February 2026 Visa Bulletin: Key Movements and Analysis
- By Fileright
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The U.S. Department of State has officially released the February 2026 Visa Bulletin. This monthly update determines when immigrant visa applicants can move forward toward U.S. permanent residency (a Green Card).
For thousands of applicants waiting in family-based and employment-based categories, the Visa Bulletin is the single most important document. It shows whether a priority date is “current”, allowing applicants to file their paperwork or receive final approval.
February 2026 Visa Bulletin Summary: What Changed from January?
The February 2026 Visa Bulletin brings a mix of stability and targeted forward movement when compared to the January 2026 bulletin. Importantly, USCIS continues to allow the use of the “Dates for Filing” charts for both family-based and employment-based adjustment of status applicants filing from within the United States.
This means eligible applicants can file earlier, even if their green card cannot yet be approved under the Final Action Dates.
How the Visa Bulletin Works
Priority Dates Explained
Your priority date is your place in line for a green card.
- For family-based cases, it is usually the date USCIS received Form I-130
- For employment-based cases, it is often the date the PERM labor certification was filed
The Visa Bulletin compares your priority date with published cut-off dates to decide whether you can move forward.
Country of Chargeability
Family-based visa availability also depends on country of chargeability, which is usually the country where the applicant was born.
Due to high demand, the Visa Bulletin tracks certain countries separately:
- China
- India
- Mexico
- The Philippines
Applicants born in all other countries are grouped under “All Chargeability Areas Except Those Listed.” Check how to read the visa bulletin from our guide.
Final Action Dates vs Dates for Filing
Each Visa Bulletin includes two important charts:
Final Action Dates
This chart shows when a green card can actually be approved.
If your priority date is earlier than the listed date, your case may be approved this month.
Dates for Filing
This chart shows when you may submit your application (Form I-485 or immigrant visa paperwork), even if final approval is not yet possible.
USCIS decides each month which chart applicants inside the U.S. should use.
Monthly Visa Bulletin Highlights
Each month, the Visa Bulletin may show one of three movements:
- Forward movement – dates advance (good news)
- No movement – dates stay the same
- Retrogression – dates move backward due to high demand
Which Visa Bulletin Chart Should You Use in February 2026?
Each month, USCIS announces whether applicants already living in the United States should file Form I-485 (Adjustment of Status) using the:
- Dates for Filing chart, or
- Final Action Dates chart
USCIS Filing Instruction for February 2026
For February 2026, USCIS has confirmed that applicants filing from within the United States must use:
- Dates for Filing Chart – Family-Based Categories
- Dates for Filing Chart – Employment-Based Categories
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 From January 2026
- F2A (Spouses and minor children of green card holders) advanced by one month, moving from December 22, 2025 (January) to January 22, 2026 (February) across all chargeability areas. This provides a slightly wider filing window for many applicants.
- F2B (Unmarried adult children of green card holders) – Mexico saw a notable three-month forward movement, advancing from November 15, 2009 in January to February 15, 2010 in February. This is one of the most meaningful family-based changes in this month’s bulletin and allows additional F2B Mexico applicants to file.
- Other family-based categories (F1, F2B for other countries, F3, and F4) largely remained unchanged, indicating overall stability in family-sponsored filing eligibility from January to February.
F-1: Unmarried Children (Age 21+) of U.S. Citizens
| Country | Feb Cut-off Date | Jan Cut-off Date | Movement |
| All Chargeability Areas Except Those Listed | 01-Sep-17 | 01-Sep-17 | No Change |
| China | 01-Sep-17 | 01-Sep-17 | No Change |
| India | 01-Sep-17 | 01-Sep-17 | No Change |
| Mexico | 01-Dec-07 | 01-Sep-07 | 3 Months |
| Philippines | 22-Apr-15 | 22-Apr-15 | No Change |
F-2A: Spouses and Unmarried Children (Under 21) of U.S. Green Card Holders
| Country | Feb Cut-off Date | Jan Cut-off Date | Movement |
| All Chargeability Areas Except Those Listed | 22-Jan-26 | 22-Dec-25 | 1 Month |
| China | 22-Jan-26 | 22-Dec-25 | 1 Month |
| India | 22-Jan-26 | 22-Dec-25 | 1 Month |
| Mexico | 22-Jan-26 | 22-Dec-25 | 1 Month |
| Philippines | 22-Jan-26 | 22-Dec-25 | 1 Month |
F-2B: Unmarried Sons and Daughters (Age 21 or older) of U.S. Green Card Holders
| Country | Feb Cut-off Date | Jan Cut-off Date | Movement |
| All Chargeability Areas Except Those Listed | 15-Mar-17 | 15-Mar-17 | No Change |
| China | 15-Mar-17 | 15-Mar-17 | No Change |
| India | 15-Mar-17 | 15-Mar-17 | No Change |
| Mexico | 15-Feb-10 | 15-Nov-09 | 3 Months |
| Philippines | 01-Oct-13 | 01-Oct-13 | No Change |
F-3: Married Children of U.S. Citizens
| Country | Feb Cut-off Date | Jan Cut-off Date | Movement |
| All Chargeability Areas Except Those Listed | 22-July-12 | 22-July-12 | No Change |
| China | 22-July-12 | 22-July-12 | No Change |
| India | 22-July-12 | 22-July-12 | No Change |
| Mexico | 01-July-01 | 01-July-01 | No Change |
| Philippines | 01-Feb-06 | 01-Feb-06 | No Change |
F-4: Siblings of U.S. Citizens
| Country | Feb Cut-off Date | Jan Cut-off Date | Movement |
| All Chargeability Areas Except Those Listed | 01-Mar-09 | 01-Mar-09 | No Change |
| China | 01-Mar-09 | 01-Mar-09 | No Change |
| India | 15-Dec-06 | 15-Dec-06 | No Change |
| Mexico | 30-Apr-01 | 30-Apr-01 | No Change |
| Philippines | 15-Jan-08 | 15-Jan-08 | No Change |
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 From January 2026
- EB-3 (Skilled Workers and Professionals) experienced the most significant employment-based movement. For all chargeability areas except India and China, the Dates for filing were advanced by approximately three months, from July 1, 2023, in January to October 1, 2023, in February.
