November 2026 Visa Bulletin: Family Dates Advance, EB-3 India Moves and EB-2 India Holds

By Kenny Bhatt, Esq. | Kenjay Law Offices Ltd.

November 2026 green card updates for families, professionals, employers and investors.

The November 2026 Visa Bulletin gives many families a reason to take another look at their green card cases. Several family preference dates move forward by a full year. Employment-based movement is more modest: EB-3 India advances three weeks, while EB-2 India stays where it was in October.

For someone who has waited years, even a small change can matter. But the first question I would ask is whether the change lets you file an application, brings a pending case within reach of approval, or leaves your next step unchanged.

USCIS has designated the Dates for Filing charts for both family-sponsored and employment-based preference adjustment applications in November 2026. Approval still requires visa availability under the Final Action Dates chart and satisfaction of all other requirements. Check USCIS’s monthly chart instructions.

November 2026 Visa Bulletin: the main changes

• Family categories make substantial gains. F1, F2B and F3 advance one year for India, mainland China and most other countries. F4 advances one year for most countries and mainland China, but not India.
• EB-2 advances three months for most countries, Mexico and the Philippines. The Final Action Date moves to April 1, 2025.
• EB-3 India moves to January 22, 2014. This applies to both skilled workers/professionals and Other Workers.
• EB-1 India and EB-2 India remain unchanged. Their Final Action Dates are February 1, 2023 and November 1, 2013.
• Mainland China gains in EB-1 and EB-3. Final Action Dates reach August 1, 2023 and January 22, 2022.
• Most employment filing dates hold steady. The exception is EB-3 Other Workers for most countries and Mexico, which advances to July 1, 2022.
• EB-5 dates do not change. The three reserved categories remain current for every country.

These changes compare the official October 2026 bulletin with the November 2026 bulletin.

Which date determines whether you can file?

The bulletin contains two charts, and they answer different questions.

Dates for Filing, or Chart B: For November, this is the chart USCIS has selected for preference-based Form I-485 filings. If your priority date is earlier than the applicable cutoff, you may be able to file, provided you meet the other adjustment requirements.

Final Action Dates, or Chart A: This chart determines whether a visa number is available for green card approval or immigrant visa issuance. Being eligible to file under Chart B does not mean your case is ready for approval.

Your priority date must be earlier than the listed date. A priority date exactly equal to the cutoff does not qualify. “Current” means there is no priority-date cutoff; it does not waive the other legal requirements.

For example, an EB-2 applicant chargeable to India with a December 10, 2014 priority date falls before the January 15, 2015 filing cutoff. That applicant may qualify to file in November, but the November 1, 2013 Final Action Date still prevents approval based on visa availability.

Employment-based Final Action Dates for November 2026

These are the visa-availability cutoffs for approval, rather than the November I-485 filing cutoffs.

Source: U.S. Department of State, November 2026 Visa Bulletin. “All other countries” means chargeability areas without a separately listed column. Each of the three EB-5 set-aside categories is current.

Employment-based Dates for Filing for November 2026

Use this chart to assess November I-485 filing eligibility, together with USCIS’s instructions and the requirements of your individual case.

Source: November 2026 Visa Bulletin; chart selection: USCIS.

What November means for Indian green card applicants

EB-1 India: the filing opportunity continues

EB-1 India’s Final Action Date remains February 1, 2023, and its filing cutoff remains July 1, 2024. An otherwise eligible applicant with a priority date before July 1, 2024 may still be able to file in November, even if the case cannot yet be approved.

EB-2 India: available, but still backlogged

EB-2 India remains at November 1, 2013 for final action and January 15, 2015 for filing. November brings no additional movement in either chart. Applicants should resist treating a filing opportunity as an estimate of when approval will arrive.

EB-3 India: three weeks of progress

The Final Action Date advances from January 1 to January 22, 2014. The filing date remains January 15, 2015.

For a pending EB-3 case with a January 10, 2014 priority date, this change removes the priority-date barrier to approval in November. It does not guarantee an approval that month. USCIS must still complete its review, and a visa number must be available when it acts.

EB-2 and EB-3 India share the same filing cutoff. A category change therefore does not automatically create a new filing opportunity. Review the petition, job requirements and any pending I-485 before pursuing that strategy.

EB-5 India: unchanged dates for investors

Unreserved EB-5 India remains at December 1, 2023 for final action and May 1, 2024 for filing. Rural, high-unemployment and infrastructure set-asides remain current. An investor must qualify for the particular reserved category; a current category does not allow an automatic switch from an unreserved case.

Other employment-based changes worth watching

EB-2 applicants from most countries, Mexico and the Philippines see the Final Action Date advance from January 1 to April 1, 2025. The filing cutoff remains March 15, 2026. This helps some pending cases move closer to approval without expanding the filing window.

For most countries and Mexico, EB-3 skilled workers/professionals advances from May 15 to June 15, 2024. Other Workers advances five months to June 1, 2022 for final action, with its filing date moving one month to July 1, 2022.

Mainland China’s EB-1 Final Action Date advances one month to August 1, 2023. Its EB-3 skilled workers/professionals cutoff advances two weeks to January 22, 2022. EB-2 China remains at October 1, 2021.

