November 2026 Visa Bulletin: EB-2 Rest of World, EB-1 China and EB-3 Advance

Reviewed by: Beth Persky, Esq.

The November 2026 Visa Bulletin moves the Rest of World, Mexico and Philippines EB-2 Final Action Date forward three months to April 1, 2025, advances EB-1 China one month to August 1, 2023, and moves EB-3 forward for the Rest of World, Mexico, China and India. EB-3 Other Workers for the Rest of World and Mexico jumped five months to June 1, 2022. No employment-based Final Action Date moved backward, and USCIS designated the Dates for Filing chart for both employment-based and family-sponsored Form I-485 filings in November 2026, the same designation as October. India EB-1 and EB-2 held, nearly every employment-based Date for Filing stayed where October left it, and the EB-5 Unreserved cutoffs did not change.  

November is the second bulletin of fiscal year 2027 and a steadier month than October. The Department of State (DOS) did not repeat October’s discussion of fiscal year 2027 visa availability in the November bulletin, and no employment-based Final Action Date moved backward. Several categories that retrogressed in October, including Rest of World EB-2, EB-3 and Other Workers, recovered part of that ground, though none returned to its September 2026 position.

Because USCIS kept the Dates for Filing chart for employment-based filings, the Form I-485 filing windows that opened in October remain open during November 2026 for applicants whose priority dates are earlier than the November Dates for Filing cutoffs. The November chart applies to a Form I-485 that USCIS receives, properly filed, between November 1 and November 30, 2026.

What changed from October to November 2026?

October 2026 opened fiscal year 2027 with a split month: India EB-2 and EB-5 Unreserved India reopened after being Unavailable in September, several China Dates for Filing jumped, and the Rest of World EB-2 and EB-3 cutoffs moved backward. DOS tied those retrogressions to keeping visa issuance within the FY2027 quarterly and annual limits.

November is a quieter, mostly forward month. The Rest of World, Mexico and Philippines EB-2 cutoff and the Rest of World and Mexico EB-3 and Other Workers cutoffs recovered part of October’s retrogression, and EB-1 China, EB-3 China and EB-3 India edged forward. India EB-1 and EB-2, China EB-2 and China Other Workers, both Philippines EB-3 lines, EB-4 and EB-5 did not move. Apart from Rest of World and Mexico Other Workers, the employment-based Dates for Filing chart is the same as October’s.

Which chart does USCIS use for Adjustment of Status in November 2026?

DOS publishes two charts each month: Application Final Action Dates (the cutoff that determines whether a case is eligible for a visa number to be allocated for approval or visa issuance) and Dates for Filing (an earlier threshold that lets applicants submit paperwork before a number is available). Under USCIS Policy Manual Volume 7, Part A, Chapter 3, adjustment applicants generally must use the Final Action Dates chart unless USCIS determines that there are enough immigrant visas available for additional filings and designates the Dates for Filing chart for that month. USCIS announces the designation on its Adjustment of Status Filing Charts page.

According to the USCIS “When to File Your Adjustment of Status Application” page for November 2026, USCIS designated the following:

For employment-based applicants in the United States, the Dates for Filing chart controls whether Form I-485, Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status, can be filed in November 2026. USCIS applies the chart in effect for the month in which it receives the application, so to use the November chart, USCIS must receive a properly filed Form I-485 by November 30, 2026. Final Action Dates still control when a visa number can be allocated so that USCIS can approve a pending Form I-485 and when a consulate can issue an immigrant visa.

Applicants processing through a U.S. consulate do not choose a chart. Under the Foreign Affairs Manual (9 FAM 503.4), the National Visa Center generally does not begin requesting fees and documents for a case until the Date for Filing encompasses the priority date, and a case becomes eligible for final interview and visa issuance only when a visa number is allocated under the Final Action Date. Document collection, qualification for an interview, scheduling and issuance are separate steps.

EB-1: what changed from October to November 2026?

China is the only EB-1 movement in November. India EB-1 held at February 1, 2023 after advancing about three and a half months in October, and EB-1 remains Current for the Rest of World, Mexico and the Philippines.

