United States · Visa Bulletin analysis
October 2026 Visa Bulletin: F2B makes the biggest move
Family-sponsored applicants see the clearest gains in October 2026, led by F2B. Employment-based movement is mixed, with advances, fiscal-year reopenings and retrogressions in different rows. EB-2 India remains closely watched. USCIS has not yet announced which chart adjustment applicants may use for October 2026.
Published .
Reported and checked by the QueueCheck news desk. Last checked September 29, 2026. How we verify information
The month in one sentence
The family side carries substantial movement this month. F2B moves forward by about 1 year and 3 months for Mexico. Employment-based movement is mixed, with advances, fiscal-year reopenings and retrogressions in different rows. EB-1 moves to Feb 1, 2023, about 4 months later, EB-2 moves to Nov 1, 2013, and EB-3 stays at Jan 1, 2014. USCIS has not yet announced which chart adjustment applicants may use for October 2026.
Who gained ground, and who did not
This matters to family-sponsored and employment-based applicants whose cut-offs changed in October 2026, especially applicants moving from an Unavailable or Current position to a dated cut-off.
The changes worth noticing
- The State Department published Bulletin 19 for October 2026. QueueCheck checked every entry in both preference charts against the official document on September 29, 2026.
- For Mexico, F2B moves from Feb 15, 2009 to May 15, 2010. It is the clearest break from September 2026.
- For applicants chargeable to India, F2A and F4 move forward. F1, F2B, and F3 do not move.
- Employment-based movement is mixed, with advances, fiscal-year reopenings and retrogressions in different rows. EB-1 moves to Feb 1, 2023, about 4 months later, EB-2 moves to Nov 1, 2013, and EB-3 stays at Jan 1, 2014.
- The Dates for Filing table also moves in a few places, but those changes do not open an adjustment filing window until USCIS names the chart for the month.
- USCIS had not yet announced which October 2026 chart adjustment applicants could use when its page was checked on September 29, 2026.
Before you compare your date
Final Action Dates control when a visa number may be authorized. A priority date must be earlier than the listed cut-off; equality is not enough.
Dates for Filing can allow documents or an adjustment application to be submitted earlier, but only when USCIS designates that chart for the relevant family or employment track.
C means Current, with no cut-off for that row. U means Unavailable, with no numbers authorized for that category and chargeability area during the month.
Chargeability normally follows country of birth, not citizenship or current residence. That is why the India and China columns can differ sharply from the all-other-countries column.
The comparisons below use the official September 2026 and October 2026 bulletins. Forecasts and third-party cut-offs are not mixed into the figures.
October 2026 movement at a glance
October 2026 Visa Bulletin, transcription verified September 29, 2026; USCIS chart source checked September 29, 2026
The family side moved broadly, while employment changes include both advances and retrogressions. These are the lines that best show the difference between September 2026 and October 2026.
Family Final Action dates
Mostly forward
13 of 25 country-and-category positions moved, and none moved backward.
Employment Final Action dates
Mixed movement
35 of 50 positions stayed where September 2026 left them; the remaining rows are identified in the comparison.
Biggest move
about 1 year and 3 months
For Mexico, F2B moves from Feb 15, 2009 to May 15, 2010.
USCIS filing chart
Pending
Still unannounced when checked on September 29, 2026.
| Watched line | September 2026 | October 2026 | Final Action movement |
|---|---|---|---|
| EB-1 India | Oct 15, 2022 | Feb 1, 2023 | Moved forward by about 4 months |
| EB-2 India | Unavailable | Nov 1, 2013 | Changed from Unavailable to a dated cut-off |
| EB-3 India | Jan 1, 2014 | Jan 1, 2014 | No change |
| F1 India | Jan 22, 2020 | Jan 22, 2020 | No change |
| F2A India | Aug 22, 2026 | Sep 22, 2026 | Moved forward by 31 days |
| F2B India | Aug 22, 2019 | Aug 22, 2019 | No change |
| F3 India | Oct 22, 2014 | Oct 22, 2014 | No change |
| F4 India | Nov 1, 2006 | Dec 15, 2006 | Moved forward by 44 days |
Where the biggest moves landed
- F2B: moved forward by about 1 year and 3 months for Mexico.
