United States: February 2026 Visa Bulletin – EB Categories Remain the Same Except Modest Advancement in Worldwide EB-3 Professionals and Skilled Workers
January 12, 2026
Country / Territory
Share
At a glance
- Final Action Dates and Dates for Filing in employment-based (EB) categories will primarily remain the same next month, an exception being advancement in the Worldwide EB-3 Professional and Skilled Worker category.
- In the EB-3 Professional and Skilled Worker category, for all countries except India and China, Final Action dates will advance by five weeks, and Dates for Filing will advance by three months.
A closer look
According to the State Department’s February Visa Bulletin, Final Action cutoff dates for issuance of an immigrant visa or approval of an adjustment of status application will be as follows:
- EB-1: China and India will remain at February 1, 2023. All other countries will continue to be current.
- EB-2: China will remain at September 1, 2021, and India will remain at July 15, 2013. All other countries will remain at April 1, 2024.
- EB-3 Professionals and Skilled Workers: China will remain at May 1, 2021, and India will remain at November 15, 2013. All other countries will advance by five weeks to June 1, 2023.
- EB-5: For the EB-5 Unreserved categories, China will remain at August 15, 2016, and India will remain at May 1, 2022. All other countries will remain current. The EB-5 set-aside categories (Rural, High Unemployment, and Infrastructure) will also remain current.
The February Visa Bulletin employment-based Dates for Filing chart remains the same for almost all countries and categories. In the EB-3 Professional and Skilled Worker category for all countries except China and India, the Dates for Filing will advance by three months.
In the coming days, USCIS will announce on its own Visa Bulletin web page whether the agency will accept adjustment of status applications based on the Visa Bulletin Final Action Dates chart or the Dates for Filing chart in February.
EB-4 Certain Religious Worker program
The Certain Religious Workers (SR) Program is set to expire on January 30, 2026. If there is no legislative action extending the SR category beyond that date, the category will immediately become “Unavailable.” This would mean that after midnight on January 29, 2026, no SR visas would be issued overseas, or final action taken on adjustment of status cases by USCIS. Immigrant visas issued prior to that date would be valid only until January 29, 2026, and all individuals seeking admission in the category must be admitted into the United States by no later than midnight on January 29, 2026. If the program is extended beyond January 30, however, the published Final Action date for the general fourth preference category – January 1, 2021 – would be in effect for the SR category for the remainder of January and for the month of February.
Final Action Dates for February 2026
EB-1
China: February 1, 2023
India: February 1, 2023
All other countries: Current
EB-2
China: September 1, 2021
India: July 15, 2013
All other countries: April 1, 2024
EB-3 Professionals and Skilled Workers
China: May 1, 2021
India: November 15, 2013
All other countries: June 1, 2023
EB-3 Other Workers
China: December 8, 2018
India: November 15, 2013
All other countries: September 1, 2021
EB-4 (except SR Certain Religious Workers)
All countries: January 1, 2021
EB-4 SR Certain Religious Workers
All countries: Unavailable*
*The EB-4 Certain Religious Workers (SR) category will expire on January 30 unless the program is reauthorized by legislation.
EB-5 Unreserved (Regional Center and Non-Regional Center)
China: August 15, 2016
India: May 1, 2022
All other countries: Current
EB-5 Set-Asides
Rural: Current for all countries
High Unemployment: Current for all countries
Infrastructure: Current for all countries
Dates for Filing for February 2026
EB-1
China: August 1, 2023
India: August 1, 2023
All other countries: Current
EB-2
China: January 1, 2022
India: December 1, 2013
All other countries: October 15, 2024
EB-3 Professionals and Skilled Workers
China: January 1, 2022
India: August 15, 2014
All other countries: October 1, 2023
EB-3 Other Workers
China: October 1, 2019
India: August 15, 2014
All other countries: December 1, 2021
EB-4 (except SR Certain Religious Workers)
All countries: March 15, 2021
EB-4 SR Certain Religious Workers
All countries: Unavailable*
*The EB-4 Certain Religious Workers (SR) category will expire on January 30 unless the program is reauthorized by legislation.
EB-5 Unreserved (Regional Center and Non-Regional Center)
China: August 22, 2016
India: May 1, 2024
All other countries: Current
EB-5 Set-Asides
Rural: Current for all countries
High Unemployment: Current for all countries
Infrastructure: Current for all countries
This alert is for informational purposes only. If you have any questions, please contact the immigration professional with whom you work at Fragomen.
