The August 2026 Visa Bulletin was published on July 20, 2026. QueueCheck verified the bulletin transcription on August 14, 2026. USCIS's filing-chart selection was checked separately on August 14, 2026.
USCIS selected Dates for Filing for family-sponsored adjustment filings and Final Action Dates for employment-based filings.
EB-1 India's Final Action Date is 15OCT22, compared with 15OCT22 in July 2026.
EB-2 India's Final Action Date is Unavailable, compared with Unavailable in July 2026.
EB-3 India's Final Action Date is 01JAN14, compared with 01JAN14 in July 2026.
In August 2026, family-sponsored dates moved broadly forward, while most employment-based dates stayed where July 2026 left them. No Final Action cut-off moved backward.
Correction status
August 21, 2026: Corrected surrounding editorial attribution after the supplied August document disproved claims assigned to its notes; chart values did not change.
August 2026 Final Action Dates
A visa number can be authorized only when the priority date is earlier than the cut-off for the category and chargeability area.
August 2026 Final Action Dates, Family-sponsored
Category
All other chargeability areas
China (mainland born)
India
Mexico
Philippines
F1: unmarried adult children of U.S. citizens
15DEC18
15DEC18
15DEC18
01DEC07
01MAY13
F2A: spouses and children of permanent residents
22JUL26
22JUL26
22JUL26
22JUL25
22JUL26
F2B: unmarried adult children of permanent residents
01JAN18
01JAN18
01JAN18
15FEB09
01JUN13
F3: married children of U.S. citizens
15MAY12
15MAY12
15MAY12
01JUL01
22FEB06
F4: siblings of adult U.S. citizens
01SEP09
01SEP09
01NOV06
08APR01
01AUG07
August 2026 Final Action Dates, Employment-based
Category
All other chargeability areas
China (mainland born)
India
Mexico
Philippines
EB-1: priority workers
C
01JUL23
15OCT22
C
C
EB-2: advanced degrees and exceptional ability
C
01SEP21
U
C
C
EB-3: skilled workers and professionals
01SEP24
01JAN22
01JAN14
01SEP24
01AUG23
EB-3: other workers
01APR22
01MAY19
01JAN14
01APR22
01DEC21
EB-4: special immigrants
15OCT22
15OCT22
15OCT22
15OCT22
15OCT22
EB-4: certain religious workers
15OCT22
15OCT22
15OCT22
15OCT22
15OCT22
EB-5: unreserved investor visas
C
01DEC16
U
C
C
EB-5 set-aside: rural (20%)
C
C
C
C
C
EB-5 set-aside: high unemployment (10%)
C
C
C
C
C
EB-5 set-aside: infrastructure (2%)
C
C
C
C
C
August 2026 Dates for Filing
These dates control document submission and adjustment filing only when USCIS designates this chart for the relevant preference type.
August 2026 Dates for Filing, Family-sponsored
Category
All other chargeability areas
China (mainland born)
India
Mexico
Philippines
F1: unmarried adult children of U.S. citizens
15JUN19
15JUN19
15JUN19
01DEC08
22APR15
F2A: spouses and children of permanent residents
C
C
C
C
C
F2B: unmarried adult children of permanent residents
01JAN19
01JAN19
01JAN19
15MAY10
01OCT13
F3: married children of U.S. citizens
01MAR13
01MAR13
01MAR13
15JUL01
08AUG06
F4: siblings of adult U.S. citizens
22JUN10
22JUN10
15DEC06
30APR01
22MAR08
August 2026 Dates for Filing, Employment-based
Category
All other chargeability areas
China (mainland born)
India
Mexico
Philippines
EB-1: priority workers
C
01DEC23
01DEC23
C
C
EB-2: advanced degrees and exceptional ability
C
01JAN22
15JAN15
C
C
EB-3: skilled workers and professionals
C
08JAN22
15JAN15
C
01JAN24
EB-3: other workers
01AUG22
01OCT19
15JAN15
01AUG22
01AUG22
EB-4: special immigrants
01JAN23
01JAN23
01JAN23
01JAN23
01JAN23
EB-4: certain religious workers
01JAN23
01JAN23
01JAN23
01JAN23
01JAN23
EB-5: unreserved investor visas
C
01MAR17
01MAY24
C
C
EB-5 set-aside: rural (20%)
C
C
C
C
C
EB-5 set-aside: high unemployment (10%)
C
C
C
C
C
EB-5 set-aside: infrastructure (2%)
C
C
C
C
C
What changed from July 2026
Unchanged rows are omitted. Matching country movements are grouped so advances, retrogressions, Current and Unavailable changes remain easy to scan.
Final Action Dates
F2A: spouses and children of permanent residents advanced 568 days for Mexico.
F2A: spouses and children of permanent residents advanced 567 days for All other chargeability areas, China (mainland born), India, Philippines.
F1: unmarried adult children of U.S. citizens advanced 317 days for All other chargeability areas, China (mainland born), India.
F4: siblings of adult U.S. citizens advanced 243 days for All other chargeability areas, China (mainland born).
