April 2026 Visa Bulletin Brings Mixed Relief — Forward Movement for Many, Backlogs Remain for India and China
Key Takeaways
- The Department of State released the April 2026 Visa Bulletin with notable forward movement for several employment-based categories; all dates below refer to the Final Action Chart (Chart A) unless otherwise noted.
- EB1 advances: China and India move to April 1, 2023; EB1 is current for most other countries.
- EB2: India moves to July 15, 2014; China to September 1, 2021; EB2 is current for other countries. EB3 shows modest movement for China but India remains at November 15, 2013.
- USCIS (U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services) will accept Adjustment of Status filings using the Dates for Filing chart (Chart B) for April — enabling earlier I-485 filings for some applicants and potential access to EAD/AP benefits.
Overview of the April 2026 Bulletin
The U.S. Department of State’s April 2026 Visa Bulletin shows incremental but meaningful forward movement in several employment-based preference categories. All dates cited below are from the Final Action Chart (Chart A) unless indicated. Chargeability refers to the country to which an immigrant visa application is charged — typically the applicant’s country of birth — and cutoffs determine who is eligible for a visa number that month.
Key numeric moves: EB1 for China and India advanced to 01-Apr-2023 while EB1 remains current for other countries. EB2 for India advanced to 15-Jul-2014 and EB2 China moved to 01-Sep-2021; EB2 is current for all other chargeability areas. In EB3, India remains at 15-Nov-2013, China moved slightly to 15-Jun-2021, and other countries are set at 01-Jun-2024. EB3 Other Workers aligns for India at 15-Nov-2013, for China at 01-Feb-2019, and at 01-Nov-2021 for other countries.
What this means for applicants
For people from India and China — who historically face the largest employment-based backlogs — progress is uneven. EB1 movement to April 2023 can immediately benefit highly skilled professionals eligible under EB1 (extraordinary ability, outstanding researcher/professor, multinational managers), potentially enabling interviews or final action sooner. EB2 India’s advance to mid‑2014 is a positive step but still leaves many applicants years from current processing; EB3 India’s stagnation at late 2013 continues a lengthy wait for many lower-preference workers and their families.
Crucially, USCIS is allowing applicants to use the Dates for Filing chart (Chart B) for April 2026. That means some applicants whose Final Action date has not yet become current may still file Form I-485 (Adjustment of Status) earlier, which can unlock work authorization (EAD) and advance parole (AP) while waiting for a visa number — practical benefits that affect household income, job flexibility, and travel planning. Applicants must check USCIS’s website to confirm their eligibility under Chart B before filing.
Other categories and practical notes
EB4 moves to 15-Jul-2022; the EB4 religious worker program has been extended through September 30, 2026 — if Congress does not renew it, those specific benefits could lapse. EB5 (unreserved) remains current for most countries; India is at 01-May-2022 and China at 01-Sep-2016. The three EB5 set‑aside categories (rural, high-unemployment, infrastructure) remain current across all countries. Remember that acceptance of an I-485 filing under Chart B does not change final visa availability — the Final Action date governs when a visa can actually be issued.
Monitor both the Department of State Visa Bulletin and USCIS announcements each month. For applicants now eligible to file under Chart B, consult an immigration attorney or accredited representative if you have questions about filing I-485, EAD/AP applications, or how movement in these dates affects derivative family members.
Source: Original Article