The U.S. Department of State has released the November 2026 Visa Bulletin. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has confirmed that it will continue to accept employment-based adjustment of status applications (Form I-485) based on the Dates for Filing chart in November.
After October’s major advances in the Dates for Filing for China-born employment-based applicants, the November Dates for Filing remain unchanged for nearly all countries and categories, so the filing window that opened in October continues through November. Final Action Dates advance steadily in most categories, and the Rest of World (ROW) cut-off dates begin to recover after October’s sharp retrogression. In the family-sponsored categories, F1, F2B, F3 and F4 advance by roughly a full year on both charts for every country except Mexico and the Philippines, the biggest news of the month. Below, LYD Law summarizes the key changes in the November Visa Bulletin and what applicants should do next.
Table 1: Employment-Based A. Final Action Dates
| Category | October 2026 | November 2026 | Advance/Retrogression |
|---|---|---|---|
| EB-1 · China (mainland-born) | 01JUL23 | 01AUG23 | Advanced 31 days |
| EB-2 · All Other Chargeability Areas | 01JAN25 | 01APR25 | Advanced 90 days |
| EB-2 · Mexico | 01JAN25 | 01APR25 | Advanced 90 days |
| EB-2 · Philippines | 01JAN25 | 01APR25 | Advanced 90 days |
| EB-3 · All Other Chargeability Areas | 15MAY24 | 15JUN24 | Advanced 31 days |
| EB-3 · China (mainland-born) | 08JAN22 | 22JAN22 | Advanced 14 days |
| EB-3 · India | 01JAN14 | 22JAN14 | Advanced 21 days |
| EB-3 · Mexico | 15MAY24 | 15JUN24 | Advanced 31 days |
| EW (Other Workers) · All Other Chargeability Areas | 01JAN22 | 01JUN22 | Advanced 151 days |
| EW (Other Workers) · India | 01JAN14 | 22JAN14 | Advanced 21 days |
| EW (Other Workers) · Mexico | 01JAN22 | 01JUN22 | Advanced 151 days |
Table 2: Employment-Based B. Dates for Filing
| Category | October 2026 | November 2026 | Advance/Retrogression |
|---|---|---|---|
| EW (Other Workers) · All Other Chargeability Areas | 01JUN22 | 01JUL22 | Advanced 30 days |
| EW (Other Workers) · Mexico | 01JUN22 | 01JUL22 | Advanced 30 days |
Table 3: Family-Sponsored A. Final Action Dates
| Category | October 2026 | November 2026 | Advance/Retrogression |
|---|---|---|---|
| F1 · All Other Chargeability Areas | 22JAN20 | 22JAN21 | Advanced 366 days |
| F1 · China (mainland-born) | 22JAN20 | 22JAN21 | Advanced 366 days |
| F1 · India | 22JAN20 | 22JAN21 | Advanced 366 days |
| F1 · Mexico | 08SEP08 | 22SEP08 | Advanced 14 days |
| F2A · All Other Chargeability Areas | 22SEP26 | 22OCT26 | Advanced 30 days |
| F2A · China (mainland-born) | 22SEP26 | 22OCT26 | Advanced 30 days |
| F2A · India | 22SEP26 | 22OCT26 | Advanced 30 days |
| F2A · Mexico | 22MAR26 | 22APR26 | Advanced 31 days |
| F2A · Philippines | 22SEP26 | 22OCT26 | Advanced 30 days |
| F2B · All Other Chargeability Areas | 22AUG19 | 22AUG20 | Advanced 366 days |
| F2B · China (mainland-born) | 22AUG19 | 22AUG20 | Advanced 366 days |
| F2B · India | 22AUG19 | 22AUG20 | Advanced 366 days |
| F3 · All Other Chargeability Areas | 22OCT14 | 22OCT15 | Advanced 365 days |
| F3 · China (mainland-born) | 22OCT14 | 22OCT15 | Advanced 365 days |
| F3 · India | 22OCT14 | 22OCT15 | Advanced 365 days |
| F3 · Mexico | 01JUL01 | 15JUL01 | Advanced 14 days |
| F4 · All Other Chargeability Areas | 22OCT11 | 22OCT12 | Advanced 366 days |
| F4 · China (mainland-born) | 22OCT11 | 22OCT12 | Advanced 366 days |
Table 4: Family-Sponsored B. Dates for Filing
| Category | October 2026 | November 2026 | Advance/Retrogression |
|---|---|---|---|
| F1 · All Other Chargeability Areas | 01FEB20 | 01FEB21 | Advanced 366 days |
| F1 · China (mainland-born) | 01FEB20 | 01FEB21 | Advanced 366 days |
| F1 · India | 01FEB20 | 01FEB21 | Advanced 366 days |
| F2B · All Other Chargeability Areas | 01SEP19 | 01SEP20 | Advanced 366 days |
| F2B · China (mainland-born) | 01SEP19 | 01SEP20 | Advanced 366 days |
| F2B · India | 01SEP19 | 01SEP20 | Advanced 366 days |
| F3 · All Other Chargeability Areas | 01NOV14 | 01NOV15 | Advanced 365 days |
| F3 · China (mainland-born) | 01NOV14 | 01NOV15 | Advanced 365 days |
| F3 · India | 01NOV14 | 01NOV15 | Advanced 365 days |
| F4 · All Other Chargeability Areas | 01NOV11 | 01NOV12 | Advanced 366 days |
| F4 · China (mainland-born) | 01NOV11 | 01NOV12 | Advanced 366 days |
Note: Categories not listed in the tables are unchanged.