F2B: unmarried adult children of permanent residents advanced 40 days for All other chargeability areas, China (mainland born), India.
EB-3: skilled workers and professionals advanced 31 days for All other chargeability areas, Mexico.
EB-3: other workers advanced 31 days for All other chargeability areas, Mexico.
F3: married children of U.S. citizens advanced 30 days for All other chargeability areas, China (mainland born), India, Mexico.
EB-1: priority workers advanced 30 days for China (mainland born).
EB-3: other workers advanced 30 days for China (mainland born).
EB-4: special immigrants advanced 30 days for All other chargeability areas, China (mainland born), India, Mexico, Philippines.
EB-4: certain religious workers advanced 30 days for All other chargeability areas, China (mainland born), India, Mexico, Philippines.
F1: unmarried adult children of U.S. citizens advanced 23 days for Mexico.
F2B: unmarried adult children of permanent residents advanced 17 days for Philippines.
EB-3: skilled workers and professionals advanced 10 days for China (mainland born).
Dates for Filing
F2B: unmarried adult children of permanent residents advanced 207 days for All other chargeability areas, China (mainland born), India.
F1: unmarried adult children of U.S. citizens advanced 165 days for All other chargeability areas, China (mainland born), India.
F4: siblings of adult U.S. citizens advanced 113 days for All other chargeability areas, China (mainland born).
F3: married children of U.S. citizens advanced 83 days for All other chargeability areas, China (mainland born), India.
F1: unmarried adult children of U.S. citizens advanced 61 days for Mexico.
EB-3: skilled workers and professionals advanced 7 days for China (mainland born).
Diversity Visa cut-offs in the August 2026 bulletin
These are regional lottery rank numbers, not dates. A selectee can be processed when their rank number is below the cut-off shown for their region, which is the reverse of how the preference charts above work. Where a country is listed separately, its lower number replaces the regional one for applicants charged to it.
August 2026
Diversity Visa regional rank cut-offs for August 2026
Region
Rank cut-off
Countries listed separately
Africa
60,000
Algeria 51,250, Egypt 36,000
Asia
40,000
Nepal 13,500
Europe
29,000
None
North America (Bahamas)
Current
None
Oceania
2,050
None
South America and the Caribbean
4,000
None
Advance notice: September 2026
Published a month ahead in this bulletin so selectees can plan. It is the Department's own figure, not a forecast.
Diversity Visa regional rank cut-offs for September 2026
Region
Rank cut-off
Countries listed separately
Africa
101,250
Algeria 85,000, Egypt 50,000
Asia
40,000
Nepal 13,500
Europe
47,500
None
North America (Bahamas)
Current
None
Oceania
3,000
None
South America and the Caribbean
4,750
None
What the August 2026 bulletin says in its own notes
Quoted from the published document, with the Department's own section letters. Nothing here is paraphrased or shortened.
B. DV-2026 annual limit and the end of the program year
Entitlement to immigrant status in the DV category lasts only through the end of the fiscal (visa) year for which the applicant is selected in the lottery. The year of entitlement for all applicants registered for the DV-2026 program ends as of September 30, 2026. DVs may not be issued to DV-2026 applicants after that date. Similarly, spouses and children accompanying or following to join DV-2026 principals are only entitled to derivative DV status until September 30, 2026. DV availability through the end of FY-2026 cannot be taken for granted. Numbers could be exhausted prior to September 30.
D. Availability of Family-Sponsored and Employment-Based Visas
Immigrant visa issuance rates for aliens from certain countries have decreased in light of various actions the administration has taken to protect national security and public safety, and to otherwise advance the interests of the United States (e.g. Presidential Proclamation 10949, Presidential Proclamation 10998, Immigrant Visa Processing Updates). Consequently, to make visas available in accordance with sections 201-203 of the INA to sufficient prospective immigrants from other countries to use immigrant visa numbers that are available in FY 2026, dates for filing and final action dates have been advanced across various immigrant visa categories throughout recent months. Note that as additional immigrant visa demand materializes, or administration actions are amended, retrogression may be necessary in the upcoming months to keep issuances within annual limits. Visa categories may become “Unavailable” prior to the end of the fiscal year if annual limits, category limits, or pro-rated per-country limits are reached. This situation is being continually monitored, and any necessary adjustments will be made accordingly.
E. Visa Availability in the Employment-Based First Preference (EB-1) Final Action Date for India
High demand and number use by aliens chargeable to India in the EB-1 visa category may necessitate making the category unavailable in the coming weeks if India’s pro-rated limit in the EB-1 category is reached before the fiscal year ends. This situation will be continually monitored, and any necessary adjustments will be made accordingly.
F. Visa Availability in the Employment-Based Second Preference (EB-2) Category
Sufficient demand and increased number use in the EB-2 visa category may make it necessary to retrogress the final action date or make the category unavailable in the coming months to hold number use within the maximum allowed under the FY 2026 annual limit. This situation will be continually monitored, and any necessary adjustments will be made accordingly.
A bulletin month records visa availability. These QueueCheck resources cover the practical arrival and permanent-resident tasks that become relevant later.
