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Quick Hits
- USCIS will continue to accept adjustment of status filings based on the Dates for Filing Chart in January 2026.
- EB-1 applicants born in India and China will advance on final action dates and dates for filing.
- Most EB-2 applicants will advance on final action dates and dates for filing.
- EB-3 shows little movement with respect to final action dates and dates for filing.
- EB-5 Unreserved applicants born in India advance by ten months as set forth in the Final Action Dates Chart, and by twenty-five months in the Dates for Filing Chart.
Final Action Dates
The final action dates for several categories advance in the January 2026 Visa Bulletin.
- EB-1: All countries remain current in January except for China-mainland and India. Notably, India advances by eleven months to February 1, 2023. China advances by eight days to February 1, 2023.
- EB-2: All countries advance slightly.
- China-mainland advances by three months to September 1, 2021.
- India advances by two months to July 15, 2013.
- All other countries advance by two months to April 1, 2024.
- EB-3: All countries advance slightly.
- China-mainland advances by one month to May 1, 2021.
- India advances by almost two months to November 15, 2013.
- All other countries advance by seven days to April 22, 2023.
- EB-3 “Other Workers” advance slightly.
- China-mainland advances by twelve months to December 8, 2018.
- India advances by about two months to November 15, 2013.
- All other countries advance by one month to September 1, 2021.
- EB-4: All countries advance by four months to January 1, 2021.
- Certain religious workers: All countries advance by four months to January 1, 2021.
- EB-5: All countries remain current except China-mainland and India, which both advance.
- China-mainland advances by one month to August 15, 2016, for EB-5 Unreserved.
- India advances by ten months to May 1, 2022, for EB-5 Unreserved.
| Employment- based | All Chargeability Areas Except Those Listed | CHINA- mainland born | INDIA | MEXICO | PHILIPPINES |
| 1st | C | 01FEB23 | 01FEB23 | C | C |
| 2nd | 01APR24 | 01SEP21 | 15JUL13 | 01APR24 | 01APR24 |
| 3rd | 22APR23 | 01MAY21 | 15NOV13 | 22APR23 | 22APR23 |
| Other Workers | 01SEP21 | 08DEC18 | 15NOV13 | 01SEP21 | 01SEP21 |
| 4th | 01JAN21 | 01JAN21 | 01JAN21 | 01JAN21 | 01JAN21 |
| Certain Religious Workers | 01JAN21 | 01JAN21 | 01JAN21 | 01JAN21 | 01JAN21 |
| 5th Unreserved (including C5, T5, I5, R5, NU, RU) | C | 15AUG16 | 01MAY22 | C | C |
| 5th Set Aside: Rural (20%, including NR, RR) | C | C | C | C | C |
| 5th Set Aside: High Unemployment (10%, including NH, RH) | C | C | C | C | C |
| 5th Set Aside: Infrastructure (2%, including RI) | C | C | C | C | C |
Source: U.S. Department of State, January 2026 Visa Bulletin, Final Action Dates Chart
Dates for Filing
- EB-1: All countries remain current except China-mainland and India, which both advance to August 1, 2023.
- EB-2: All countries advance except for India.
- China-mainland advances by one month to January 1, 2022.
- No movement is shown for India (December 1, 2013).
- All other countries advance by three months to October 15, 2024.
- EB-3: No movement is seen (i.e., the dates for filing remain the same as set forth in the December 2025 Visa Bulletin).
- EB-3 “Other Workers”: No movement is shown except for China-mainland, which advances by one year to October 1, 2019.
- EB-4: All countries advance by one month to March 21, 2015.
- Certain Religious Workers: All countries advance by one month to March 21, 2015.
- EB-5: All countries remain current except for China-mainland and India, which both advance.
- China-mainland advances by one month to August 16, 2022, for EB-5 unreserved.
- India advances by twenty-five months to May 1, 2024, for EB-5 unreserved.
| Employment-based | All Chargeability Areas Except Those Listed | CHINA- mainland born | INDIA | MEXICO | PHILIPPINES |
| 1st | C | 01AUG23 | 01AUG23 | C | C |
| 2nd | 15OCT24 | 01JAN22 | 01DEC13 | 15OCT24 | 15OCT24 |
| 3rd | 01JUL23 | 01JAN22 | 15AUG14 | 01JUL23 | 01JUL23 |
| Other Workers | 01DEC21 | 01OCT19 | 15AUG14 | 01DEC21 | 01DEC21 |
| 4th | 15MAR21 | 15MAR21 | 15MAR21 | 15MAR21 | 15MAR21 |
| Certain Religious Workers | 15MAR21 | 15MAR21 | 15MAR21 | 15MAR21 | 15MAR21 |
| 5th Unreserved (including C5, T5, I5, R5) | C | 22AUG16 | 01MAY24 | C | C |
| 5th Set Aside: (Rural: NR, RR – 20%) | C | C | C | C | C |
| 5th Set Aside: (High Unemployment: NH, RH – 10%) | C | C | C | C | C |
| 5th Set Aside: (Infrastructure: RI – 2%) | C | C | C | C | C |
Source: U.S. Department of State, January 2026 Visa Bulletin, Dates for Filing Chart
Key Takeaways
With advancement in the final action dates, more green card applications will become eligible for approval. Additionally, applicants who became eligible to file their adjustment requests in November and December 2025, as outlined in the Dates for Filing Chart, will have at least another month to submit their applications.
Ogletree Deakins’ Immigration Practice Group will continue to monitor developments and will publish updates on the Immigration blog as additional information becomes available.
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