I. China Employment-Based Highlights: Dates for Filing Hold Steady, and the Filing Window Continues into November
Because USCIS will continue to use the Dates for Filing chart in November, China-born applicants whose priority dates are earlier than the dates below may file Form I-485 with USCIS in November, together with applications for an employment authorization document (EAD) and advance parole:
EB-1 (Extraordinary Ability / Multinational Managers and Executives): Dates for Filing remain at July 1, 2024. Final Action Dates advance 31 days to August 1, 2023.
EB-2 (Advanced Degree / National Interest Waiver): Dates for Filing remain at January 1, 2023. Final Action Dates remain at October 1, 2021.
EB-3 (Professionals and Skilled Workers): Dates for Filing remain at April 1, 2024. Final Action Dates advance 14 days to January 22, 2022.
EW (EB-3 Other Workers): Dates for Filing remain at October 1, 2020. Final Action Dates remain at October 1, 2019.
EB-5 (Unreserved, Direct and Regional Center Investment): Dates for Filing remain at March 1, 2021. Final Action Dates remain at December 1, 2016. The set-aside categories (Rural, High Unemployment and Infrastructure) remain current on both charts.
Notably, the China EB-3 Dates for Filing (April 1, 2024) remain one year and three months ahead of the China EB-2 Dates for Filing (January 1, 2023). The EB-2/EB-3 inversion that appeared in October continues in November.
II. Worldwide, India and Family-Sponsored Updates
Rest of World (ROW) begins to recover: After October’s sharp retrogression, ROW Final Action Dates recover somewhat this month. The worldwide EB-2 Final Action Date advances three months to April 1, 2025. The worldwide EB-3 Final Action Date advances one month to June 15, 2024. The worldwide EW Final Action Date advances about five months to June 1, 2022. On the Dates for Filing chart, only the EW category moves, advancing one month to July 1, 2022; all other categories remain unchanged. Mexico moves in step with the rest of the world, and the Philippines EB-2 Final Action Date likewise advances three months.
India: The India EB-3 and EW Final Action Dates each advance three weeks to January 22, 2014. The India EB-1, EB-2 and EB-5 Final Action Dates remain unchanged.
Major advances in family-sponsored categories: Family-sponsored immigration is the highlight of this month. For applicants from all other chargeability areas, China and India, the F1, F2B and F3 categories advance by roughly one year on both the Final Action Dates and Dates for Filing charts, and F4 also advances one year for all other chargeability areas and China. The F2A (spouses and minor children of permanent residents) Final Action Date advances one month to October 22, 2026, and the F2A Dates for Filing remain current. Please check the USCIS website to confirm whether the Final Action Dates or Dates for Filing chart applies to family-sponsored I-485 filings in November.
III. LYD Law Action Guide
Take advantage of the Dates for Filing window continuing into November: Applicants who did not file in October and whose priority dates are earlier than the Dates for Filing may still file Form I-485 in November. USCIS decides month by month which chart to use and may switch back to the Final Action Dates chart depending on filing volume, so we recommend filing as early as possible. Please make sure all initial evidence, including the medical examination (Form I-693), notarized birth records and proof of maintenance of status, is complete at the time of filing to avoid delays in adjudication.
Continue to evaluate EB-2 to EB-3 downgrading: The China EB-3 Dates for Filing remain one year and three months ahead of EB-2. If your priority date falls between January 2023 and March 2024 and you hold an approved PERM-based EB-2 I-140 (note: an NIW petition cannot be directly downgraded; employer PERM sponsorship is required), contact an attorney to assess whether to file an EB-3 petition concurrently with Form I-485.
Worldwide applicants should watch the recovering Final Action Dates: For worldwide EB-2 and EB-3 applicants affected by October’s retrogression, Final Action Dates have begun to recover this month. We recommend continuing to monitor the bulletin and preparing documents in advance so your case can move forward as soon as your priority date becomes current.
Family-sponsored applicants should check their priority dates promptly: With F1, F2B, F3 and F4 advancing significantly this month, applicants who were previously not current may now be eligible. Please check your priority date and prepare your NVC documents or I-485 application promptly.
Use the Dates for Filing chart to lock in Child Status Protection Act (CSPA) protection: For families with derivative children approaching age 21, filing Form I-485 while the Dates for Filing chart is in use is an important step in securing the CSPA age calculation and preventing children from aging out.
Conclusion
The November Visa Bulletin is stable overall: employment-based Dates for Filing hold steady, extending the filing window; Final Action Dates advance gradually as worldwide cut-off dates begin to recover; and family-sponsored categories take a full-year leap forward. Whether you are preparing to file Form I-485 in November, evaluating an EB-2 to EB-3 downgrade or checking a family-sponsored priority date, now is a critical time to act.
For a one-on-one priority date review and filing strategy assessment, please contact LYD Law’s immigration attorney team.