EB-1 Dates for Filing did not change: China and India both stay at July 1, 2024. Because USCIS is using the Dates for Filing chart for employment-based filings in November, an EB-1 applicant chargeable to India or China with a priority date earlier than July 1, 2024 may file Form I-485 during November 2026 if the Form I-140 is approved, or is filed at the same time (concurrent filing is permitted for EB-1 when a visa is available for filing under the designated chart), the applicant is physically present in the United States, and the applicant otherwise qualifies under INA 245. The bars in INA 245(c) for failing to maintain lawful status or working without authorization generally apply, but INA 245(k) excuses those bars for EB-1, EB-2, EB-3 and certain EB-4 applicants when the total time spent out of status, working without authorization, or otherwise violating the terms of admission since the most recent lawful admission does not exceed 180 days. A visa number is still not available for final approval until the Final Action Date passes the priority date.

EB-2 and EB-2 NIW: who moved forward in November?

The National Interest Waiver (EB-2 NIW) uses the EB-2 line of the Visa Bulletin. There is no separate NIW cutoff.

EB-2 Dates for Filing did not move. Rest of World, Mexico and the Philippines stay at March 15, 2026, China at January 1, 2023 and India at January 15, 2015.

Consequences for filing and approval:

• A Rest of World, Mexico or Philippines EB-2 or NIW applicant with a priority date earlier than April 1, 2025 is within the November Final Action cutoff. For a pending Form I-485, that means USCIS can request a visa number once it determines the application is otherwise approvable. For a consular case, it means the case is eligible for a visa number to be allocated for final interview and issuance; being within the cutoff does not by itself mean a number has been allocated or an interview scheduled. A priority date on or after April 1, 2025 still has to wait for the Final Action Date to pass it.
• A Rest of World, Mexico or Philippines applicant with a priority date earlier than March 15, 2026 may still file Form I-485 during November 2026, because USCIS is using the Dates for Filing chart, if the Form I-140 is approved or filed concurrently (permitted for EB-2, including NIW, when a visa is available for filing under the designated chart) and the applicant meets the INA 245 requirements. A priority date on or after March 15, 2026 cannot be used to file in November.
• India and China EB-2 applicants saw no change: the Final Action Dates remain November 1, 2013 for India and October 1, 2021 for China.

If you see a headline that “EB-2 advanced in November,” check the row for your country of chargeability before relying on it. Rest of World, Mexico and the Philippines moved forward three months; India and China did not move.

EB-3 and Other Workers: which countries advanced?

EB-3 Professionals and Skilled Workers, Final Action Dates:

EB-3 Other Workers, Final Action Dates:

On the Dates for Filing chart, EB-3 did not move for any country: Rest of World and Mexico stay at August 1, 2024, China at April 1, 2024, India at January 15, 2015 and the Philippines at January 1, 2024. Other Workers for the Rest of World and Mexico advanced from June 1, 2022 to July 1, 2022. Other Workers stayed at October 1, 2020 for China, January 15, 2015 for India and June 1, 2022 for the Philippines.

The Philippines did not move on either EB-3 line. Because the Rest of World and Mexico rows advanced, Philippines EB-3 is now about 10 months behind the Rest of World Final Action Date, and Philippines Other Workers (January 1, 2022) now trails Rest of World Other Workers (June 1, 2022) after the two rows matched in October.

EB-5: did anything change for India, China or the set-asides?

EB-5 Unreserved, Final Action Dates:

EB-5 Unreserved Dates for Filing also did not change. China stays at March 1, 2021, after October’s four-year jump, and India stays at May 1, 2024.

The EB-5 set-aside categories (Rural, High Unemployment and Infrastructure) remain Current for every chargeability area in November, as they were in September and October. For investors chargeable to India or China, the set-asides are the only EB-5 categories without a cutoff date in November. Whether a project qualifies for a set-aside is determined by USCIS through the regional center’s project application (Form I-956F), and the individual investor’s eligibility is decided on Form I-526E. The Visa Bulletin decides neither.

EB-4: did anything change?

No. The EB-4 Final Action Date stays at December 15, 2022 for all chargeability areas, and the EB-4 Date for Filing stays at January 1, 2025. Certain Religious Workers (SR) continue to follow the EB-4 dates. The October bulletin noted that the SR category was extended through December 11, 2026; the November bulletin does not repeat that notice.

The SR category for non-minister religious workers (and their accompanying spouses and children) has a statutory sunset; ministers are not subject to it. The October 2026 bulletin reported that the non-minister SR program was extended through December 11, 2026, and the November bulletin does not repeat that notice, which does not mean the date changed. DOS bulletins have stated that non-minister SR applicants must be issued a visa or adjust status on or before the sunset date unless Congress extends the program again. A non-minister SR applicant with a pending Form I-485 whose priority date is not earlier than December 15, 2022 cannot be approved before that date unless the Final Action Date moves or Congress acts. The current sunset date and its effect on any individual case should be confirmed with an attorney against the live USCIS Special Immigrant Religious Workers page.

