September 2026 Visa Bulletin for OPT Workers: EB-1 and EB-2 India Outlook
The September 2026 Visa Bulletin is not yet published. Use the August bulletin's EB-1 and EB-2 India warnings to prepare without relying on predicted dates.
Publication-status note
As of August 11, 2026, the State Department's official Visa Bulletin index lists August 2026 as the latest bulletin. This page does not invent September cutoff dates. It will need a chart update after the official September bulletin is released.
Direct answer
No official September 2026 employment-based cutoff dates are available yet. The August bulletin made EB-2 India unavailable for final action and warned that EB-1 India could become unavailable. OPT workers should organize priority-date and petition records now, but must wait for the official bulletin and USCIS monthly chart selection before deciding whether an adjustment filing is permitted.
What You Should Know First
- An outlook is not a Visa Bulletin chart.
- A priority date becoming current does not extend OPT or independently authorize work.
- Adjustment applicants must check both the State Department bulletin and USCIS chart-selection page.
What August Actually Established
The August 2026 bulletin reports EB-2 India as unavailable for final action and warns about visa availability in EB-1 India. Those statements are evidence of fiscal-year pressure; they are not a promise of what September's dates will be.
Final Action Dates determine when a number may be available for final approval. Dates for Filing can sometimes permit earlier adjustment submissions, but USCIS announces which chart adjustment applicants may use each month.
- Do not copy September dates from a prediction website
- Separate EB category, chargeability, priority date, and chart
- Keep OPT/STEM and green-card work authorization planning separate
What OPT Workers Can Prepare Now
Save the I-140 receipt or approval, confirm the priority date and category with counsel, and collect civil documents and status history that may be needed later. Review the remaining EAD and STEM deadlines independently so a hoped-for I-485 filing does not distract from current F-1 compliance.
If an employer is considering an upgrade, amendment, or new petition strategy, obtain case-specific advice. A public bulletin cannot establish whether the underlying petition supports a filing.
Vinay's practical note
Put three dates on one page: OPT/STEM expiration, H-1B or other work-status milestones, and priority date. They interact operationally but follow different legal rules.
How We Will Update This Page
After the official September bulletin appears, the useful update is a side-by-side comparison of August and September, followed by the USCIS chart selection. Until then, any precise September cutoff is speculation and should be labeled as such.
Your Action Checklist
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Treating a forecast as the official September chart.
- Assuming an approved I-140 authorizes employment.
- Ignoring USCIS's separate monthly chart selection.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Has the September 2026 Visa Bulletin been released?
Not as of August 11, 2026. The official index currently lists August 2026 as the latest bulletin.
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/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.
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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.