March 2026 Visa Bulletin: Priority Dates, Analysis, and What It Means for You

What Changed This Month

Several categories saw their biggest single-month advances in recent memory.

The State Department explained the movement directly in the bulletin: immigrant visa issuance rates have dropped because of Presidential Proclamations 10949 and 10998, which paused immigrant visa processing for dozens of countries. Fewer visas being issued abroad means more visa numbers are available for adjustment of status applicants and applicants from other countries. So the State Department pushed dates forward to make those visas available before the fiscal year ends.

But there's a catch. The bulletin warns that retrogression may be necessary later in the fiscal year if demand picks up or administration actions change. These advances could partially reverse.

Employment-Based Final Action Dates:

Family-Sponsored Final Action Dates:

Family-sponsored categories were essentially flat this month, with only F4 Philippines seeing minor progress.

Employment-Based Categories: All Final Action Dates

EB-2 Worldwide: The big winner

The EB-2 category for most countries jumped from April 1, 2024 to October 15, 2024. That's more than six months of forward movement in a single bulletin. If you filed an EB-2 petition with a priority date between April and October 2024, your date may now be current.

This kind of leap is directly tied to the reduced visa issuance abroad. The State Department has extra visa numbers to distribute, and EB-2 Worldwide was a major beneficiary.

EB-2 and EB-3 India: Small steps

India saw modest movement. EB-2 India moved from July 15, 2013 to September 15, 2013, a gain of two months. EB-3 India stayed at November 15, 2013 with no change.

The gap between EB-2 and EB-3 India is now about two months, with EB-3 still ahead. That continues to make the question of whether to downgrade from EB-2 to EB-3 a complicated one. A downgrade means filing a new PERM labor certification and I-140, which costs money and months of processing time. With the gap this narrow, the math doesn't clearly favor either category.

The broader reality hasn't changed: the India employment-based backlog stretches over a decade, and there's no legislative fix on the horizon.

EB-2 and EB-3 China: No movement

China saw no movement in either EB-2 (Sep 1, 2021) or EB-3 (May 1, 2021). While worldwide categories got big advances, the China backlog didn't budge. The per-country limit under Section 202 of the INA continues to cap how many visas go to any single country at 7% of the annual total.

EB-3 Worldwide: Strong forward movement

EB-3 Worldwide advanced four months, from June 1, 2023 to October 1, 2023. This follows February's five-week gain and suggests the State Department is actively trying to use available visa numbers before the fiscal year ends in September.

Philippines EB-3 moved forward two months to August 1, 2023, while Mexico EB-3 matched the worldwide advance to October 1, 2023.

EB-4 and Religious Workers: Major update

The EB-4 Special Immigrant category jumped more than six months across all countries, from January 1, 2021 to July 15, 2021. And for the first time since January, the Certain Religious Workers (SR) subcategory is available again.

The Religious Workers program had expired on January 30, 2026. But on February 3, 2026, the President signed H.R. 7148, extending the program through September 30, 2026. Religious Workers now carry the same final action date as EB-4: July 15, 2021 for all countries.

EB-5 Investor Visas: Holding steady

No changes for EB-5. The set-aside categories (Rural, High Unemployment, and Infrastructure) remain current for all countries, including China and India. The unreserved EB-5 category is current for most countries but continues to be backlogged for China (August 15, 2016) and India (May 1, 2022).

If you're considering an EB-5 investment through one of the set-aside categories, the current availability is favorable.

Family-Sponsored Categories: All Final Action Dates

After Mexico saw progress in F1 and F2B last month, family categories went almost completely still in March. Only F4 Philippines moved, gaining about six weeks from July 22, 2006 to September 1, 2006.

For F2A, the per-country exempt numbers remain authorized for applicants from all countries with priority dates before February 1, 2023. Numbers subject to the per-country limit are available for all countries except Mexico, with dates from February 1, 2023 through January 31, 2024.

Note: If you're a permanent resident with family members waiting in the F2A or F2B categories, the naturalization process can change your family's preference category. When you become a citizen, your spouse moves to the Immediate Relative category (no wait), but unmarried children move from F2A/F2B to F1, which may have a longer backlog depending on the country.

Which Chart Should You Use in March?

USCIS decides each month whether you can use the Dates for Filing chart or whether you must use Final Action Dates. Check USCIS.gov/visabulletininfo at the start of March to see which chart applies.

If USCIS allows the Dates for Filing chart, here's what it looks like for employment-based categories in March:

EB-2 Worldwide is now "Current" on the Dates for Filing chart, meaning anyone with an approved EB-2 petition from most countries can file their I-485 if USCIS allows the filing chart. That's a big deal for people who haven't yet submitted their adjustment of status application.

