Key Differences between October 2026 Visa Bulletin vs September Explained

The October 2026 Visa Bulletin is out, and it is the first bulletin of fiscal year 2027. EB-2 India reopens at a Final Action date of Nov 1, 2013 after three months Unavailable, and EB-5 Unreserved India returns at Dec 1, 2023. Rest-of-world employment moves the other way: EB-2 for all chargeability areas, Mexico and the Philippines goes from Current to Jan 1, 2025, and EB-3 rest of world and Mexico drops 109 days to May 15, 2024. For most family applicants almost nothing changes, since October keeps the big September advances covered in our September 2026 analysis. For the full month-by-month breakdown, see our October 2026 Visa Bulletin complete analysis.

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

Seven Final Action cells retrogressed, all for rest of world, Mexico or the Philippines. India gained in EB-1, EB-2 and EB-5 Unreserved, and China edged forward in EB-2, EB-3 and Other Workers.

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

This chart matters more than usual because USCIS is accepting it for employment-based adjustment in October. It advances sharply for China and for EB-4, while EB-2 and EB-3 rest of world lose their Current status.

India & China: Country-Level Comparison

India gains in every employment category that moved: EB-2 and EB-5 Unreserved come back from Unavailable, EB-1 advances 109 days, and EB-3 and Other Workers hold at Jan 1, 2014. On the Final Action chart, EB-3 India (Jan 1, 2014) is now 61 days ahead of EB-2 India (Nov 1, 2013). China’s Final Action moves are small, 7 to 153 days, but its Filing dates jump: EB-3 China by 814 days to Apr 1, 2024 and EB-5 Unreserved China by 1,461 days to Mar 1, 2021.

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

Family dates for rest of world, China and India stay where September’s surge left them; only India F4 moves, by 44 days. The gains are in Mexico and the Philippines, led by F2B Mexico at +454 days, plus a 31-day F2A advance for every country except Mexico, which gains 212 days.

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

USCIS is using this chart for family-sponsored adjustment in October, as it did in September. F2A stays Current, and the only moves are for Mexico, the Philippines and India F4.

Diversity Visa (DV): No October Cut-Offs to Compare

September carried the final DV-2026 regional cut-offs, and that program year ended on September 30, 2026. October bulletins normally open the next DV year with fresh cut-offs, but the October 2026 bulletin has no Diversity Visa section. The State Department never opened DV-2027 registration, so there are no DV-2027 selectees and no ranks to publish. There is nothing on the October side of this comparison.

What Stayed Frozen and What Moved: October Movement at a Glance

Across both charts, 92 of 150 cells held, 43 moved forward and 15 moved backward. The breakdown below groups every moving cell by direction.

Key Takeaways: What the Changes Mean

Disclaimer: This comparison is based on the official September 2026 Visa Bulletin (Number 18, Volume XI, CA/VO: August 10, 2026) and October 2026 Visa Bulletin (Number 19, Volume XI, CA/VO: September 4, 2026). Day-count movements are exact calculations between the two published date values. The October bulletin carries no category-specific retrogression warnings; its Section B says the rest-of-world employment retrogressions were made to stay within FY-2027 quarterly and annual limits and that the situation is being continually monitored. This is general information, not legal advice. Consult a licensed immigration attorney about your specific case.