April 2026 Visa Bulletin: Key Movements and Analysis
- By Fileright
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The U.S. Department of State has released the April 2026 Visa Bulletin, bringing important updates for green card applicants. This monthly update determines when you can move forward in your journey toward U.S. permanent residency.
For many applicants in family-based and employment-based categories, the Visa Bulletin is the key to knowing whether you can take action now. It shows if your priority date is “current,” meaning you may be eligible to file your application or move closer to approval.
Review the April 2026 Visa Bulletin to check if your priority date has advanced and whether you can take the next step in your green card process.
Summary: April 2026 Visa Bulletin
April 2026 brings strong progress in family-based categories, with F1 and F2B advancing significantly and F2A becoming current for all countries. F3 and F4 also show moderate but uneven movement.
In contrast, employment-based categories remain mostly stable, with limited gains mainly in EB-2 and EB-3 for India. Overall, family-based applicants see broader progress, while employment-based movement is selective.
A detailed breakdown of each category, along with complete tables, is provided below for your reference.
Quick Guide: How the Visa Bulletin Works
Before you check your eligibility, here are the key things to know:
Priority Date
Your priority date is your place in line. You can move forward when your date is earlier than the cutoff listed in the Visa Bulletin.
Country of Chargeability
Visa availability depends on your country of birth. Applicants from high-demand countries like India, China, Mexico, and the Philippines may face longer wait times.
Two Important Charts
- Dates for Filing: When you can submit your application
- Final Action Dates: When your green card can be approved
For April 2026, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services allows applicants to use the Dates for Filing chart.
Monthly Movement
- Forward movement: Good news—dates advance
- No movement: No change
- Retrogression: Dates move backward due to high demand
Family-Sponsored Preference Categories
Family-based immigration allows U.S. citizens and permanent residents to sponsor certain relatives for a Green Card. These visas are divided into preference categories, depending on the family relationship between the sponsor and the applicant.
Family-based green cards are divided into the following categories:
- F1 – Unmarried adult children (21+) of U.S. citizens
- F2A – Spouses and unmarried children (under 21) of green card holders
- F2B – Unmarried adult children of green card holders
- F3 – Married children of U.S. citizens
- F4 – Brothers and sisters of U.S. citizens
Each category has separate cut-off dates based on country and demand.
Family-Based Categories: Key Changes in April 2026
- F1 (Unmarried adult children of U.S. citizens) moved forward strongly for most countries, with all chargeability areas, China, and India advancing by six months, and Mexico by about four and a half months. The Philippines remained unchanged.
- F2B (Unmarried adult children of permanent residents) saw solid progress, with all chargeability areas, China, and India advancing by five months, and Mexico by three months. The Philippines showed no movement.
- F2A (Spouses and minor children of permanent residents) became current across all countries, moving from February 22, 2026, to “Current,” allowing applicants to proceed without backlog delays.
- F3 (Married sons and daughters of U.S. citizens) advanced by four months for most countries, while the Philippines saw a smaller gain of about one and a half months. Mexico remained unchanged.
- F4 (Brothers and sisters of adult U.S. citizens) showed modest movement, with most countries advancing around two to two and a half months, while India and Mexico remained unchanged.
F-1: Unmarried Children (Age 21+) of U.S. Citizens
| Country | Apr Cut-off Date | Mar Cut-off Date | Movement |
| All Chargeability Areas Except Those Listed | 01-Mar-18 | 01-Sep-17 | 6 Months |
| China | 01-Mar-18 | 01-Sep-17 | 6 Months |
| India | 01-Mar-18 | 01-Sep-17 | 6 Months |
| Mexico | 15-Apr-08 | 01-Dec-07 | 4.5 Months |
| Philippines | 15-Apr-08 | 22-Apr-15 | No Change |
F-2A: Spouses and Unmarried Children (Under 21) of U.S. Green Card Holders
| Country | Apr Cut-off Date | Mar Cut-off Date | Movement |
| All Chargeability Areas Except Those Listed | Current | 22-Feb-26 | Current |
| China | Current | 22-Feb-26 | Current |
| India | Current | 22-Feb-26 | Current |
| Mexico | Current | 22-Feb-26 | Current |
| Philippines | Current | 22-Feb-26 | Current |
F-2B: Unmarried Sons and Daughters (Age 21 or older) of U.S. Green Card Holders
| Country | Apr Cut-off Date | Mar Cut-off Date | Movement |
| All Chargeability Areas Except Those Listed | 08-Aug-17 | 15-Mar-17 | 5 Months |
| China | 08-Aug-17 | 15-Mar-17 | 5 Months |
| India | 08-Aug-17 | 15-Mar-17 | 5 Months |
| Mexico | 15-May-10 | 15-Feb-10 | 3 Months |
| Philippines | 01-Oct-13 | 01-Oct-13 | No Change |
F-3: Married Children of U.S. Citizens
| Country | Apr Cut-off Date | Mar Cut-off Date | Movement |
| All Chargeability Areas Except Those Listed | 22-Nov-12 | 22-Jul-12 | 4 Months |
| China | 22-Nov-12 | 22-Jul-12 | 4 Months |
| India | 22-Nov-12 | 22-Jul-12 | 4 Months |
| Mexico | 01-Jul-01 | 01-Jul-01 | No Change |
| Philippines | 15-Jul-06 | 01-Jun-06 | 1.5 Months |
F-4: Siblings of U.S. Citizens
| Country | Apr Cut-off Date | Mar Cut-off Date | Movement |
| All Chargeability Areas Except Those Listed | 15-May-09 | 01-Mar-09 | 2.5 Months |
| China | 15-May-09 | 01-Mar-09 | 2.5 Months |
| India | 15-Dec-06 | 15-Dec-06 | No Change |
| Mexico | 30-Apr-01 | 30-Apr-01 | No Change |
| Philippines | 22-Mar-08 | 15-Jan-08 | 2 Months |
Employment-Based Preference Categories
Employment-based green cards are divided into:
- EB-1 – Priority workers (extraordinary ability, professors, executives)
- EB-2 – Advanced degree professionals or exceptional ability
- EB-3 – Skilled workers, professionals, and other workers
- EB-4 – Special immigrants (religious workers, etc.)
