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October 2026 Visa Bulletin: FY2027 Opens With Big EB-5 Movement for China

Llandora·Updated 2026-10-14
⚠️ Disclaimer: For general information only — not tax, financial, legal, or medical advice. Figures may be outdated or incorrect; tax rules change frequently. Verify important decisions with the CRA/IRS or a qualified professional (for health topics, a licensed healthcare provider). You use this information at your own risk.
The short answer

The October 2026 Visa Bulletin opens fiscal year 2027 — and with a fresh annual supply of immigrant visa numbers, several backlogged categories moved. The headline: mainland China-born EB-5 investors saw their Dates for Filing advance by 1,461 days (about four years), and USCIS confirmed that employment-based adjustment applicants may use the Dates for Filing chart in October. India-born EB-5 investors, cut off entirely at the end of FY2026, are back on the board. This is a monthly snapshot as of October 15, 2026; dates move every month, so check the State Department bulletin before acting.

The two charts, explained

Every Visa Bulletin has two charts, and confusing them is the most common mistake:

  • Final Action Dates (Chart A): the date your priority date must be earlier than for USCIS or a consulate to actually approve your green card or issue the immigrant visa.
  • Dates for Filing (Chart B): the date your priority date must be earlier than to file your adjustment-of-status application. Filing early lets you obtain interim benefits — employment authorization (EAD) and advance parole — while you wait for final action.

Each month USCIS announces which chart employment-based (and family-based) applicants may use. For October 2026, USCIS confirmed employment-based applicants use the Dates for Filing chart. That is why the filing-date movements below matter immediately, even where final action dates barely budged.

October 2026: Dates for Filing (employment-based)

CategoryAll othersChina (mainland)India
EB-1CurrentJuly 1, 2024July 1, 2024
EB-2March 15, 2026Jan 1, 2023Jan 15, 2015
EB-3 (prof./skilled)Aug 1, 2024Apr 1, 2024Jan 15, 2015
EB-3 other workersJune 1, 2022Oct 1, 2020Jan 15, 2015
EB-5 unreservedCurrentMarch 1, 2021May 1, 2024
EB-5 set-asides (rural, high-unemployment, infrastructure)CurrentCurrentCurrent

Notable movements: EB-1 China and India each advanced a full year to July 1, 2024. EB-2 and EB-3 filing dates for most countries sit well ahead of their final action dates — meaning many applicants can file in October (and get EAD/AP) even though final approval waits.

October 2026: Final Action Dates (employment-based)

CategoryAll othersChina (mainland)India
EB-1CurrentJuly 1, 2023 (no change)Feb 1, 2023 (from Oct 15, 2022)
EB-2Jan 1, 2025 (retrogressed)Oct 1, 2021Nov 1, 2013 (from unavailable)
EB-3 (prof./skilled)May 15, 2024 (retrogressed)Jan 8, 2022Jan 1, 2014 (no change)
EB-5 unreservedCurrentDec 1, 2016 (no change)Dec 1, 2023 (from unavailable)

EB-4 (including certain religious workers) stands at December 15, 2022 across all countries; H.R. 6500, signed September 2, 2026, extends the religious worker category through December 11, 2026.

The China EB-5 story: what "4 years" really means

For mainland China-born EB-5 investors in the unreserved category, the Final Action Date did not move — it remains December 1, 2016, so no new visas are being issued beyond that cutoff. What advanced dramatically is the filing date: from March 1, 2017 in September to March 1, 2021 in October, a jump of 1,461 days.

For an eligible Chinese investor already in the US maintaining valid nonimmigrant status, that can mean the difference between waiting outside the system and filing an adjustment application now — unlocking EAD and advance parole while the final-action queue catches up. It is not a green card, but it is meaningful interim relief.

The three EB-5 reserved categories (rural, high-unemployment, infrastructure) remain Current for China and India under both charts — no backlog at all, which continues to make set-aside projects strategically attractive.

India's reset

India's EB-5 unreserved allocation was exhausted in June 2026, and visa issuance stopped for the rest of FY2026. With FY2027 numbers now available, India returns with a Final Action Date of December 1, 2023 and a filing date of May 1, 2024. Availability has resumed, but DOS cautions that demand will be monitored and dates can retrogress again as the year progresses.

A warning about October optimism

New-fiscal-year bulletins almost always look generous — fresh numbers, advancing dates. Then demand materializes and dates stall or retrogress mid-year, exactly as happened to EB-2/EB-3 ROW in this same bulletin (retrogressed final action dates despite strong filing dates). Treat October dates as a filing window, not a promise. If your priority date is current under Chart B, talk to your attorney promptly; windows like this do not always stay open.

Frequently asked questions

Which chart do I use in October 2026?

USCIS confirmed employment-based adjustment applicants use the Dates for Filing (Chart B) in October 2026.

What does the China EB-5 "4-year advancement" actually give me?

The filing date (Chart B) moved from March 1, 2017 to March 1, 2021. If your priority date is earlier than March 1, 2021 and you are otherwise eligible in the US, you may file for adjustment and seek EAD/advance parole. The final action date (December 1, 2016) did not move — visas are still not being issued beyond it.

Are EB-5 reserved categories really current for China and India?

Yes — rural, high-unemployment, and infrastructure set-asides show as Current for all countries under both charts in October 2026.

Why did EB-2/EB-3 final action dates retrogress for most countries?

The State Department manages annual visa number supply against demand; when demand exceeds supply in a category, dates retrogress. Filing dates moved forward anyway because DOS expects enough numbers for filings even while final approvals are constrained.

Will November be as good as October?

Unknown. DOS explicitly cautions that availability will be monitored and adjusted as FY2027 demand develops. Check each month's bulletin.

Sources

  • LexBlog, October 2026 Visa Bulletin Advances EB-5 Filing Date for Mainland China by 4 Years: https://www.lexblog.com/2026/10/12/october-2026-visa-bulletin-advances-eb-5-filing-date-for-mainland-china-by-4-years/
  • Envoy Global, October 2026 Visa Bulletin (Sept 29, 2026): https://www.envoyglobal.com/news-alert/october-2026-visa-bulletin/
  • LCR Capital, October 2026 Visa Bulletin: What It Means for EB-5 Investors: https://www.lcrcapital.com/blog/october-2026-visa-bulletin-eb5-investors/

This article is general information about the October 2026 Visa Bulletin, not legal advice, and is a snapshot as of October 15, 2026 — dates change monthly. Priority-date strategy is fact-specific; check the current State Department bulletin and consult a licensed US immigration attorney before acting.

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