The May 2026 Visa Bulletin is out — and after April’s historic advances, the State Department has hit the brakes. Nearly every employment-based Final Action Date that jumped in April is now frozen, while family-sponsored categories posted modest but uneven forward movement. Only a handful of EB categories advanced: Other Workers ROW/Mexico +92 days, EB-5 Unreserved China Final Action +21 days, and EB-5 Unreserved China Dates for Filing +151 days. This side-by-side comparison covers every category and every country with exact movement calculations so you can see precisely what changed and what stayed frozen.
The “Pause Month” After April’s Historic Advance
April 2026 delivered the biggest single-month advances of FY-2026 — EB-2 ROW went Current, EB-2 India jumped 303 days, EB-4/SR jumped a full year, and EB-3 ROW advanced 244 days. The May 2026 bulletin holds the line: every one of those categories is frozen at its April value. Only three employment-based cells moved (OW ROW, OW Mexico, EB-5U China FA +21d, EB-5U China Filing +151d). Family-sponsored categories posted moderate forward movement — F1, F2A, F3 ROW, F4 ROW and their Filing counterparts all advanced. Both bulletins warn that retrogression may be necessary later in FY-2026, and the May bulletin explicitly flags EB-5 Unreserved India for possible retrogression or unavailability.
Employment-Based Final Action Dates: Side-by-Side Comparison
The employment-based Final Action chart is where May’s pause is most visible. Out of 20+ category/country cells, only two moved: Other Workers ROW/Mexico advanced 92 days, and EB-5 Unreserved China inched forward 21 days. Every category that leaped in April — EB-2 ROW Current, EB-2 India Jul 15, 2014, EB-3 ROW Jun 1, 2024, EB-4/SR Jul 15, 2022 — is frozen at exactly those values.
| Category | Country | Apr 2026 | May 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EB-1 | All Other / Mexico / Phil | Current | Current | — |
| China | Apr 1, 2023 | Apr 1, 2023 | FROZEN | |
| India | Apr 1, 2023 | Apr 1, 2023 | FROZEN | |
| EB-2 | All Other / Mexico / Phil | Current | Current | — |
| China | Sep 1, 2021 | Sep 1, 2021 | 0 days | |
| India | Jul 15, 2014 | Jul 15, 2014 | FROZEN after +303d | |
| Mexico (same as ROW) | Current | Current | — | |
| EB-3 | All Other / Mexico | Jun 1, 2024 | Jun 1, 2024 | FROZEN after +244d |
| China | Jun 15, 2021 | Jun 15, 2021 | 0 days | |
| India | Nov 15, 2013 | Nov 15, 2013 | 0 days | |
| Philippines | Aug 1, 2023 | Aug 1, 2023 | 0 days | |
| Other Workers | All Other / Mexico | Nov 1, 2021 | Feb 1, 2022 | +92d |
| China | Feb 1, 2019 | Feb 1, 2019 | 0 days | |
| India | Nov 15, 2013 | Nov 15, 2013 | 0 days | |
| Philippines | Nov 1, 2021 | Nov 1, 2021 | 0 days | |
| EB-4 / SR | All Countries | Jul 15, 2022 | Jul 15, 2022 | FROZEN after +365d |
| EB-5 Unreserved | All Other / Mexico / Phil | Current | Current | — |
| China | Sep 1, 2016 | Sep 22, 2016 | +21d | |
| India | May 1, 2022 | May 1, 2022 | 0 days |
EB-5 Set-Aside Categories
All EB-5 Set-Aside categories (Rural 20%, High Unemployment 10%, Infrastructure 2%) remain Current for all countries in both April and May 2026. No change.
Employment-Based Dates for Filing: Side-by-Side Comparison
The employment-based Filing chart tells a similar freeze story, with one notable exception: EB-5 Unreserved China advanced 151 days (five full months), from October 1, 2016 to March 1, 2017. Every other EB Filing cell held at its April value. USCIS honored the Dates for Filing chart for both April and May 2026 — confirm on the USCIS visa bulletin page before filing an I-485.
