April 2026 Visa Bulletin

Yesterday, the U.S. Department of State (DOS) released the April 2026 Visa Bulletin. There is some substantial forward movement, especially for unlisted countries of chargeability. All cutoff dates listed below refer to the final action chart (i.e., Chart A), unless otherwise specified.

Visa Bulletin Summary

Employment-Based, First Preference (EB1) Category

In the EB1 category, both China and India’s cutoff date advance to 01.Apr.2023. The EB1 category remains current for all other countries of chargeability.

Employment-Based, Second Preference (EB2) Category

In the EB2 category, India’s cutoff date pushes forward to 15.Jul.2014. EB2 China has a cutoff date of 01.Sep.2021. The EB2 cutoff date for all other countries is current for April 2026.

Employment-Based, Third Preference (EB3) Category

EB3 India’s cutoff date remains at 15.Nov.2013. China’s EB3 cutoff date moves forward slightly to 15.Jun.2021. The EB3 cutoff date for all other countries of chargeability is set at 01.Jun.2024.

EB3 Other Workers

In the EB3 Other Workers category, India’s cutoff date aligns with the standard EB3 cutoff of 15.Nov.2013. For China, the cutoff date is 01.Feb.2019. The EB3 other workers category carries a cutoff date of 01.Nov.2021 for all other countries of chargeability.

Employment-Based, Fourth Preference (EB4) Category

In the EB4 category, the cutoff date moves to 15.Jul.2022. This cutoff date also applies to the EB4 program for certain religious workers, which has been renewed through midnight of September 30, 2026. After that, if the program is not renewed by Congress, it will become unavailable.

Employment-Based, Fifth Preference (EB5) Category

The EB5 unreserved category for India remains at 01.May.2022. Meanwhile, China’s unreserved cutoff date moves to 01.Sep.2016. The EB5 category remains current for all other chargeability areas and for the three EB5 set-aside categories (rural, high unemployment, and infrastructure) across all countries.

Adjustment of Status Filing

USCIS has announced that for April 2026, applicants seeking to file adjustment of status applications may use the “dates for filing” chart (i.e. Chart B). This is welcome news, as the dates for filing chart generally provides earlier cutoff dates, allowing more applicants to submit their applications sooner. Applicants should verify their eligibility on the USCIS website before filing.

Conclusion

We will continue to monitor and report on movement and predictions related to the monthly visa bulletin. Subscribe to the free MurthyBulletin to receive weekly updates on the latest in U.S. immigration.

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