U.S. Department of State releases September 2026 Visa Bulletin

The U.S. Department of State has released the September 2026 Visa Bulletin, the final bulletin for the current fiscal year. The report shows no forward movement in most employment-based immigrant visa categories, though EB-5 investor set-asides remain current for all countries.

For Indian applicants, the bulletin provides mixed results. In family-sponsored categories, there is notable movement; the F1 category for unmarried adult children of U.S. citizens advanced to January 22, 2020, and the F2A category for spouses and children of lawful permanent residents saw movement with a Final Action Date of August 22, 2026. However, long waits persist in the F3 and F4 categories.

Employment-based categories remain difficult for Indian professionals. The EB-1 Final Action Date for India is October 15, 2022, while EB-2 remains unavailable and EB-3 is set at January 1, 2014. The State Department cautioned that EB-1 for India could become unavailable before the fiscal year ends if annual limits are reached.