The U.S. Department of State has officially released the March 2026 Visa Bulletin (Number 12, Volume XI), published on February 4, 2026. This comprehensive analysis breaks down every employment-based and family-sponsored category with exact date comparisons, movement calculations from February 2026, and what it means for applicants across all chargeability areas. Several categories saw unexpected large advancements driven by reduced visa issuance rates under current administration actions.
March 2026 Visa Bulletin: Complete Analysis
Official immigrant numbers from the U.S. Department of State, Number 12, Volume XI. Multiple EB categories advanced significantly due to reduced visa issuance from administration actions. Religious Workers category extended through September 30, 2026.
Why Dates Advanced Significantly This Month
The March 2026 bulletin explicitly states that immigrant visa issuance rates have decreased due to administration actions (Presidential Proclamations 10949, 10998, and Immigrant Visa Processing Updates). To use available FY-2026 visa numbers, DOS has advanced dates across multiple categories. Retrogression may occur later in the fiscal year if demand increases or policies change.
Employment-Based Final Action Dates: March 2026 (Official)
The March 2026 employment-based Final Action Dates show broad advancement across multiple categories. EB-2 and EB-3 for Rest of World saw the largest gains, with EB-2 ROW jumping nearly 7 months. India and China EB categories also saw moderate advancement after months of stagnation. The EB-4 category, including newly re-authorized Religious Workers, advanced significantly to July 15, 2021.
| Category | Country | Feb 2026 | Mar 2026 (Official) | Movement |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EB-1 | All Other | Current | Current | — |
| China | Feb 1, 2023 | Mar 1, 2023 | +28d | |
| India | Feb 1, 2023 | Mar 1, 2023 | +28d | |
| Mexico | Current | Current | — | |
| Philippines | Current | Current | — | |
| EB-2 | All Other | Apr 1, 2024 | Oct 15, 2024 | +197d |
| China | Sep 1, 2021 | Sep 1, 2021 | 0 days | |
| India | Jul 15, 2013 | Sep 15, 2013 | +62d | |
| Mexico | Apr 1, 2024 | Oct 15, 2024 | +197d | |
| Philippines | Apr 1, 2024 | Oct 15, 2024 | +197d | |
| EB-3 | All Other | Jun 1, 2023 | Oct 1, 2023 | +122d |
| China | May 1, 2021 | May 1, 2021 | 0 days | |
| India | Nov 15, 2013 | Nov 15, 2013 | 0 days | |
| Mexico | Jun 1, 2023 | Oct 1, 2023 | +122d | |
| Philippines | Jun 1, 2023 | Aug 1, 2023 | +61d | |
| Other Workers | All Other | Sep 1, 2021 | Nov 1, 2021 | +61d |
| China | Dec 8, 2018 | Dec 8, 2018 | 0 days | |
| India | Nov 15, 2013 | Nov 15, 2013 | 0 days | |
| Mexico | Sep 1, 2021 | Nov 1, 2021 | +61d | |
| Philippines | Sep 1, 2021 | Nov 1, 2021 | +61d | |
| EB-4 | All Countries | Jan 1, 2021 | Jul 15, 2021 | +195d |
| SR (Religious) | All Countries | Unavailable | Jul 15, 2021 | Restored |
| EB-5 Unreserved | All Other | Current | Current | — |
| China | Aug 15, 2016 | Aug 15, 2016 | 0 days | |
| India | May 1, 2022 | May 1, 2022 | 0 days | |
| Mexico | Current | Current | — | |
| Philippines | Current | Current | — |
EB-5 Set-Aside Categories: All Current
All EB-5 Set-Aside categories — Rural (20%), High Unemployment (10%), and Infrastructure (2%) — remain Current for all countries in March 2026. These categories continue to have no backlog.
