The US Visa Bulletin for October 2026 has brought fresh movement in employment-based green card categories for Indian applicants, including the return of visa availability under EB-2.
The October bulletin marks the beginning of fiscal year 2027, bringing a new allocation of employment-based immigrant visa numbers. The US Department of State said dates have advanced across several categories, although some categories for applicants from other countries have retrogressed to keep visa issuances within annual and quarterly limits.
For Indian applicants, the EB-1 Final Action Date is February 1, 2023. This represents an advance from the previous fiscal year after the category faced availability pressure in 2026.
The EB-2 category for India is available again in FY 2027, with a Final Action Date of November 1, 2013. The category had become unavailable during FY 2026 after India reached its annual allocation. The State Department had indicated that availability would reset with the start of the new fiscal year on October 1.
The bulletin also lists separate Dates for Filing, which determine when eligible applicants may begin submitting documentation, subject to the applicable USCIS rules.
Visa availability can change as demand develops during the fiscal year, and the State Department says it will continue monitoring issuance levels.
