec 1, 2023 | Dec 1, 2023 |
Sources: Visa Bulletin for September 2026; Visa Bulletin for October 2026; Visa Bulletin for November 2026
What this means for OPT and STEM OPT workers
A year-end "unavailable" entry is a numbers-management step, not a cancellation of anyone’s petition. The approved I-140 and its priority date survive; the queue simply waits for the next fiscal year. The practical work is unchanged: keep the priority date, category and chargeability recorded, and keep the OPT or STEM OPT EAD and SEVP reporting on their own calendar, because none of these dates extend F-1 work authorization.
Vinay’s practical note
Put three dates on one page: OPT or STEM expiration, H-1B or other work-status milestones, and priority date. They interact operationally but follow different legal rules.
Your Action Checklist
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Reading an archived September table as if it were the current bulletin.
- Assuming an approved I-140 authorizes employment.
- Ignoring USCIS's separate monthly chart selection.
Get an email when your priority date moves
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Frequently Asked Questions
Was EB-2 India unavailable in the September 2026 Visa Bulletin?
Yes. The September 2026 Final Action chart listed EB-2 India as U (unavailable). The October 2026 bulletin restored a Final Action Date of November 1, 2013.
What was the EB-1 India date in September 2026?
October 15, 2022 for final action and December 1, 2023 for filing. October 2026 moved the Final Action Date to February 1, 2023, where it stayed in November.
Does EB-2 India being unavailable cancel an approved I-140?
No. Visa availability affects the next stage and final action; it does not by itself revoke an approved petition.
Can OPT employment continue while waiting for a priority date?
Only while the student independently maintains valid F-1 or OPT authorization and complies with its rules.
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.
Keep Reading
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.
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