- EB-5 – Immigrant investors
High-demand categories, especially EB-2 and EB-3 for India and China, often have long waiting periods.
Employment-Based Categories: Key Changes in April 2026
- EB-1 (Priority workers) remained unchanged across all countries, with most regions staying current and no forward movement for China and India.
- EB-2 (Advanced degree professionals) showed limited movement, with India advancing by about two and a half months, while all other countries remained unchanged and current.
- EB-3 (Skilled workers and professionals) became current for most countries, improving from January 15, 2024, while India saw notable progress of five months. China and the Philippines remained unchanged.
- EB-3 (Other workers) advanced modestly for most countries by about one and a half months, with India again seeing a stronger movement of five months, while China remained unchanged.
- EB-4 (Special immigrants) showed no movement across all countries, remaining stagnant.
- EB-5 (Investors) remained unchanged, with most countries current, while China and India held at their previous cut-off dates.
EB-1: Extraordinary People, Outstanding Researchers and Professors, and Multinational Executives and Managers
| Country | Apr Cut-off Date | Mar Cut-off Date | Movement |
| All Chargeability Areas Except Those Listed | Current | Current | No Change |
| China | 01-Dec-23 | 01-Dec-23 | No Change |
| India | 01-Dec-23 | 01-Dec-23 | No Change |
| Mexico | Current | Current | No Change |
| Philippines | Current | Current | No Change |
EB-2: Exceptional People and Advanced Degree Holders
| Country | Apr Cut-off Date | Mar Cut-off Date | Movement |
| All Chargeability Areas Except Those Listed | Current | Current | No Change |
| China | 01-Jan-22 | 01-Jan-22 | No Change |
| India | 15-Jan-15 | 01-Nov-14 | 2.5 Months |
| Mexico | Current | Current | No Change |
| Philippines | Current | Current | No Change |
EB-3: Skilled Worker or Professional
| Country | Apr Cut-off Date | Mar Cut-off Date | Movement |
| All Chargeability Areas Except Those Listed | Current | 15-Jan-24 | Current |
| China | 01-Jan-22 | 01-Jan-22 | No Change |
| India | 15-Jan-15 | 15-Aug-14 | 5 Months |
| Mexico | Current | 15-Jan-24 | Current |
| Philippines | 01-Jan-24 | 01-Jan-24 | No Change |
EB-3: Other Worker
| Country | Apr Cut-off Date | Mar Cut-off Date | Movement |
| All Chargeability Areas Except Those Listed | 01-Aug-22 | 22-Jun-22 | 1.5 Months |
| China | 01-Oct-19 | 01-Oct-19 | No Change |
| India | 15-Jan-15 | 15-Aug-14 | 5 Months |
| Mexico | 01-Aug-22 | 22-Jun-22 | 1.5 Months |
| Philippines | 01-Aug-22 | 22-Jun-22 | 1.5 Months |
EB-4: Special Immigrants Category
| Country | Apr Cut-off Date | Mar Cut-off Date | Movement |
| All Chargeability Areas Except Those Listed | 01-Jan-23 | 01-Jan-23 | No Change |
| China | 01-Jan-23 | 01-Jan-23 | No Change |
| India | 01-Jan-23 | 01-Jan-23 | No Change |
| Mexico | 01-Jan-23 | 01-Jan-23 | No Change |
| Philippines | 01-Jan-23 | 01-Jan-23 | No Change |
EB-5: Investors Category
| Country | Apr Cut-off Date | Mar Cut-off Date | Movement |
| All Chargeability Areas Except Those Listed | Current | Current | No Change |
| China | 01-Oct-16 | 01-Oct-16 | No Change |
| India | 01-May-24 | 01-May-24 | No Change |
| Mexico | Current | Current | No Change |
| Philippines | Current | Current | No Change |
Stay Updated with the Visa Bulletin
The U.S. Visa Bulletin changes every month, and even small updates can impact when you can file or move forward with your green card.
Why It Matters
Visa cut-off dates can:
- Move forward (good news—you may be able to file sooner)
- Stay the same (no progress this month)
- Move backward (retrogression) due to high demand
If you don’t track these updates, you could:
- Miss your window to file Form I-485
- Delay work authorization or travel permission
- Use the wrong chart and face delays
Checking the Visa Bulletin regularly—and acting quickly when your date becomes current—can help you avoid delays and move forward with confidence.
Don’t Miss Your Filing Window
If your priority date is current, start your green card application now before dates change.
