The USCIS visa bulletin September 2026 update is drawing attention after the U.S. Department of State published the final Visa Bulletin of fiscal year 2026. The bulletin shows sharp movement in several family-sponsored final-action dates, while most employment-based final-action dates remain unchanged from the previous month.
The State Department’s official bulletin lists the family-sponsored F1 final-action date for most chargeability areas, China and India as January 22, 2020. F2B moved to August 22, 2019, F3 to October 22, 2014, and F4 to October 22, 2011 for those same broad groups. Mexico and the Philippines have separate dates, so applicants must use the column tied to their chargeability area.
The employment-based table is more mixed. The official bulletin lists EB-1 as current for most areas but gives separate cut-off dates for China and India. EB-2 is current for most areas while India is listed as unavailable. EB-3 remains dated for several countries, and the EB-4 final-action date moves to December 15, 2022 across the listed chargeability areas.
One of the most important practical points is that the Department of State bulletin does not by itself decide which chart every person inside the United States may use for an adjustment-of-status filing. The bulletin directs applicants to the USCIS visa-availability page for the agency’s monthly chart selection. Manifest Law reported on August 22 that USCIS had not yet announced its September chart choice at the time of its review.
That distinction matters because the Dates for Filing chart can permit an eligible applicant to submit an adjustment application earlier than the Final Action Dates chart would allow final approval. A priority date must still be compared with the correct category and country column, and the applicant must satisfy the separate legal and procedural requirements for adjustment of status.
The bulletin also warns that dates could move backward or a category could become unavailable if demand changes before the end of the fiscal year. Applicants should therefore treat the September tables as the official monthly reference, verify the USCIS chart announcement before filing, and obtain case-specific advice from a qualified immigration professional when necessary. This report summarizes the published tables and is not individualized legal advice.
