The November 2026 Visa Bulletin is out, and the headlines say employment-based dates moved forward. EB-2 for most of the world jumped three months. EB-3 advanced. China and India picked up a few weeks.
So you check your priority date, see it fall before the new date, and start gathering I-485 documents.
Here is what most people get wrong: the dates that moved this month are not the dates USCIS is using to accept new I-485 filings. For most applicants, the window to file did not change at all in November.
This post walks through what actually changed, which chart controls your filing, and the three strategic questions this bulletin raises for H-1B professionals, families, and anyone waiting in the India and China backlogs.
What changed in the November 2026 Visa Bulletin
The November 2026 Visa Bulletin is the second bulletin of fiscal year 2027. Movement happened almost entirely on the Final Action Dates chart. Compared with the October 2026 bulletin:
Employment-based Final Action Dates, November 2026
| Category | All Other Countries | China | India | Mexico | Philippines |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EB-1 | Current | Aug 1, 2023 (+1 month) | Feb 1, 2023 | Current | Current |
| EB-2 | Apr 1, 2025 (+3 months) | Oct 1, 2021 | Nov 1, 2013 | Apr 1, 2025 (+3 months) | Apr 1, 2025 (+3 months) |
| EB-3 | Jun 15, 2024 (+1 month) | Jan 22, 2022 (+14 days) | Jan 22, 2014 (+21 days) | Jun 15, 2024 (+1 month) | Aug 15, 2023 |
| Other Workers | Jun 1, 2022 (+5 months) | Oct 1, 2019 | Jan 22, 2014 (+21 days) | Jun 1, 2022 (+5 months) | Jan 1, 2022 |
| EB-4 | Dec 15, 2022 | Dec 15, 2022 | Dec 15, 2022 | Dec 15, 2022 | Dec 15, 2022 |
| EB-5 Unreserved | Current | Dec 1, 2016 | Dec 1, 2023 | Current | Current |
| EB-5 Set-Asides | Current | Current | Current | Current | Current |
The Dates for Filing chart, by contrast, held still. The only employment-based change was Other Workers for most countries and Mexico, which moved from June 1, 2022 to July 1, 2022.
Employment-based Dates for Filing, November 2026
| Category | All Other Countries | China | India | Mexico | Philippines |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EB-1 | Current | Jul 1, 2024 | Jul 1, 2024 | Current | Current |
| EB-2 | Mar 15, 2026 | Jan 1, 2023 | Jan 15, 2015 | Mar 15, 2026 | Mar 15, 2026 |
| EB-3 | Aug 1, 2024 | Apr 1, 2024 | Jan 15, 2015 | Aug 1, 2024 | Jan 1, 2024 |
| Other Workers | Jul 1, 2022 | Oct 1, 2020 | Jan 15, 2015 | Jul 1, 2022 | Jun 1, 2022 |
| EB-4 | Jan 1, 2025 | Jan 1, 2025 | Jan 1, 2025 | Jan 1, 2025 | Jan 1, 2025 |
| EB-5 Unreserved | Current | Mar 1, 2021 | May 1, 2024 | Current | Current |
November 2026 Visa Bulletin: which chart USCIS is using
Every month the State Department publishes two charts. Final Action Dates tell you when a green card can actually be approved. Dates for Filing tell you when you can get in line with paperwork.
For people already in the United States, USCIS decides each month which chart applies to new I-485 filings. For the November 2026 Visa Bulletin, USCIS is using the Dates for Filing chart for both family-sponsored and employment-based cases.
That matters because the law draws a hard line between filing and approval. Under 8 CFR 245.1(g)(1), a preference applicant is only eligible for approval when a visa number is immediately available, which means a priority date earlier than the Final Action Date. Filing early gets you into the queue. It does not get you out of it.
The common mistake: reading the column that moved
Most people look at the November 2026 Visa Bulletin, find the number that changed, and assume that change is about them. It usually is not.
If your goal this month is to file an I-485, the Final Action jump does not open any new door. The filing chart did not move for EB-1, EB-2, or EB-3 in any country. If you could not file in October, you most likely still cannot file in November.
Yet the Final Action movement is real news for a different group: people who already filed and are waiting for approval. If your I-485 is pending and your priority date is now earlier than the November Final Action Date, your case can be approved this month, provided everything else is in order.
Same bulletin, two different audiences. Knowing which one you belong to is the first strategic step.
EB-2 Rest of World: the 11-month window
For EB-2 applicants from most countries, Mexico, and the Philippines, the November 2026 Visa Bulletin creates a wide gap between the two charts:
- Final Action: April 1, 2025
- Dates for Filing: March 15, 2026
If your priority date falls between those two dates, you are in the window. You can file your I-485 now, but you cannot be approved until Final Action catches up.
Is filing still worth it? For many H-1B and L-1 professionals, yes. A pending I-485 lets you apply for a work permit and advance parole. If you are filing alongside the I-140, 8 CFR 245.2(a)(2)(i)(B) allows concurrent filing when a visa number is available under the chart USCIS designates.
There is a longer-term benefit too. Once your I-485 has been pending for 180 days, INA 204(j) may let you move to a same or similar job without starting over. For tech workers in a volatile market, that flexibility can matter more than the approval date itself.
However, the window is not risk-free. If you rely on the I-485 for work authorization or travel, you are tying your status to a pending application. That trade-off deserves a case-by-case look, especially if you are planning international travel, a topic we cover in advance parole vs H-1B for India travel.
India: EB-3 is now ahead of EB-2
This is the detail many readers will miss. In the November 2026 Visa Bulletin, EB-3 India’s Final Action Date (January 22, 2014) is now almost three months ahead of EB-2 India (November 1, 2013).