Employment-Based Dates for Filing: March 2026 (Official)
The Dates for Filing chart shows even more dramatic advancements. EB-2 ROW became fully Current, and EB-2 India Filing jumped nearly a full year from December 2013 to November 2014. EB-3 ROW advanced by approximately 3.5 months, and Other Workers ROW gained about 6.5 months. These accelerated movements reflect DOS efforts to distribute available visa numbers amid reduced processing.
| Category | Country | Feb 2026 | Mar 2026 (Official) | Movement |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EB-1 | All Other | Current | Current | — |
| China | Aug 1, 2023 | Dec 1, 2023 | +122d | |
| India | Aug 1, 2023 | Dec 1, 2023 | +122d | |
| Mexico | Current | Current | — | |
| Philippines | Current | Current | — | |
| EB-2 | All Other | Oct 15, 2024 | Current | → Current |
| China | Jan 1, 2022 | Jan 1, 2022 | 0 days | |
| India | Dec 1, 2013 | Nov 1, 2014 | +335d | |
| Mexico | Oct 15, 2024 | Current | → Current | |
| Philippines | Oct 15, 2024 | Current | → Current | |
| EB-3 | All Other | Oct 1, 2023 | Jan 15, 2024 | +106d |
| China | Jan 1, 2022 | Jan 1, 2022 | 0 days | |
| India | Aug 15, 2014 | Aug 15, 2014 | 0 days | |
| Mexico | Oct 1, 2023 | Jan 15, 2024 | +106d | |
| Philippines | Oct 1, 2023 | Jan 1, 2024 | +92d | |
| Other Workers | All Other | Dec 1, 2021 | Jun 22, 2022 | +203d |
| China | Oct 1, 2019 | Oct 1, 2019 | 0 days | |
| India | Aug 15, 2014 | Aug 15, 2014 | 0 days | |
| Mexico | Dec 1, 2021 | Jun 22, 2022 | +203d | |
| Philippines | Dec 1, 2021 | Jun 22, 2022 | +203d | |
| EB-4 | All Countries | Jan 1, 2021 | Jan 1, 2023 | +730d |
| SR (Religious) | All Countries | Unavailable | Jan 1, 2023 | Restored |
| EB-5 Unreserved | All Other | Current | Current | — |
| China | Aug 22, 2016 | Oct 1, 2016 | +40d | |
| India | May 1, 2024 | May 1, 2024 | 0 days | |
| Mexico | Current | Current | — | |
| Philippines | Current | Current | — |
India EB Categories: March 2026 Detailed Breakdown
After months of complete stagnation, India EB categories showed moderate but meaningful advancement in March 2026. EB-2 India Final Action moved from July 15, 2013 to September 15, 2013 — the first advancement in several months. The Dates for Filing chart delivered a bigger surprise, with EB-2 India jumping nearly 11 months from December 2013 to November 2014.
🇮🇳 India Final Action Dates (March 2026)
🇮🇳 India Dates for Filing (March 2026)
EB-2 India Filing Date Leaps 11 Months
EB-2 India Dates for Filing jumped from December 1, 2013 to November 1, 2014 — a 335-day advancement. This now places EB-2 India filing ahead of EB-3 India filing (Aug 15, 2014) for the first time in this bulletin cycle. Applicants with priority dates between Dec 2013 and Nov 2014 should prepare their I-485 applications if USCIS authorizes the filing chart.
EB-2 vs EB-3 India Final Action Gap
EB-2 India Final Action (Sep 15, 2013) is now 2 months ahead of EB-3 India (Nov 15, 2013). With EB-2 showing movement while EB-3 remains frozen, the EB-2 advantage is re-emerging. Applicants considering category downgrade should carefully evaluate given this divergence.
China EB Categories: March 2026 Detailed Breakdown
Chinese applicants saw mixed results in March 2026. While EB-1 China advanced modestly (+28 days Final Action, +122 days Filing), EB-2 and EB-3 China remained completely frozen. The EB-5 Unreserved backlog for China continues to be severe at nearly a decade.
🇨🇳 China Final Action Dates (March 2026)
🇨🇳 China Dates for Filing (March 2026)
China EB-5 Unreserved: 9.5-Year Backlog Persists
EB-5 Unreserved China Final Action remains at August 15, 2016 — a 9.5-year backlog. Chinese EB-5 investors should strongly consider the Set-Aside categories (Rural, High Unemployment, Infrastructure) which all remain Current with no waiting period.
