USCIS Greenlights October Visa Bulletin Filing Dates for All Categories

USCIS announced today that, beginning in October, applicants in both family- and employment-based visa categories may file adjustment of status applications using the Department of State’s Dates for Filing chart in the October 2025 Visa Bulletin. This first bulletin of FY 2026 unlocks filing eligibility for thousands of green card hopefuls who meet the priority-date cutoffs.

The move to honor the Dates for Filing chart accelerates the application process and brings clarity to applicants and employers navigating backlogs. By allowing earlier filing-even before final action dates advance-USCIS aims to streamline visa processing amid high demand.

Key Changes in the October 2025 Visa Bulletin

  • USCIS will follow the Dates for Filing chart, not the Final Action Dates chart, for all family- and employment-based categories in October 2025.
  • This designation applies to both adjustment of status applicants living in the U.S. and consular processing abroad.

Family-Based Categories

  • F2A (Spouses & Children of Permanent Residents) advanced nearly four months, to February 22, 2025, for all countries.
  • F1 (Unmarried Sons & Daughters of U.S. Citizens) remains at September 1, 2017, for most chargeability areas but saw an 8-month jump for Mexico.
  • F3 and F4 categories progressed by up to three months for major backlog countries, offering relief to longtime waiters.

Employment-Based Categories

  • EB-1 is current for all countries except China (May 15, 2023) and India (April 15, 2023).
  • EB-2 cutoffs moved to July 15, 2024 (all other countries), December 1, 2021 (China), and December 1, 2013 (India).
  • EB-3 Professionals & Skilled Workers for all others advanced to July 1, 2023; China to January 1, 2022; India to August 15, 2014.
  • EB-5 unreserved category is current for most, with China at July 1, 2016 and India at April 1, 2022.

Implications for Applicants and Employers

  • Eligible applicants can assemble and submit required documents now, even if visas are not yet available, reducing idle processing time.
  • Employers should review employee priority dates against the new Dates for Filing cutoffs and prepare I-485 packages promptly.
  • Early filing may grant work authorization and travel flexibility via advance parole while awaiting final visa issuance.

This filing window underscores USCIS’s effort to maximize visa utilization and mitigate backlogs by permitting broader filing opportunities at the outset of the fiscal year.