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Key Takeaways:
- Use of Dates for Filing: USCIS will continue to rely on the Dates for Filing chart for employment-based adjustment of status filings in April, allowing many applicants to file earlier than if the Final Action Dates chart applied.
- Favorable filing dates for EB-1, EB-2, and EB-3: On the Dates for Filing chart, EB-1, EB-2, and EB-3 remain current for all countries except India, China, and the Philippines. For the Philippines, EB-1 and EB-2 are current on the Dates for Filing chart, but not EB-3.
- Priority Dates: The Dates for Filing chart governs when a foreign national may file an application to adjust status to permanent resident (Form I-485) if already in the United States. The person’s priority date must be before the date indicated on the chart. If a person is waiting to apply for an immigrant visa at a U.S. consulate abroad, they must use the Final Action Dates chart.
- Progression is not guaranteed: With the advancement of priority dates due, in part, to the immigrant visa processing pause on certain nationalities, additional demand and future policy shifts could result in retrogression later in the fiscal year.
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Dates for Filing Chart – Important Shifts for India and China
- EB-1: No movement for India and China; all other countries remain current.
- EB-2: India advances ~2.5 months to January 15, 2015. China shows no movement; all other countries remain current.
- EB-3: India advances ~5 months to January 15, 2015. No movement for China and the Philippines; all other countries remain current.
- EB-4, Certain Religious Workers, EB-5: No movement in the Dates for Filing chart from the prior month.
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Final Action Dates Chart – Some Notable Advancements
The April 2026 Visa Bulletin reflects significant forward movement in several key categories on the Final Action Dates chart:
- EB-1: China and India advance to April 1, 2023. All other countries remain current.
- EB-2: India advances to July 15, 2014. China remains at September 1, 2021 (no movement). All other countries remain current.
- EB-3: China advances to June 15, 2021. India remains at November 15, 2013. Philippines advances to August 1, 2023. All other chargeability areas advance to June 1, 2024.
- EB-3 Other Workers: China advances to February 1, 2019. India remains at November 15, 2013. Mexico and the Philippines advance to November 1, 2021. All other countries advance to November 1, 2021.
- EB-4 and Certain Religious Workers: All countries advance to July 15, 2022.
- EB-5 Unreserved: China advances to September 1, 2016. India advances to May 1, 2022. All other countries remain current.
- EB-5 Set-aside categories (Rural, High Unemployment, Infrastructure): All countries remain current.
Despite the apparent forward momentum, please note that such advancement can be quickly reversed if excessive demand materializes. The State Department attributes part of the advancement to the travel ban for almost 40 countries and the temporary pause in immigrant visa processing for 75 countries nationalities. Increased demand, resumption of processing for paused nationalities, or future policy changes could cause retrogression later in the fiscal year to keep visa issuance within annual numerical limits.
If you have questions or wish to file an application to adjust status, please contact T&R for a consultation.
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