| Category | Country | Apr 2026 | May 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EB-1 | All Other / Mexico / Phil | Current | Current | — |
| China / India | Dec 1, 2023 | Dec 1, 2023 | 0 days | |
| EB-2 | All Other / Mexico / Phil | Current | Current | — |
| China | Jan 1, 2022 | Jan 1, 2022 | 0 days | |
| India | Jan 15, 2015 | Jan 15, 2015 | FROZEN after +75d | |
| EB-3 | All Other / Mexico | Current | Current | — |
| China | Jan 1, 2022 | Jan 1, 2022 | 0 days | |
| India | Jan 15, 2015 | Jan 15, 2015 | FROZEN after +153d | |
| Philippines | Jan 1, 2024 | Jan 1, 2024 | 0 days | |
| Other Workers | All Other / Mexico / Phil | Aug 1, 2022 | Aug 1, 2022 | 0 days |
| China | Oct 1, 2019 | Oct 1, 2019 | 0 days | |
| India | Jan 15, 2015 | Jan 15, 2015 | 0 days | |
| Philippines (same as ROW) | Aug 1, 2022 | Aug 1, 2022 | 0 days | |
| EB-4 / SR | All Countries | Jan 1, 2023 | Jan 1, 2023 | 0 days |
| EB-5 Unreserved | All Other / Mexico / Phil | Current | Current | — |
| China | Oct 1, 2016 | Mar 1, 2017 | +151d | |
| India | May 1, 2024 | May 1, 2024 | 0 days |
EB-5 Unreserved India Retrogression Warning
Section E of the May 2026 bulletin explicitly warns: “Sufficient demand and increased number use by India in the EB-5 unreserved visa categories may make it necessary to retrogress the final action date or make the category unavailable to hold number use within the maximum allowed under the FY 2026 annual limit.” If you hold an EB-5 Unreserved India case at or near the May 1, 2022 Final Action Date, consider filing and monitoring closely.
India & China: Country-Level Comparison
India and China tell similar stories this month: freeze mode. For India, every category that advanced dramatically in April — EB-2 Final Action and EB-2/EB-3/OW Filing — held at exactly its April value. For China, only EB-5 Unreserved moved (+21 days FA, +151 days Filing). EB-2 China remains stuck at September 1, 2021 for a fourth consecutive month.
🇮🇳 India — What Changed (Apr → May)
🇨🇳 China — What Changed (Apr → May)
EB-2 India Still 8 Months Ahead of EB-3 India
April’s extraordinary EB-2 India advance held in May. EB-2 India Final Action at Jul 15, 2014 remains 8 months ahead of EB-3 India Final Action at Nov 15, 2013. On the Filing side, both converge at Jan 15, 2015. Downgrading from EB-2 to EB-3 continues to offer zero benefit for Indian applicants. If you downgraded before April and have not yet converted back, talk to your attorney.
Family-Sponsored Final Action Dates: Side-by-Side Comparison
Unlike the employment chart, family-sponsored Final Action Dates did see meaningful forward movement in May, with the biggest gains in F1 and F2A categories. F1 Mexico and F2A all regions advanced six full months; F4 Philippines jumped 164 days. F1 Philippines, F2B (all regions), F3 Mexico, and F4 Mexico/India all held.
| Category | Country | Apr 2026 | May 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| F1 | All Other / China / India | May 1, 2017 | Sep 1, 2017 | +123d |
| Mexico | Feb 15, 2007 | Aug 15, 2007 | +181d | |
| Philippines | May 1, 2013 | May 1, 2013 | 0 days | |
| F2A | All Other / CN / IN / PH | Feb 1, 2024 | Aug 1, 2024 | +181d |
| Mexico | Feb 1, 2023 | Aug 1, 2023 | +181d | |
| F2B | All Other / China / India | May 22, 2017 | May 22, 2017 | 0 days |
| Mexico | Feb 15, 2009 | Feb 15, 2009 | 0 days | |
| Philippines | Apr 8, 2013 | Apr 8, 2013 | 0 days | |
| F3 | All Other / China / India | Dec 22, 2011 | Feb 15, 2012 | +55d |
| Mexico | May 1, 2001 | May 1, 2001 | 0 days | |
| Philippines | Jul 1, 2005 | Nov 22, 2005 | +144d | |
| F4 | All Other / China | Jun 8, 2008 | Sep 15, 2008 | +99d |
| India | Nov 1, 2006 | Nov 1, 2006 | 0 days | |
| Mexico | Apr 8, 2001 | Apr 8, 2001 | 0 days | |
| Philippines | Feb 1, 2007 | Jul 15, 2007 | +164d |
F2A Exempt/Subject Structure
For May, F2A numbers exempt from the per-country limit are authorized for priority dates earlier than Aug 1, 2023 (up from Feb 1, 2023 in April). F2A numbers subject to the per-country limit are authorized for all countries except Mexico with priority dates between Aug 1, 2023 and Aug 1, 2024. All F2A numbers provided for Mexico remain exempt from the per-country limit.
