United States · Visa Bulletin analysis
September 2026 Visa Bulletin: family dates leap ahead, but EB-2 India remains unavailable
Family-sponsored applicants see the clearest gains in September 2026, led by F3. Most employment-based dates barely move, and EB-2 India remains unavailable. USCIS has not yet announced which chart adjustment applicants may use for September 2026.
Published .
Reported and checked by the QueueCheck news desk. Last checked August 24, 2026. How we verify information
The month in one sentence
The family side carries the movement this month. F3 moves forward by about 2 years and 5 months for most countries, mainland China, and India. Most employment-based dates barely moved. EB-1 stays at Oct 15, 2022, EB-2 remains unavailable, and EB-3 stays at Jan 1, 2014. USCIS has not yet announced which chart adjustment applicants may use for September 2026.
Who gained ground, and who did not
This matters most to family-sponsored applicants whose dates moved in September 2026, and to employment-based applicants chargeable to India who were hoping the fiscal year's final bulletin would bring relief.
The changes worth noticing
- The State Department published Bulletin 18 for September 2026. QueueCheck checked every entry in both preference charts against the official document on August 22, 2026.
- For most countries, mainland China, and India, F3 moves from May 15, 2012 to Oct 22, 2014. It is the clearest break from August 2026.
- For applicants chargeable to India, F1, F2A, F2B, and F3 move forward. F4 does not move.
- The employment side is much quieter. EB-1 stays at Oct 15, 2022, EB-2 remains unavailable, and EB-3 stays at Jan 1, 2014. The limited movement elsewhere is concentrated in EB-4 and certain religious workers.
- 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 September 2026 chart adjustment applicants could use when its page was checked on August 23, 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 August 2026 and September 2026 bulletins. Forecasts and third-party cut-offs are not mixed into the figures.
September 2026 movement at a glance
September 2026 Visa Bulletin, transcription verified August 22, 2026; USCIS chart source checked August 23, 2026
The family side moved. India's employment backlog did not. These are the lines that best show the difference between August 2026 and September 2026.
Family Final Action dates
Mostly forward
18 of 25 country-and-category positions moved, and none moved backward.
Employment Final Action dates
Mostly unchanged
40 of 50 positions stayed where August 2026 left them.
Biggest move
about 2 years and 5 months
For most countries, mainland China, and India, F3 moves from May 15, 2012 to Oct 22, 2014.
USCIS filing chart
Pending
Still unannounced when checked on August 23, 2026.
| Watched line | August 2026 | September 2026 | Final Action movement |
|---|---|---|---|
| EB-1 India | Oct 15, 2022 | Oct 15, 2022 | No change |
| EB-2 India | Unavailable | Unavailable | No change |
| EB-3 India | Jan 1, 2014 | Jan 1, 2014 | No change |
| F1 India | Dec 15, 2018 | Jan 22, 2020 | Moved forward by about 1 year and 1 month |
| F2A India | Jul 22, 2026 | Aug 22, 2026 | Moved forward by 31 days |
| F2B India | Jan 1, 2018 | Aug 22, 2019 | Moved forward by about 1 year and 8 months |
| F3 India | May 15, 2012 | Oct 22, 2014 | Moved forward by about 2 years and 5 months |
| F4 India | Nov 1, 2006 | Nov 1, 2006 | No change |
Where the biggest moves landed
- F3: moved forward by about 2 years and 5 months for most countries, mainland China, and India.
- F4: moved forward by about 2 years and 2 months for most countries and mainland China.
- F2B: moved forward by about 1 year and 8 months for most countries, mainland China, and India.
- F1: moved forward by about 1 year and 1 month for most countries, mainland China, and India.
- EB-4: moved forward by about 2 months for most countries, mainland China, India, Mexico, and the Philippines.
The official pages behind this update
- Department of State August 2026 Final Action Dates
- Department of State September 2026 Final Action Dates
- Department of State September 2026 Dates for Filing
- USCIS September 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 September 2026 Visa Bulletin?
F3 makes the biggest move. For most countries, mainland China, and India, F3 moves from May 15, 2012 to Oct 22, 2014. Other family-sponsored dates also advance, while most employment-based dates stay put.
Did EB-2 India move in September 2026?
No. EB-2 India remains Unavailable in the September 2026 Final Action table, just as it was in August 2026.
Which chart can adjustment applicants use for September 2026?
USCIS has not yet announced which chart adjustment applicants may use for September 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, September brings restraint rather than relief. EB-1 stays at Oct 15, 2022, EB-2 remains unavailable, 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 September 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 September 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 September 2026 USCIS chart designation before treating either bulletin chart as permission to file an adjustment application. August 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
September 2026 closes the fiscal year, which helps explain why the family and employment sides can tell very different stories in the same bulletin. Each preference category has its own limits and demand.
The comparison with August 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 October. The next bulletin will reflect a new allocation and whatever demand the State Department sees then.
What this bulletin cannot tell you
- This article explains the September 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 September 2026 adjustment filing charts when its page was checked on August 23, 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 August 24, 2026. Original source: U.S. Department of State: Visa Bulletin for September 2026.
- Also checked: U.S. Department of State: September 2026 Visa Bulletin PDF.
- Also checked: USCIS: adjustment of status filing charts.