Key Differences between April 2026 Visa Bulletin vs March Explained

The April 2026 Visa Bulletin delivered some of the most dramatic movements of FY-2026 compared to the March 2026 Visa Bulletin. From EB-2 ROW going fully Current to EB-2 India leaping 303 days and EB-4 jumping an entire calendar year, the changes are historic — and driven by reduced visa issuance under administration actions. This side-by-side comparison covers every category, every country, with exact movement calculations so you can see precisely what changed and what stayed frozen.

Employment-Based Final Action Dates: Side-by-Side Comparison

The employment-based Final Action chart saw the biggest changes between March and April 2026. EB-2 ROW/Mexico/Philippines went from Oct 15, 2024 to fully Current, EB-2 India made a historic 303-day leap, EB-4/SR jumped a full calendar year, and EB-3 ROW advanced 244 days. Meanwhile, EB-2 China, EB-3 India, and most Other Workers categories remained completely frozen.

Employment-Based Dates for Filing: Side-by-Side Comparison

The Filing chart saw EB-3 ROW and Mexico go Current, EB-3/OW India leap 153 days after months of stagnation, and Other Workers ROW/Mexico/Philippines all advance. EB-1 Filing and EB-2 China/ROW Filing remained unchanged.

India & China: Country-Level Comparison

India and China tell very different stories this month. India EB-2 saw a landmark 303-day Final Action leap and EB-3/OW Filing broke out of a months-long freeze with a 153-day jump. China, meanwhile, remains largely stagnant — EB-2 China is frozen for a third consecutive month, though EB-3 China and OW China got modest relief.

Family-Sponsored Final Action Dates: Side-by-Side Comparison

April 2026 brought the biggest single-month family-sponsored advances in recent memory, with F1, F2B, F3, and F4 all jumping 100-170+ days for All Other/China/India chargeability areas. Mexico and Philippines family categories also advanced, while F2A remained frozen across the board.

Family-Sponsored Dates for Filing: Side-by-Side Comparison

The family-sponsored filing chart also saw substantial movement. The biggest change: F2A went fully Current for all countries (including Philippines), advancing from Feb 22, 2026 to Current. F1, F2B, F3, and F4 all advanced across most country groups.

Diversity Visa (DV-2026): March vs April Cut-Offs

DV-2026 cut-offs jumped significantly from March to April, with Africa gaining 10,000, Europe nearly doubling, and Asia jumping 5,000. The May cut-offs published in the April bulletin are identical to April — suggesting the DV program is approaching its annual ceiling.

What Stayed Frozen: Categories With Zero Movement

While April delivered historic advances in many categories, a significant number remained completely unchanged. Understanding what did not move is just as important as tracking the advances — frozen categories signal high demand relative to available numbers.

Key Takeaways: What the Changes Mean

Disclaimer: This comparison is based on the official March 2026 Visa Bulletin (Number 12, Volume XI, CA/VO: February 4, 2026) and April 2026 Visa Bulletin (Number 13, Volume XI, CA/VO: March 4, 2026). Day-count movements are approximate calculations between date values. Both bulletins warn that retrogression may be necessary later in FY-2026. This analysis is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Always verify dates on the official State Department website.