Family-Sponsored Final Action Dates: March 2026 (Official)
The family-sponsored categories show a notable departure from the February pattern. While Mexico family categories had been advancing rapidly in previous months, most family categories show no movement in March 2026. The only exceptions are some F3 and F4 categories that advanced modestly.
| Category | Country | Feb 2026 | Mar 2026 (Official) | Movement |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| F1 | All Other | Nov 8, 2016 | Nov 8, 2016 | 0 days |
| China | Nov 8, 2016 | Nov 8, 2016 | 0 days | |
| India | Nov 8, 2016 | Nov 8, 2016 | 0 days | |
| Mexico | Dec 22, 2006 | Dec 22, 2006 | 0 days | |
| Philippines | Mar 1, 2013 | Mar 1, 2013 | 0 days | |
| F2A | All Other | Feb 1, 2024 | Feb 1, 2024 | 0 days |
| China | Feb 1, 2024 | Feb 1, 2024 | 0 days | |
| India | Feb 1, 2024 | Feb 1, 2024 | 0 days | |
| Mexico | Feb 1, 2023 | Feb 1, 2023 | 0 days | |
| Philippines | Feb 1, 2024 | Feb 1, 2024 | 0 days | |
| F2B | All Other | Dec 1, 2016 | Dec 1, 2016 | 0 days |
| China | Dec 1, 2016 | Dec 1, 2016 | 0 days | |
| India | Dec 1, 2016 | Dec 1, 2016 | 0 days | |
| Mexico | Feb 15, 2009 | Feb 15, 2009 | 0 days | |
| Philippines | Dec 22, 2012 | Dec 22, 2012 | 0 days | |
| F3 | All Other | Sep 1, 2011 | Sep 8, 2011 | +7d |
| China | Sep 1, 2011 | Sep 8, 2011 | +7d | |
| India | Sep 1, 2011 | Sep 8, 2011 | +7d | |
| Mexico | May 1, 2001 | May 1, 2001 | 0 days | |
| Philippines | Mar 1, 2005 | Mar 1, 2005 | 0 days | |
| F4 | All Other | Jan 1, 2008 | Jan 8, 2008 | +7d |
| China | Jan 1, 2008 | Jan 8, 2008 | +7d | |
| India | Nov 1, 2006 | Nov 1, 2006 | 0 days | |
| Mexico | Apr 8, 2001 | Apr 8, 2001 | 0 days | |
| Philippines | Sep 1, 2006 | Sep 1, 2006 | 0 days |
Family-Sponsored Dates for Filing: March 2026 (Official)
| Category | Country | Feb 2026 | Mar 2026 (Official) | Movement |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| F1 | All Other | Sep 1, 2017 | Sep 1, 2017 | 0 days |
| China | Sep 1, 2017 | Sep 1, 2017 | 0 days | |
| India | Sep 1, 2017 | Sep 1, 2017 | 0 days | |
| Mexico | Dec 1, 2007 | Dec 1, 2007 | 0 days | |
| Philippines | Apr 15, 2015 | Apr 22, 2015 | +7d | |
| F2A | All Countries | Jan 22, 2026 | Feb 22, 2026 | +31d |
| F2B | All Other | Mar 15, 2017 | Mar 15, 2017 | 0 days |
| China | Mar 15, 2017 | Mar 15, 2017 | 0 days | |
| India | Mar 15, 2017 | Mar 15, 2017 | 0 days | |
| Mexico | Feb 15, 2010 | Feb 15, 2010 | 0 days | |
| Philippines | Oct 1, 2013 | Oct 1, 2013 | 0 days | |
| F3 | All Other | Jul 15, 2012 | Jul 22, 2012 | +7d |
| China | Jul 15, 2012 | Jul 22, 2012 | +7d | |
| India | Jul 15, 2012 | Jul 22, 2012 | +7d | |
| Mexico | Jul 1, 2001 | Jul 1, 2001 | 0 days | |
| Philippines | Jun 1, 2006 | Jun 1, 2006 | 0 days | |
| F4 | All Other | Mar 1, 2009 | Mar 1, 2009 | 0 days |
| China | Mar 1, 2009 | Mar 1, 2009 | 0 days | |
| India | Dec 1, 2006 | Dec 15, 2006 | +14d | |
| Mexico | Apr 30, 2001 | Apr 30, 2001 | 0 days | |
| Philippines | Jan 1, 2008 | Jan 15, 2008 | +14d |
Diversity Visa (DV-2026): March & April Cut-Offs
The March 2026 bulletin includes both the official March DV-2026 cut-off numbers and a preview of April cut-offs. Most regions showed significant advancement into April, with Africa jumping to 55,000 and Europe nearly doubling to 20,000.