And for family-sponsored Dates for Filing:

The Dates for Filing chart lets you submit your I-485 (adjustment of status) earlier than the Final Action Dates allow. You won't get approved until your Final Action Date is current, but filing early lets you get work authorization through an EAD and travel documents (Advance Parole) while you wait.

Why Are Dates Moving So Fast This Month?

The State Department included an explanatory note in the March bulletin.

Presidential Proclamations 10949 and 10998 have reduced immigrant visa issuance rates for people from certain countries. When fewer visas are issued at U.S. embassies and consulates abroad, those unused visa numbers become available for other applicants, including people already in the U.S. filing for adjustment of status.

The State Department is advancing dates now to make sure those visa numbers get used before the fiscal year ends on September 30, 2026. Under the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA Section 201-203), unused visas from certain categories can flow to other categories within the same preference system.

Warning: The State Department explicitly warned that retrogression may happen later in the fiscal year. If demand picks up or the administration changes its policies, dates could move backward. Don't assume these advances will hold through September. If your date is now current, act quickly.

Religious Workers Program Extended Through September 2026

After the Certain Religious Workers (SR) category went dark in the February bulletin following its January 30, 2026 expiration, Congress acted fast. H.R. 7148, signed on February 3, 2026, extends the program through September 30, 2026, the end of the current fiscal year.

The SR category now carries the same final action dates and dates for filing as the broader EB-4 Special Immigrant category. For March, that means a final action date of July 15, 2021 for all countries.

If you're a religious worker whose application was pending when the program lapsed, check with USCIS or your sponsoring organization about next steps. The program extension means previously filed petitions should be actionable again.

Your Priority Date Is Current. Now What?

If your priority date just became current, here's what to do:

If you're in the U.S.: File Form I-485 (Application to Register Permanent Residence) with USCIS. Include your medical exam (Form I-693), photos, and supporting documents. If you're filing based on an employment petition, make sure your employer's I-140 is approved and your job offer is still valid.

If you're abroad: Wait for the National Visa Center (NVC) to schedule your immigrant visa interview at a U.S. consulate. Keep in mind that consular processing has been affected by recent presidential proclamations, so timelines may vary significantly by country.

If you already filed I-485: Your case could be adjudicated now that your date is current. Make sure USCIS has your current address and that your medical exam hasn't expired. You can check your case status online or through the USCIS Contact Center.

Gather your documents now. You'll need birth certificates, marriage certificates, tax returns, employment letters, and more. Getting these together takes time, especially if you need translations or documents from overseas. Don't wait until the last minute. You can find a full breakdown of what you'll need in our N-400 document checklist (useful as a general reference for immigration document gathering) and biometrics appointment guide.

Tip: If you need to pay USCIS filing fees, remember that USCIS stopped accepting checks as of October 29, 2025. You'll need to pay online through Pay.gov or with a money order.

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What to Expect for April 2026

The redistribution effect will likely continue. As long as Presidential Proclamations 10949 and 10998 remain in effect and visa issuance rates stay low at consulates abroad, the State Department has extra visa numbers to distribute. That means more potential forward movement in April.

But retrogression risk is real. The State Department said it plainly: if demand materializes or policies change, dates may move backward. We're past the halfway point of fiscal year 2026, and the Department will start getting a clearer picture of total demand versus supply. If too many people file adjustment of status applications based on these advanced dates, the pipeline could overwhelm the available numbers.

India and China will likely remain slow. The per-country limits are the bottleneck, and no amount of visa redistribution will move a 12-year India backlog much. Small advances of one to two months are the most you can realistically expect.

Family categories may stay quiet. The State Department tends to manage family and employment categories separately. The factors driving employment-based advances don't directly affect family categories in the same way.

The April 2026 bulletin should be released in mid-March. We'll update this analysis when it comes out.

You can read our analysis of last month's bulletin in our February 2026 visa bulletin analysis.

Official Sources

This guide is based on the March 2026 Visa Bulletin released by the U.S. Department of State on February 4, 2026. All information was verified against these official sources:

Department of State

• Visa Bulletin for March 2026
• Visa Bulletin Archive

USCIS Resources

• USCIS Visa Bulletin Information - check which chart applies each month
• USCIS Filing Fees
• USCIS Processing Times
• Form I-485 Instructions

Federal Law

• Immigration and Nationality Act, Sections 201-203 - visa allocation and preference categories
• INA Section 202 - per-country limits (7% cap)
• H.R. 7148 - Religious Workers program extension through September 30, 2026

Immigration law changes frequently. We monitor USCIS and State Department updates and revise this guide when regulations change.