The U.S. Department of State released the April 2026 Visa Bulletin with historic forward movement across multiple employment-based green card categories. For the first time in years, the EB-2 category for Rest of World (ROW) is now current — meaning there is no priority date backlog for applicants from most countries.
This bulletin continues a multi-month trend of accelerating priority dates, driven in part by reduced consular visa issuance under the administration's travel restrictions and immigrant visa processing pauses affecting 75 countries.
Key Takeaway
EB-2 ROW applicants can now file for adjustment of status or pursue consular processing with no priority date wait. EB-3 ROW also advanced significantly. However, the State Department warns that retrogression may occur later in FY2026 if demand patterns shift.
Employment-Based Category Changes — April 2026
| Category | Country | Final Action Date | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| EB-1 | China | April 1, 2023 | Advanced |
| EB-1 | India | April 1, 2023 | Advanced |
| EB-1 | All Other | Current | No change |
| EB-2 | China | Sept. 1, 2021 | Advanced |
| EB-2 | India | July 15, 2014 | Advanced |
| EB-2 | All Other (ROW) | Current | Now Current |
| EB-3 | China | June 15, 2021 | Slight advance |
| EB-3 | India | Nov. 15, 2013 | No change |
| EB-3 | All Other (ROW) | June 1, 2024 | +8 months |
USCIS Confirms Dates for Filing Chart Remains Active
For the sixth consecutive month, USCIS has confirmed that employment-based applicants should use the Dates for Filing chart (Chart B) rather than the Final Action Date chart to determine when they can file Form I-485 for adjustment of status in the United States.
This is significant because the Dates for Filing chart typically has more advanced dates, allowing applicants to file sooner. When an applicant files I-485, they gain access to Employment Authorization Documents (EADs) and Advance Parole travel documents — even before their green card is approved.
Under the Dates for Filing chart, EB-3 ROW is also current — a major expansion of I-485 filing access for this category.
Why Are Priority Dates Moving So Fast?
Immigrant Visa Processing Pauses
The administration's pause on immigrant visa issuance for 75 countries has substantially reduced consular demand. When fewer visas are issued abroad, more visa numbers become available domestically — pushing priority dates forward for adjustment of status applicants inside the United States.
Travel Ban Impact on Visa Supply
The expanded travel ban affecting approximately 40 countries has further restricted consular processing. The State Department has acknowledged in the bulletin that decreased issuance rates are directly contributing to the forward movement of dates.
Managed Pipeline Approach
Immigration analysts suggest the multi-month trend of advancing dates reflects a managed approach by agencies to allocate unused visa numbers before the end of FY2026 (September 30, 2026), rather than letting them go to waste.
What This Means for India and China
While ROW applicants are seeing dramatic improvement, applicants chargeable to India and China continue to face significant backlogs. However, there has been notable progress: EB-2 India advanced to July 15, 2014, and EB-1 India/China both moved to April 1, 2023.
An important dynamic for Indian nationals: the Dates for Filing for both EB-2 and EB-3 India now stand at January 15, 2015. This eliminates the filing advantage previously associated with EB-2 to EB-3 downgrade strategies, as both categories now share the same filing date.
Retrogression Risk
The State Department has explicitly cautioned that retrogression may be necessary later in FY2026. If the travel restrictions are modified or lifted, the resulting increase in consular demand could rapidly consume available visa numbers and cause priority dates to move backward.
This means the current window of favorable filing dates may be temporary. Applicants who are eligible to file should consider doing so promptly.
Action Steps for Applicants
If your priority date is current under the Dates for Filing chart, consult with your immigration attorney about filing Form I-485 as soon as possible. Filing early provides several benefits: it locks in your filing date regardless of future retrogression, gives you access to EAD and Advance Parole, and protects children who may be approaching the age of 21 from aging out.
Employers sponsoring foreign workers should review the updated bulletin and coordinate with counsel on timing. The current environment favors faster filing for many employment-based categories that have historically had significant backlogs.