| Region | Feb 2026 | Mar 2026 | Apr 2026 (Preview) | Feb→Mar | Mar→Apr |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AFRICA | 45,000 | 45,000 | 55,000 | 0 | +10,000 |
| — Algeria (except) | 37,000 | 37,000 | 37,000 | 0 | 0 |
| — Egypt (except) | 21,000 | 22,250 | 30,000 | +1,250 | +7,750 |
| ASIA | 30,000 | 30,000 | 35,000 | 0 | +5,000 |
| — Nepal (except) | 6,500 | 6,500 | 10,000 | 0 | +3,500 |
| EUROPE | 11,000 | 11,000 | 20,000 | 0 | +9,000 |
| NORTH AMERICA (Bahamas) | 25 | 30 | 50 | +5 | +20 |
| OCEANIA | 1,175 | 1,200 | 1,500 | +25 | +300 |
| SOUTH AMERICA & CARIBBEAN | 2,000 | 2,100 | 3,000 | +100 | +900 |
DV-2026 Deadline: September 30, 2026
All DV-2026 visas must be used by September 30, 2026. The annual limit has been reduced to approximately 52,000 due to NACARA and NDAA provisions. Numbers could be exhausted before September 30. DV-2026 applicants should act promptly when their case number becomes current.
Religious Workers (SR) Category: Restored
H.R. 7148 Signed February 3, 2026 — SR Category Extended
The Employment Fourth Preference Certain Religious Workers (SR) category has been extended through September 30, 2026 via H.R. 7148, signed on February 3, 2026. The SR category now shares the same Final Action Date (Jul 15, 2021) and Date for Filing (Jan 1, 2023) as the regular EB-4 category for all chargeability areas. Applicants whose petitions were pending during the gap period should contact USCIS or their consular office for guidance.
📋 SR Category Status
📜 Legislative Details
Key Takeaways & What to Watch
📌 March 2026 Bulletin: 3 Key Takeaways
1. Administration Actions Drive Advancement
Reduced visa issuance from Presidential Proclamations forced DOS to advance dates to use available FY-2026 numbers. EB-2 ROW jumped 197 days in Final Action.
2. India EB-2 Shows Life
After months of stagnation, EB-2 India Final Action moved +62 days and Filing jumped +335 days. EB-2 now leads EB-3 again in both charts.
3. Retrogression Risk Remains
The bulletin warns retrogression may be necessary later in FY-2026 if demand increases or administration actions are amended. Do not assume these advances will hold.
Retrogression Warning
The March 2026 bulletin explicitly states: “As additional immigrant visa demand materializes, or administration actions are amended, retrogression may be necessary later in the fiscal year.” Applicants who are newly current should file their applications as quickly as possible to lock in their filing date before any potential retrogression.
🔮 What to Watch for April 2026
📚 Official Sources
- U.S. Department of State Visa Bulletin (Official)
- USCIS Visa Availability and Priority Dates
- March 2026 Visa Bulletin: Number 12, Volume XI (CA/VO: February 4, 2026)
- H.R. 7148: Extension of Employment Fourth Preference Certain Religious Workers (SR) Category (Signed February 3, 2026)
Disclaimer: This analysis is based on the official March 2026 Visa Bulletin published by the U.S. Department of State (Number 12, Volume XI, CA/VO: February 4, 2026). This content is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Always verify dates on the official State Department website and consult with a qualified immigration attorney for case-specific guidance.
