The new Visa Bulletin may allow additional applicants to reach final approval, depending on their case’s priority date.
The Visa Bulletin sets monthly immigrant visa availability for US permanent residence. A case’s priority date determines its place in the queue and must precede the applicable cut-off for final approval.
For November 2026, the general “All Chargeability Areas Except Those Listed” column shows:
- EB-2: 1 April 2025, compared with 1 January 2025 in October;
- EB-3 professionals and skilled workers: 15 June 2024, compared with 15 May 2024.
Dates for Filing concern document submission; adjustment of status applicants must also check which chart USCIS permits that month.
What to do now
Employers and workers should review cases close to the cut-offs to establish whether the advances allow further progress. Check the category, priority date, applicable column and current case status together.