For an Indian national with an EB-2 priority date between those two dates, that gap raises a fair question: should you also pursue EB-3?
In some cases, an employer can file a new I-140 in EB-3 based on the same approved labor certification, and the applicant keeps the original priority date. That strategy is often called a “downgrade.” It can move a case from a stalled category into a moving one.
But this is complex and fact-specific. Bulletins move in both directions, and a gap that exists in November may close by spring. A downgrade involves a new filing, new fees, and employer cooperation. It also requires a clear-eyed look at where both categories are likely to go over the fiscal year.
There is one more nuance. On the Dates for Filing chart, EB-2 India and EB-3 India sit at the same date, January 15, 2015. So the EB-3 advantage this month applies only to approvals, not to new filings.
The CSPA trap for families filing early
Filing under the November 2026 Visa Bulletin’s Dates for Filing chart brings one trap that catches families every year.
The Child Status Protection Act can protect a child who turns 21 during the wait. Its age calculation depends on when a visa “became available.” Under USCIS policy updated in August 2025, for applications filed on or after August 15, 2025, USCIS uses the Final Action Dates chart for that calculation, even when it accepts the I-485 under Dates for Filing.
In plain terms: filing early under the filing chart does not, by itself, lock in your child’s CSPA age. If you have a child approaching 21, the November 2026 Visa Bulletin needs to be read through a CSPA lens before you decide how to file. The USCIS Policy Manual chapter on CSPA sets out the full calculation, and that analysis should happen before filing, not after the fact.
China, EB-1, Other Workers, EB-4, EB-5 and family categories
China. In the November 2026 Visa Bulletin, EB-1 China advanced one month to August 1, 2023 and EB-3 China moved two weeks to January 22, 2022. EB-2 China stayed at October 1, 2021. For Chinese nationals, EB-1 now sits roughly two years ahead of EB-2, which is why the strength of an extraordinary ability record matters so much. We explain how to build one in EB-1A case strategy: start with the record.
EB-1 India and the rest of the world. EB-1 India held at February 1, 2023. EB-1 remains current for all other countries, Mexico, and the Philippines. For high achievers in India, the EB-1A field of endeavor definition can shape how competitive a petition looks.
Other Workers. The biggest jump in the November 2026 Visa Bulletin: five months on the Final Action chart for most countries and Mexico, to June 1, 2022.
EB-4 and EB-5. EB-4 and Certain Religious Workers held at December 15, 2022. EB-5 Unreserved held for China (December 1, 2016) and India (December 1, 2023), and all EB-5 set-aside categories remain current.
Family categories. For F2A, the bulletin authorizes numbers for applicants from all countries with priority dates earlier than April 22, 2026, and for all countries except Mexico up to October 22, 2026 under the per-country limited allocation. On the Dates for Filing chart USCIS is using this month, F2A is current. For other family categories, check your row on the USCIS filing chart, and remember that an approved petition is not the end of the road, as we explain in why an approved I-130 doesn’t mean what you think.
Frequently asked questions about the November 2026 Visa Bulletin
Which chart should I use for my I-485 in November 2026?
USCIS is using the Dates for Filing chart for both family-sponsored and employment-based adjustment of status in November 2026. Your priority date must be earlier than the date listed for your category and country of chargeability.
My priority date is current under Final Action. Can USCIS approve my pending I-485 now?
If your I-485 is already pending and your priority date is earlier than the November Final Action Date, a visa number is available for your case. Approval still depends on the rest of the file, including medicals, background checks, and any interview.
Did the November 2026 Visa Bulletin move EB-2 India?
No. EB-2 India stayed at November 1, 2013 for Final Action and January 15, 2015 for filing. EB-3 India advanced to January 22, 2014, which places it ahead of EB-2 India for approvals this month.
Does filing under Dates for Filing protect my child’s age under CSPA?
Not by itself. For applications filed on or after August 15, 2025, USCIS uses the Final Action Dates chart to determine when a visa became available for CSPA purposes. A child close to 21 needs a separate analysis.
Will these dates keep moving forward?
No one can promise that. Dates can advance, stall, or retrogress during the fiscal year depending on demand. Plan around the dates in front of you, not predictions.
What this bulletin means for you
The November 2026 Visa Bulletin is good news for people waiting on approvals, especially EB-2 applicants outside China and India and EB-3 applicants from India. For people waiting to file, the picture is unchanged.
You have been watching these charts for months, maybe years. The temptation is to act the moment something moves. Yet the right move depends on which chart governs your next step, whether you have children near 21, and whether a second category could serve you better.
If any of those questions apply to you after reading the November 2026 Visa Bulletin, it is worth getting an answer before you file, not after.
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Legal Disclaimer
This article provides general educational information and does not constitute legal advice. Reading this content does not create an attorney-client relationship with Silmi Law Firm.
Immigration law, including Visa Bulletin dates, USCIS chart designations, and Child Status Protection Act calculations, is highly fact-specific and subject to change. The dates above reflect the November 2026 Visa Bulletin published by the U.S. Department of State and USCIS guidance as of the publication date. Visa Bulletin dates change monthly and may advance, stall, or retrogress without notice. No outcome is represented or guaranteed.
Before filing an I-485, changing preference categories, or taking any other immigration action, you should:
- Consult with a qualified immigration attorney
- Provide complete and accurate information about your specific circumstances
- Obtain written legal advice tailored to your situation
Silmi Law makes no guarantee of approval, outcome, or the completeness or accuracy of any information contained in this post.
For legal representation, contact Silmi Law at:
- Phone: +1 (443) 329-2929
- Email: info@silmilaw.com
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