Family-Sponsored Dates for Filing: Side-by-Side Comparison
The family-sponsored Filing chart saw the largest single-category advance in the entire May 2026 bulletin: F1 All Other / China / India advanced 214 days (7 months), from March 1, 2018 to October 1, 2018. F1 Mexico, F2B ROW/CN/IN, F3 ROW/CN/IN, and F4 ROW/CN also advanced. F2A remains fully Current for all countries.
| Category | Country | Apr 2026 | May 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| F1 | All Other / China / India | Mar 1, 2018 | Oct 1, 2018 | +214d |
| Mexico | Apr 15, 2008 | Oct 1, 2008 | +169d | |
| Philippines | Apr 22, 2015 | Apr 22, 2015 | 0 days | |
| F2A | All Countries | Current | Current | — |
| F2B | All Other / China / India | Aug 8, 2017 | Jan 1, 2018 | +146d |
| Mexico | May 15, 2010 | May 15, 2010 | 0 days | |
| Philippines | Oct 1, 2013 | Oct 1, 2013 | 0 days | |
| F3 | All Other / China / India | Nov 22, 2012 | Dec 8, 2012 | +16d |
| Mexico | Jul 1, 2001 | Jul 15, 2001 | +14d | |
| Philippines | Jul 15, 2006 | Aug 8, 2006 | +24d | |
| F4 | All Other / China | May 15, 2009 | Sep 1, 2009 | +109d |
| India | Dec 15, 2006 | Dec 15, 2006 | 0 days | |
| Mexico | Apr 30, 2001 | Apr 30, 2001 | 0 days | |
| Philippines | Mar 22, 2008 | Mar 22, 2008 | 0 days |
Diversity Visa (DV-2026): April vs May Cut-Offs
DV-2026 cut-offs are completely unchanged from April to May — every region and every country exception held at the same value. This was expected: the April bulletin’s “May advance notice” section previewed these exact numbers. The advance notice for June (published in the May bulletin) shows one small change: Nepal’s ASIA cut-off rises from 10,000 to 11,000.
| Region | Apr 2026 | May 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| AFRICA | 55,000 | 55,000 | 0 |
| — Algeria (except) | 37,000 | 37,000 | 0 |
| — Egypt (except) | 30,000 | 30,000 | 0 |
| ASIA | 35,000 | 35,000 | 0 |
| — Nepal (except) | 10,000 | 10,000 | 0 (June: +1,000 → 11,000) |
| EUROPE | 20,000 | 20,000 | 0 |
| NORTH AMERICA (Bahamas) | 50 | 50 | 0 |
| OCEANIA | 1,500 | 1,500 | 0 |
| SOUTH AMERICA & CARIBBEAN | 3,000 | 3,000 | 0 |
June 2026 DV Advance Notice (from May Bulletin)
The May bulletin publishes June advance notice cut-offs. All regions hold at May levels except ASIA Nepal, which rises from 10,000 to 11,000. The DV-2026 annual limit is reduced to approximately 52,000 visas after NACARA and NDAA deductions. DV-2026 entitlement ends September 30, 2026.
What Stayed Frozen: Categories With Zero Movement
The “frozen” list for April → May is much longer than the “moved” list. Understanding which categories held is important: several of these froze at values that April had just advanced them to, meaning the State Department is absorbing the demand surge before deciding its next move.
🔒 No Movement (Apr → May 2026)
Key Takeaways: What the Changes Mean
Action Items Based on These Changes
1. EB-2 / EB-3 ROW / Mexico / Phil applicants: Your April advances held. If you became eligible in April and have not filed yet, do it now — both bulletins warn retrogression is possible later in FY-2026.
2. EB-2 India (PD before Jul 15, 2014): Newly eligible dates held in May. File Final Action now.
3. EB-3 / OW India Filing (PD before Jan 15, 2015): File eligibility held. Don’t wait — this advance may not last.
4. Other Workers ROW / Mexico (Final Action): New +92-day advance to Feb 1, 2022 makes more applicants eligible. Act quickly.
5. EB-5 Unreserved China: Final Action advanced 21 days (Sep 22, 2016) and Filing advanced 151 days (Mar 1, 2017). Chinese investors with priority dates in late 2016 / early 2017 should move.
6. EB-5 Unreserved India: Section E of the May bulletin explicitly warns retrogression or unavailability is possible. File immediately if eligible.
7. F1, F2A, F3 ROW, F4 ROW applicants with newly advanced Final Action dates: Check USCIS guidance and act quickly.
8. F1 All Other / China / India Filing: 214-day jump to Oct 1, 2018 — the biggest single advance in the May bulletin.
📚 Official Sources
- April 2026 Visa Bulletin: Number 13, Volume XI (CA/VO: March 4, 2026) — VisaVerge Analysis
- May 2026 Visa Bulletin: Number 14, Volume XI (CA/VO: April 2, 2026) — VisaVerge Analysis
- VisaVerge: April vs March 2026 Key Differences
- U.S. Department of State Visa Bulletin (Official)
- USCIS Visa Availability and Priority Dates
Disclaimer: This comparison is based on the official April 2026 Visa Bulletin (Number 13, Volume XI, CA/VO: March 4, 2026) and May 2026 Visa Bulletin (Number 14, Volume XI, CA/VO: April 2, 2026). Day-count movements are approximate calculations between date values. Both bulletins warn that retrogression may be necessary later in FY-2026, and the May bulletin specifically flags EB-5 Unreserved India for possible retrogression or unavailability. This analysis is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Always verify dates on the official State Department website.