Dates for Filing in November: what moved and what stayed?

Only one employment-based Date for Filing moved in November. The table lists that movement and the rows that drive most filing decisions this fiscal year.

Because USCIS is applying the Dates for Filing chart to employment-based Form I-485 filings again in November 2026, October’s movements, including EB-3 China to April 1, 2024 and EB-5 Unreserved China to March 1, 2021, still decide who can file during November. Filing under Dates for Filing does not mean a visa number is available; approval still waits for the Final Action Date. A pending Form I-485 does allow the applicant to apply for employment authorization (Form I-765) and advance parole (Form I-131); each is a separate application that USCIS adjudicates on its own, and filing does not guarantee approval.

What about family-based categories?

Family categories moved forward again in November, and USCIS designated the Dates for Filing chart for family-sponsored Form I-485 filings in November 2026.

Family-sponsored Final Action Dates, November 2026 (Rest of World, China and India unless noted):

Family-sponsored Dates for Filing, November 2026, as published on the USCIS page:

A family-sponsored applicant in the United States with a priority date earlier than the applicable November Date for Filing (or, in F2A, any priority date) may file Form I-485 during November 2026 if the Form I-130 is approved, or is filed concurrently where USCIS permits concurrent filing for that relationship and a visa is available for filing under the designated chart, and the applicant meets the INA 245 requirements. Family preference applicants are not covered by INA 245(k), so status violations and unauthorized employment that bar adjustment under INA 245(c) are not excused on that basis.

Did the November bulletin change the FY2027 visa totals?

No new totals were announced. October 2026 bulletin reported the FY2027 employment-based level at the statutory minimum of 140,000 under INA 201(d), with an initial per-country limit of 25,620, and the November bulletin does not repeat that discussion.

Those October figures, as DOS reported them, are opening numbers, not a cut from the FY2026 final limit of 186,317 that DOS reported for the prior year. The eventual FY2027 total can change once DOS determines how many FY2026 family-sponsored numbers went unused, so a later bulletin may revise them.

What does November mean for pending and new filings?

• Pending Form I-485, priority date now earlier than the November Final Action Date: The case is within the cutoff, so USCIS may request a visa number and approve the application if it is otherwise approvable. This applies to Rest of World, Mexico and Philippines EB-2 applicants with priority dates from January 1, 2025 up to, but not including, April 1, 2025, and to applicants in the other categories that advanced. USCIS requests a visa number from DOS only after it determines that the application is approvable, so being within the cutoff does not by itself produce an approval.
• Not yet filed, priority date earlier than the November Dates for Filing date: Because USCIS is using the Dates for Filing chart in November, filing Form I-485 is possible during November 2026 if the Form I-140 is approved or filed concurrently (where the category permits) and you meet the INA 245 requirements. USCIS must receive the properly filed application by November 30, 2026, and it can change the chart designation in any month, so an option available in November may not exist in December.
• Form edition and filing location: USCIS periodically revises Form I-485 and changes its direct filing addresses, and a package filed on an edition USCIS no longer accepts or sent to the wrong location can be rejected. A rejected package does not hold the November filing window. Before filing, check the live USCIS Form I-485 page for the edition currently accepted and the Direct Filing Addresses page for the correct location.
• Children close to age 21: Under USCIS Policy Manual Volume 7, Part A, Chapter 7, as updated effective August 15, 2025, USCIS calculates a child’s age under the Child Status Protection Act using the Final Action Dates chart, even when the family files under the Dates for Filing chart. Two exceptions apply: USCIS continues to apply its February 14, 2023 policy (which used the Dates for Filing chart when USCIS designated it) to adjustment applications pending before August 15, 2025, and USCIS may apply that earlier policy to a later-filed application where the applicant shows that extraordinary circumstances prevented filing before August 15, 2025. The child must also seek to acquire permanent residence within one year of the visa becoming available. Families with a child approaching 21 should have this reviewed before relying on a Dates for Filing window.
• Consular cases: An immigrant visa cannot be issued unless a visa number has been allocated to the case, which requires that the priority date be earlier than the applicable Final Action Date. Being within the cutoff makes the case eligible for a number; DOS allocates numbers monthly based on availability, and interview scheduling depends on the post.
• Considering a different category: An applicant with a pending Form I-485 may, in some cases, ask USCIS in writing to transfer its underlying basis to a different petition. Under USCIS Policy Manual Volume 7, Part A, Chapter 8, the new basis may be an approved Form I-140, or a pending Form I-140 only in a category where concurrent filing is permitted; the applicant must have continuously maintained eligibility for Adjustment of Status; a visa must be available under the new basis on the date USCIS receives the transfer request; the replacement petition must be properly filed before the original basis is withdrawn, denied or revoked; only one petition may serve as the basis for the Form I-485 at any time; and the applicant must be eligible for the new category. USCIS grants or denies the request as a matter of discretion.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Did EB-2 for the Rest of World become Current again in November 2026?

