Knowledge Panel
USCIS to Allow “Dates for Filing” for October—Triggering Eligibility for Thousands of Applicants
The U.S. Department of State (DOS) has released the Visa Bulletin for October 2025, marking the start of the new Fiscal Year (FY 2026), with significant priority date movements that are expected to allow thousands of immigrants to take the next step in their green card process.
Crucially, prospective applicants must check the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) website (www.uscis.gov/visabulletininfo) to confirm which chart will be used for filing Adjustment of Status applications (Form I-485). If USCIS allows the use of the more advanced “Dates for Filing Applications” chart this month, it will immediately open up a significant application window across both family-based and employment-based categories.
1. Key Advances in Employment-Based Categories
The worldwide level for employment-based preference immigrants is set at a minimum of 140,000 for FY 2026. The most notable progress is seen under the Dates for Filing chart, offering a pathway to submit applications (Form I-485) for thousands of applicants, particularly from India and China, the most heavily backlogged chargeability areas:
- EB-5 Unreserved (Investors) – India: Advances substantially to April 1, 2022 for filing. The Final Action Date (when the case can be approved) for India is February 1, 2021.
- EB-2 (Advanced Degrees) – India: The filing date advances to December 1, 2013.
- EB-2 (Advanced Degrees) – China: The filing date is now December 1, 2021.
For most other countries, all EB-1, EB-5 Unreserved, and all EB-5 Set Aside categories remain “Current” (C) for both Final Action and Filing, meaning visas are available immediately. The three reserved EB-5 categories (Rural, High Unemployment, and Infrastructure) are also “Current” (C) for all countries.
2. Major Progress for Family-Based Applicants
The family-sponsored preference limit is 226,000 for FY 2026. The Dates for Filing chart shows dramatic forward movement for spouses and children of Permanent Residents:
- F2A (Spouses and Minor Children of LPRs): This category shows a massive advance for filing purposes for all chargeability areas to September 22, 2025. This date is almost “Current” and allows nearly all F2A applicants to file their I-485 application if USCIS permits use of this chart.
- F2B (Unmarried Adult Children of LPRs) – Mexico: Advances significantly on the Filing Chart to December 15, 2008. The Final Action Date is December 15, 2007.
3. Expiration and Reduced Caps
The bulletin also contains two pieces of critical restrictive news:
- Religious Worker Program Expired: The Employment Fourth Preference Certain Religious Workers (SR) category is listed as “Unavailable” (U) for all countries. This program officially expired on September 29, 2025, and no further visas can be issued or final action taken unless Congress enacts an extension.
- Diversity Visa (DV) Limit Reduced: The total number of available visas for the DV-2026 program has been reduced to approximately 52,000. This reduction is due to provisions in the NACARA program and the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2024.
| U.S. Visa Bulletin: OCTOBER 2025 – KEY FACTS SUMMARY | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| I. GLOBAL CAPS & POLICY HIGHLIGHTS (FY 2026) | ||||
| Family-Sponsored Limit | 226,000 Visas | |||
| Employment-Based Limit | At Least 140,000 Visas | |||
| Oversubscribed Areas | CHINA-mainland born, INDIA, MEXICO, and PHILIPPINES | |||
| Filing Rule | Applicants MUST check www.uscis.gov/visabulletininfo to see if “Dates for Filing” can be used for Adjustment of Status (I-485). | |||
| Religious Workers (SR) | UNAVAILABLE (U) for all countries. Category expired on September 29, 2025. | |||
| Diversity Visa (DV) | DV-2026 Annual Limit Reduced to Approximately 52,000 due to NACARA/NDAA provisions. | |||
| II. EMPLOYMENT-BASED (EB) FINAL ACTION DATES (FAD) | ||||
| Category | All Chargeability | CHINA-mainland born | INDIA | MEXICO / PHILIPPINES |
| EB-1 (Priority Workers) | C | 22DEC22 | 15FEB22 | C |
| EB-2 (Advanced Degrees) | 01DEC23 | 01APR21 | 01APR13 | 01DEC23 |
| EB-3 (Skilled Workers) | 01APR23 | 01MAR21 | 22AUG13 | 01APR23 |
| EB-5 Unreserved | C | 08DEC15 | 01FEB21 | C |
| III. FAMILY-SPONSORED (F) DATES FOR FILING (DFF) | ||||
| Category | All Chargeability | INDIA / CHINA | MEXICO | PHILIPPINES |
| F-2A (Spouses/Children of LPRs) | 22SEP25 | 22SEP25 | 22SEP25 | 22SEP25 |
| F-2B (Unmarried Adult Children of LPRs) | 01JAN17 | 01JAN17 | 15DEC08 | 01OCT13 |
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q1: Which chart must applicants use for filing an Adjustment of Status (I-485) application in October 2025? Applicants must use the “Final Action Dates” charts unless the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) states on their official website (www.uscis.gov/visabulletininfo) that the “Dates for Filing Visa Applications” charts can be used instead.
Q2: What is the worldwide numerical limit for family-sponsored and employment-based immigrants for Fiscal Year 2026? The fiscal year 2026 limit for family-sponsored preference immigrants is 226,000. The worldwide level for annual employment-based preference immigrants is at least 140,000.
Q3: Which chargeability areas are currently oversubscribed and subject to per-country limits? The visa prorating provisions currently apply to the following oversubscribed chargeability areas: CHINA-mainland born, INDIA, MEXICO, and PHILIPPINES.
Q4: Why is the Certain Religious Workers (SR) category listed as “Unavailable” for October 2025? The SR category is listed as “Unavailable” because the legislative extension (H.R. 1968) expired on September 30, 2025. Consequently, no SR visas may be issued overseas, or final action taken on adjustment of status cases, after midnight September 29, 2025.
Q5: What is the new reduced annual limit for the DV-2026 Diversity Visa Program? Due to required visa numbers made available under NACARA and amendments by the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2024, the DV-2026 annual limit will be reduced to approximately 52,000.
Q6: For how long is the entitlement to immigrant status in the Diversity Visa category valid? Entitlement to immigrant status in the DV category lasts only through the end of the fiscal year for which the applicant is selected. The year of entitlement for all applicants registered for the DV-2026 program ends as of September 30, 2026.