- F4: moved forward by about 9 months for the Philippines.
- F1: moved forward by about 8 months for Mexico.
- F2A: moved forward by about 7 months for Mexico.
- F1: moved forward by about 6 months for the Philippines.
The official pages behind this update
- Department of State September 2026 Final Action Dates
- Department of State October 2026 Final Action Dates
- Department of State October 2026 Dates for Filing
- USCIS October 2026 adjustment filing-chart source
What these dates do not say
- This comparison uses two consecutive State Department bulletins. It contains no forecast or third-party cut-off.
- Final Action Dates and Dates for Filing do different jobs. Each figure is labelled with the chart it comes from.
- USCIS makes its chart choice separately from the State Department bulletin.
Visa Bulletin questions, answered
What is the biggest change in the October 2026 Visa Bulletin?
F2B makes the biggest move. For Mexico, F2B moves from Feb 15, 2009 to May 15, 2010. Other family-sponsored dates also advance, while most employment-based dates stay put.
Did EB-2 India move in October 2026?
EB-2 India is Nov 1, 2013 in the October 2026 Final Action table, compared with Unavailable in September 2026. Changed from Unavailable to a dated cut-off.
Which chart can adjustment applicants use for October 2026?
USCIS has not yet announced which chart adjustment applicants may use for October 2026.
Do these family advances predict the next Visa Bulletin?
No. They describe movement between two published months. The Department sets the next cut-offs from available numbers and reported demand, neither of which this comparison can forecast.
What the new month changes for applicants
A later family cut-off may bring more priority dates within reach, but it does not approve a case or promise another jump next month.
For employment-based applicants chargeable to India, EB-1 moves to Feb 1, 2023, about 4 months later, EB-2 moves to Nov 1, 2013, and EB-3 stays at Jan 1, 2014.
The bulletin alone does not tell adjustment applicants whether they may file. USCIS has not yet announced which chart adjustment applicants may use for October 2026. Consular cases follow the State Department's chart rules, while USCIS makes a separate choice for adjustment filings.
Check the right line before you act
- Open the October 2026 monthly page for the complete Final Action and Dates for Filing tables, then select the category and chargeability column that actually apply to the petition.
- Use the priority-date checker for the strict earlier-than comparison. A date equal to the cut-off has not been reached.
- Wait for the October 2026 USCIS chart designation before treating either bulletin chart as permission to file an adjustment application. September 2026's choice does not carry forward.
- Keep the official bulletin and USCIS chart pages as the final references for a filing decision. QueueCheck is an independent transcription and comparison tool, not legal advice.
Why family and employment moved differently
October 2026 shows that family and employment categories can move in different directions within the same bulletin. Each preference category has its own limits and demand.
The comparison with September 2026 matters because a cut-off date on its own says nothing about whether the line moved, stalled or closed. The table below puts the two months side by side.
A big family advance does not spill into an employment category, and it does not predict the following month. The next bulletin will reflect the numbers available and the demand the State Department sees then.
What this bulletin cannot tell you
- This article explains the October 2026 bulletin. It does not forecast the next month or predict what will happen in an individual case.
- QueueCheck could verify the bulletin itself, but not its exact posting time, so this page does not claim a release date.
- USCIS had not announced the October 2026 adjustment filing charts when its page was checked on September 29, 2026. This page will be updated when USCIS posts its choice.
- Nothing here is legal advice. Category conversion, chargeability exceptions, cross-chargeability, and case-specific eligibility require the official instructions or qualified counsel.
Check your category
This update covers more than one queue. Choose the service that matches your own application before sharing a date or comparing waits.
Official citation
Published September 29, 2026. Original source: U.S. Department of State: Visa Bulletin for October 2026.
- Also checked: U.S. Department of State: October 2026 Visa Bulletin PDF.
- Also checked: USCIS: adjustment of status filing charts.