  No. The Rest of World, Mexico and Philippines EB-2 Final Action Date moved forward three months, from January 1, 2025 to April 1, 2025, but it has not returned to Current, as it was in September 2026. Only applicants with priority dates earlier than April 1, 2025 are within the cutoff for final approval. The Date for Filing stayed at March 15, 2026.

• Did India EB-2 or China EB-2 move in November 2026?

  No. India EB-2 stays at a Final Action Date of November 1, 2013 and a Date for Filing of January 15, 2015. China EB-2 stays at October 1, 2021 and January 1, 2023.

• Which chart do I use to file Form I-485 in November 2026?

  Per the USCIS Adjustment of Status Filing Charts page, both employment-based and family-sponsored applicants use the Dates for Filing chart in November 2026, the same designation as in October 2026. USCIS announces this designation monthly and it can change, so confirm December’s designation on that page before filing in December.

• Does the EB-2 NIW have its own Visa Bulletin cutoff?

  No. The NIW is an EB-2 petition, so it follows the EB-2 row for the beneficiary’s country of chargeability. A Rest of World NIW beneficiary is subject to the April 1, 2025 Final Action Date and the March 15, 2026 Date for Filing in November 2026.

• Did EB-5 change in November 2026?

  No. EB-5 Unreserved stays at December 1, 2016 for China and December 1, 2023 for India on the Final Action chart, and is Current for other chargeability areas. The Rural, High Unemployment and Infrastructure set-asides remain Current for every chargeability area.

• If my priority date retrogressed after I filed Form I-485, do I lose my application?

  Retrogression alone does not cause the loss of a properly filed, pending Form I-485. The USCIS Policy Manual directs that an otherwise approvable case without an available visa number be held until a number becomes available. USCIS can still deny a pending application for another reason, such as ineligibility, insufficient evidence, failure to respond to a request, or abandonment. While the application is pending, you may apply separately for employment authorization and advance parole; each is adjudicated on its own and is not guaranteed.

• What is my country of chargeability?

  Chargeability is generally determined by country of birth, not citizenship. INA 202(b) allows cross-chargeability in limited situations, for example to a spouse’s country of birth when both are immigrating together. This can change which column of the bulletin applies to you.

• Why is Philippines EB-3 now behind the Rest of World?

  In November, Rest of World and Mexico EB-3 advanced to June 15, 2024 while the Philippines stayed at August 15, 2023, a gap of about 10 months. The Philippines is listed separately because demand from people chargeable to the Philippines exceeds its per-country share under INA 202, so DOS can set a different cutoff when that demand requires it.

• If I file Form I-485 under the Dates for Filing chart in November, does my child’s CSPA age freeze?

  Not on the filing date alone. For applications filed on or after August 15, 2025, USCIS Policy Manual Volume 7, Part A, Chapter 7 states that USCIS determines the child’s age at visa availability using the Final Action Dates chart, on the first day of the month in which the Final Action Date passes the priority date (or the petition approval date, if later). The child must also seek to acquire permanent residence within one year of that date. Applications that were already pending before August 15, 2025 continue under the February 14, 2023 policy, which counted the Dates for Filing chart when USCIS designated it, and USCIS may apply that earlier policy where extraordinary circumstances prevented filing before August 15, 2025. Filing under Dates for Filing can satisfy the sought-to-acquire step in some cases, but for new filings it does not change which chart sets the age calculation.

• My priority date is earlier than the November Date for Filing but the Final Action Date is years away. Should I still file?

  Filing under Dates for Filing allows you to apply for employment authorization and advance parole while you wait, if you are otherwise eligible for those benefits, and it may help with the CSPA sought-to-acquire requirement. It does not speed up approval, and USCIS can switch back to the Final Action Dates chart in a later month, which would close the window for new filings but not affect an application already pending. Whether to file is a case-specific decision.