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The US September Visa Bulletin gives relief to Indian families waiting for green cards, with cut-off dates advancing sharply in several family-sponsored categories. However, Indian professionals waiting under the EB-1 employment-based category have seen little movement, with the US State Department warning that the category could become unavailable before the end of the financial year, PTI reported. The September bulletin is the last for the US financial year 2026. The new annual allocation of immigrant visas will become available from October 1, when the next financial year begins.
Family-based green card queues move ahead
The biggest gains in September have come in categories through which US citizens and lawful permanent residents sponsor certain family members. For Indians in the F-1 category, covering unmarried adult sons and daughters of US citizens, the Final Action Date moved from December 15, 2018, to January 22, 2020. An even bigger change came in the F-2B category, which covers unmarried adult sons and daughters of lawful permanent residents. For India and most other countries, the cut-off date moved from January 1, 2018, to August 22, 2019 — nearly 20 months of movement in a single bulletin. The F-3 category, covering married sons and daughters of US citizens, also saw substantial movement. Its Final Action Date advanced from May 15, 2012, to October 22, 2014, a shift of about 29 months. For the F-2A category, which covers spouses and minor children of lawful permanent residents, the Final Action Date moved one month, from July 22, 2026, to August 22, 2026, for applicants from India, China and the Philippines.
What the movement means for Indian applicants
A change in the Final Action Date does not automatically mean that every applicant in the category can receive a green card immediately. The Final Action Date sets the point up to which immigrant visa numbers are available for final action. Generally, an applicant must have a priority date earlier than the listed cut-off date, apart from meeting the other eligibility requirements. For an Indian applicant, the priority date is therefore critical. Those whose priority dates have now fallen before the new cut-off may see their applications move closer to final processing. The movement is particularly significant because family-sponsored preference immigration is subject to annual numerical limits. The September Visa Bulletin puts the fiscal 2026 limit for family-sponsored preference immigrants at 226,000.
EB-1 remains a concern for Indians
The situation is less encouraging for Indian professionals in the EB-1 category. EB-1 is an employment-based route for priority workers. It includes people with extraordinary ability, outstanding professors and researchers, and certain multinational executives and managers. For September, India’s EB-1 Final Action Date remains October 15, 2022. The State Department has also issued a warning over demand from Indian applicants. It said high demand and visa-number use by applicants chargeable to India could result in the EB-1 category becoming unavailable in the coming weeks if India's pro-rated allocation is reached before September 30. The department said it would continue monitoring the situation and make any necessary adjustments.
Why October 1 matters
The September Visa Bulletin needs to be read against the US fiscal-year calendar. The current fiscal year ends on September 30, while the new one starts on October 1. The worldwide annual limit for employment-based preference immigrants for fiscal 2026 is 186,317. A separate per-country limit applies to preference immigrants. For Indian applicants, the September bulletin therefore presents two contrasting developments: Substantial progress for several long-running family-sponsored queues, but continued pressure on the employment-based EB-1 category. The movement in family categories could allow many applicants with older priority dates to move closer to receiving their green cards. For EB-1 applicants, however, the State Department's warning means that visa availability could remain a key concern until the current fiscal year closes.
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