EB-4 and Certain Religious Workers retain a December 15, 2022 Final Action Date and January 1, 2025 filing date worldwide. The October bulletin reported authorization of the non-minister religious worker category through December 11, 2026. Applicants in that category should monitor any further extension separately from the monthly cutoff dates.

Family-based green cards: who benefits in November?

The family categories are:

• F1: Unmarried adult sons and daughters of U.S. citizens.
• F2A: Spouses and unmarried children under 21 of lawful permanent residents, subject to applicable CSPA protections.
• F2B: Unmarried adult sons and daughters of lawful permanent residents.
• F3: Married sons and daughters of U.S. citizens.
• F4: Brothers and sisters of U.S. citizens age 21 or older.

India, mainland China and most other countries receive one-year advances in both charts for F1, F2B and F3. Most countries and mainland China also receive one-year F4 advances. India’s F4 dates remain December 15, 2006 for final action and February 1, 2007 for filing.

F2A’s Final Action Date advances one month to October 22, 2026 for every country except Mexico, where it advances to April 22, 2026. F2A remains current on the filing chart for all countries. That helps otherwise eligible applicants file; it does not eliminate adjustment bars or make every pending F2A case immediately approvable.

Family-sponsored Final Action Dates

Family-sponsored Dates for Filing

Source for both family tables: November 2026 Visa Bulletin.

What I recommend reviewing now

1. Confirm the correct priority date. Check the date recorded for your case. For a PERM-based case, it generally comes from the labor certification filing, not the later I-140 approval.
2. Confirm your country of chargeability. It is usually your country of birth, rather than your citizenship or current residence. A spouse’s country may be available under cross-chargeability rules in qualifying cases.
3. Review your ability to adjust status. A favorable cutoff does not resolve issues involving entry, status violations, unauthorized employment, admissibility or immigration court jurisdiction.
4. Prepare a complete filing. Check current form editions, fees, filing addresses, required evidence and medical examination requirements before submission.
5. Review children’s eligibility early. Do not assume filing under Chart B protects a child from aging out. CSPA requires a separate calculation.
6. For consular cases, follow NVC instructions. A favorable date does not itself schedule an interview. Petition approval, document completion and consular processing remain necessary.

November’s dates apply during November. If you are preparing a filing before then, use the chart and instructions applicable to the month USCIS will receive the application.

Frequently asked questions

1. Which chart is USCIS using in November 2026?

USCIS has selected the Dates for Filing charts for both family-sponsored and employment-based preference adjustment applications. Applicants must also satisfy the other requirements for filing Form I-485.

2. Is EB-2 India current in November 2026?

No. EB-2 India has a November 1, 2013 Final Action Date and a January 15, 2015 filing cutoff. Both are unchanged from October.

3. How much did EB-3 India advance?

Its Final Action Date advanced three weeks to January 22, 2014 for skilled workers/professionals and Other Workers. The filing cutoff remains January 15, 2015.

4. Can I file if my priority date is the same as the cutoff?

No. When a cutoff date is listed, your priority date must fall before it. For a January 15, 2015 cutoff, January 14 qualifies on timing; January 15 does not.

5. Does “current” mean my green card will be approved immediately?

No. It means there is no priority-date cutoff in that chart. Petition requirements, adjustment or visa eligibility, background checks and agency processing still apply.

6. Does a spouse of a U.S. citizen need to wait for F2A?

No. F2A applies to spouses and qualifying children of permanent residents. A U.S. citizen’s spouse generally falls in the immediate-relative category, which is not subject to these preference-category numerical limits. Other eligibility requirements still apply.

7. Does filing an I-485 under Chart B freeze my child’s age?

Not automatically. For adjustment applications filed on or after August 15, 2025, USCIS uses the Final Action Dates chart to determine visa availability for CSPA age calculations. Earlier pending applications may be governed by prior guidance. Petition processing time and the requirement to seek permanent residence within the applicable period also matter. A child’s eligibility needs an individual review.

8. Will retrogression automatically cause my pending I-485 to be denied?

No. Retrogression alone generally delays approval until a visa number becomes available again. USCIS may still review the case or request evidence, and it can deny a case for a separate eligibility problem.

9. Can the dates move backward again?

Yes. Cutoffs can advance, remain unchanged or retrogress as visa demand and available numbers change. November’s movement does not establish a reliable approval date for an individual case.

Discuss your next step with Kenjay Law Offices

A useful visa bulletin review should end with a clear next step: prepare a filing, complete missing evidence, monitor a pending case or protect a family member’s eligibility.

Kenjay Law Offices Ltd., led by Kenny Bhatt, Esq., assists individuals, families, employers and investors with EB-1A and EB-2 NIW strategies, employment-based immigration, EB-5 investment cases and family immigration. We can review how the November dates apply to your particular case.

Call: (224) 800-1585

Email: info@kenjaylaw.com

Schedule a consultation: KenjayLaw.com

This article provides general information based on government guidance available as of October 23, 2026. It is not legal advice and does not create an attorney-client relationship. Visa availability, USCIS chart selections and program authorizations can change. Eligibility depends on the facts of each case.