- EB-1 and EB-2 categories showed no material changes in filing dates from January to February, reflecting continued demand management in these high-usage categories.
- EB-4 and EB-5 filing dates also remained unchanged, maintaining consistent eligibility windows for applicants in those groups.
EB-1: Extraordinary People, Outstanding Researchers and Professors, and Multinational Executives and Managers
| Country | Feb Cut-off Date | Jan Cut-off Date | Movement |
| All Chargeability Areas Except Those Listed | Current | Current | No Change |
| China | 01-Aug-23 | 01-Aug-23 | No Change |
| India | 01-Aug-23 | 01-Aug-23 | No Change |
| Mexico | Current | Current | No Change |
| Philippines | Current | Current | No Change |
EB-2: Exceptional People and Advanced Degree Holders
| Country | Feb Cut-off Date | Jan Cut-off Date | Movement |
| All Chargeability Areas Except Those Listed | 15-Oct-24 | 15-Oct-24 | No Change |
| China | 01-Jan-22 | 01-Jan-22 | No Change |
| India | 01-Dec-13 | 01-Dec-13 | No Change |
| Mexico | 15-Oct-24 | 15-Oct-24 | No Change |
| Philippines | 15-Oct-24 | 15-Oct-24 | No Change |
EB-3: Skilled Worker or Professional
| Country | Feb Cut-off Date | Jan Cut-off Date | Movement |
| All Chargeability Areas Except Those Listed | 01-Oct-23 | 01-July-23 | 3 Months |
| China | 01-Jan-22 | 01-Jan-22 | No Change |
| India | 15-Aug-14 | 15-Aug-14 | No Change |
| Mexico | 01-Oct-23 | 01-July-23 | 3 Months |
| Philippines | 01-Oct-23 | 01-July-23 | 3 Months |
EB-3: Other Worker
| Country | Feb Cut-off Date | Jan Cut-off Date | Movement |
| All Chargeability Areas Except Those Listed | 01-Dec-21 | 01-Dec-21 | No Change |
| China | 01-Oct-19 | 01-Oct-19 | No Change |
| India | 15-Aug-14 | 15-Aug-14 | No Change |
| Mexico | 01-Dec-21 | 01-Dec-21 | No Change |
| Philippines | 01-Dec-21 | 01-Dec-21 | No Change |
EB-4: Special Immigrants Category
| Country | Feb Cut-off Date | Jan Cut-off Date | Movement |
| All Chargeability Areas Except Those Listed | 15-Mar-21 | 15-Mar-21 | No Change |
| China | 15-Mar-21 | 15-Mar-21 | No Change |
| India | 15-Mar-21 | 15-Mar-21 | No Change |
| Mexico | 15-Mar-21 | 15-Mar-21 | No Change |
| Philippines | 15-Mar-21 | 15-Mar-21 | No Change |
EB-5: Investors Category
| Country | Feb Cut-off Date | Jan Cut-off Date | Movement |
| All Chargeability Areas Except Those Listed | Current | Current | No Change |
| China | 22-Aug-16 | 22-Aug-16 | No Change |
| India | 01-May-24 | 01-May-24 | No Change |
| Mexico | Current | Current | No Change |
| Philippines | Current | Current | No Change |
Staying Up-to-Date with the Visa Bulletin
The U.S. Visa Bulletin changes every month, and even small movements can have a big impact on your green card timeline. Staying up to date helps you understand when you can file, when your case may be approved, and what to prepare next.
Why Staying Updated Is Important
Visa cut-off dates can:
- Move forward faster than expected
- Remain unchanged for several months
- Move backward due to high demand (retrogression)
If you do not follow monthly updates, you may:
- Miss the window to file Form I-485
- Delay work authorization or travel permission
- File using the wrong chart, leading to rejection or delays
Checking the Visa Bulletin regularly ensures you act at the right time and avoid costly mistakes.
