United States: January 2026 Visa Bulletin Update – USCIS to Honor Dates for Filing for Employment-Based Categories
December 18, 2025
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At a glance
Next month, USCIS will accept employment-based adjustment of status applications from foreign nationals with a priority date that is earlier than the applicable Date for Filing listed in the State Department’s January 2026 Visa Bulletin.
Employment-Based Priority Date Cutoffs for January 2026
To be eligible to file an employment-based adjustment of status application in January, foreign nationals must have a priority date that is earlier than the date listed below for their preference category and country.
USCIS has chosen the Dates for Filing chart listed in next month’s State Department Visa Bulletin for employment-based applications.
Dates for Filing for January 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: July 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: March 15, 2021
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.
