FGI UPDATE: Special Update on DOS Visa Bulletin
On April 14, 2026, the U.S. Department of State (DOS) issued its monthly Visa Bulletin for May 2026. USCIS has chosen the Final Action Dates chart for employment-based applications for April 2026 to determine eligibility.
USCIS will accept employment-based adjustment of status applications in May 2026 only from foreign nationals whose priority date is earlier than the applicable Final Action Date listed in the State Department’s Visa Bulletin.
Summary
The U.S. Department of State’s Visa Bulletin for May 2026 shows largely stagnant movement across both family-sponsored and employment-based immigrant visa categories, reflecting continued high demand and annual numerical limits. A central theme in the May bulletin is persistent backlog pressure, particularly for high-demand countries such as India and China. Most employment-based categories (EB-1, EB-2, EB-3) show little to no forward movement compared to April 2026, signaling that earlier advances in the fiscal year have slowed.
More broadly, the May 2026 bulletin underscores a stabilization phase following earlier forward movement earlier in FY2026, particularly in employment-based categories where some countries (notably “Rest of World”) had briefly become current in EB-2 and EB-3. That momentum has now plateaued, suggesting that visa number allocation is tightening as the fiscal year progresses.
In summary, the May 2026 Visa Bulletin reflects a system under sustained demand pressure: minimal advancement in most categories, continued severe backlogs for India and China, and emerging constraints in EB-5. Applicants should anticipate limited forward movement in the near term and possible retrogression in oversubscribed categories as the State Department manages visa number usage through the remainder of FY2026.
Final Action Dates for May 2026
EB-1
China: Date remains at April 1, 2023
India: Date remains at April 1, 2023
All other countries: Current
EB-2
China: Date remains at September 1, 2021
India: Date remains at July 15, 2014
All other countries: Current
EB-3 Professionals and Skilled Workers
China: Date remains at June 15, 2021
India: Date remains at November 15, 2013
Mexico: Date remains at June 1, 2014
Philippines: Date remains at August 1, 2023
All other countries: Date remains at June 1, 2024.
EB-3 Other Workers
China: Date remains at February 1, 2019
India: Date remains at November 15, 2013
Mexico: Date advances three months to February 1, 2022
Philippines: Date remains at November 1, 2021
All other countries: Date advances three months to February 1, 2022
EB-5 Unreserved (Regional Center and Non-Regional Center)
China: Date advances three weeks to September 22, 2016
India: Date remains at May 1, 2022.
All other countries remain Current.
Final Action Dates Chart – May 2025
Dates for Filing for April 2026
EB-1
China: Date remains at December 1, 2023
India: Date remains at December 1, 2023
All other countries: Current
EB-2
China: Date remains at January 1, 2022
India: Remains at January 15, 2015
All other countries: Current
EB-3 Professionals and Skilled Workers
China: Date remains at January 1, 2022
India: Date remains at January 15, 2015
Philippines: Date remains at January 1, 2024.
All other countries: Current
EB-3 Other Workers
China: Date remains at October 1, 2019
India: Date advances five months to January 15, 2015
Mexico: Date advances five weeks to August 1, 2022
Philippines: Date advances five weeks to August 1, 2022
All other countries: Date advances five weeks to August 1, 2022
EB-5 Unreserved (Regional Center and Non-Regional Center)
China: Date advances five months to March 1, 2017
India: Date remains at May 1, 2024
All other countries: Current
Dates for Filing Chart – May 2026
SOURCE: travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/legal/visa-law0/visa-bulletin/2026/visa-bulletin-for-may-2026.html