With the federal government's Fiscal Year 2027 officially beginning on October 1, 2026, annual immigrant visa allocations have reset. The U.S. Department of State has released the highly anticipated October 2026 Visa Bulletin, and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has confirmed that it will accept adjustment of status applications based on the Dates for Filing chart in October.

For employment-based applicants born in Mainland China, this new fiscal year bulletin delivers a long-awaited, massive leap forward, with major categories advancing by several months to multiple years in the Dates for Filing chart! At the same time, cut-off dates for the Rest of the World (ROW) experienced rare and significant retrogressions due to annual quota management. Below is LYD Law's breakdown of the core October shifts and your strategic action guide.

Table 1: Employment-Based A. Final Action Dates

Category	September 2026	October 2026	Advance/Retrogression
EB-1 · India	15OCT22	01FEB23	Advanced 109 days
EB-2 · All Other Chargeability Areas	C	01JAN25	C to cut-off date (retrogressed)
EB-2 · China (mainland-born)	01SEP21	01OCT21	Advanced 30 days
EB-2 · India	U	01NOV13	U to available
EB-2 · Mexico	C	01JAN25	C to cut-off date (retrogressed)
EB-2 · Philippines	C	01JAN25	C to cut-off date (retrogressed)
EB-3 · All Other Chargeability Areas	01SEP24	15MAY24	Retrogressed 109 days
EB-3 · China (mainland-born)	01JAN22	08JAN22	Advanced 7 days
EB-3 · Mexico	01SEP24	15MAY24	Retrogressed 109 days
EB-3 · Philippines	01AUG23	15AUG23	Advanced 14 days
EW (Other Workers) · All Other Chargeability Areas	01APR22	01JAN22	Retrogressed 90 days
EW (Other Workers) · China (mainland-born)	01MAY19	01OCT19	Advanced 153 days
EW (Other Workers) · Mexico	01APR22	01JAN22	Retrogressed 90 days
EW (Other Workers) · Philippines	01DEC21	01JAN22	Advanced 31 days
EB-5 Unreserved · India	U	01DEC23	U to available

Table 2: Employment-Based B. Dates for Filing

Category	September 2026	October 2026	Advance/Retrogression
EB-1 · China (mainland-born)	01DEC23	01JUL24	Advanced 213 days
EB-1 · India	01DEC23	01JUL24	Advanced 213 days
EB-2 · All Other Chargeability Areas	C	15MAR26	C to cut-off date (retrogressed)
EB-2 · China (mainland-born)	01JAN22	01JAN23	Advanced 365 days
EB-2 · Mexico	C	15MAR26	C to cut-off date (retrogressed)
EB-2 · Philippines	C	15MAR26	C to cut-off date (retrogressed)
EB-3 · All Other Chargeability Areas	C	01AUG24	C to cut-off date (retrogressed)
EB-3 · China (mainland-born)	08JAN22	01APR24	Advanced 814 days
EB-3 · Mexico	C	01AUG24	C to cut-off date (retrogressed)
EW (Other Workers) · All Other Chargeability Areas	01AUG22	01JUN22	Retrogressed 61 days
EW (Other Workers) · China (mainland-born)	01OCT19	01OCT20	Advanced 366 days
EW (Other Workers) · Mexico	01AUG22	01JUN22	Retrogressed 61 days
EW (Other Workers) · Philippines	01AUG22	01JUN22	Retrogressed 61 days
EB-4 · All Chargeability Areas	01JAN23	01JAN25	Advanced 731 days
Certain Religious Workers · All Chargeability Areas	01JAN23	01JAN25	Advanced 731 days
EB-5 Unreserved · China (mainland-born)	01MAR17	01MAR21	Advanced 1461 days

Table 3: Family-Sponsored A. Final Action Dates

Category	September 2026	October 2026	Advance/Retrogression
F1 · Mexico	01JAN08	08SEP08	Advanced 251 days
F1 · Philippines	01MAY13	01NOV13	Advanced 184 days
F2A · All Other Chargeability Areas	22AUG26	22SEP26	Advanced 31 days
F2A · China (mainland-born)	22AUG26	22SEP26	Advanced 31 days
F2A · India	22AUG26	22SEP26	Advanced 31 days
F2A · Mexico	22AUG25	22MAR26	Advanced 212 days
F2A · Philippines	22AUG26	22SEP26	Advanced 31 days
F2B · Mexico	15FEB09	15MAY10	Advanced 454 days
F2B · Philippines	01JUN13	01OCT13	Advanced 122 days
F3 · Philippines	22FEB06	22JUL06	Advanced 150 days
F4 · India	01NOV06	15DEC06	Advanced 44 days
F4 · Mexico	08APR01	22APR01	Advanced 14 days
F4 · Philippines	22AUG07	15MAY08	Advanced 267 days

Table 4: Family-Sponsored B. Dates for Filing

Category	September 2026	October 2026	Advance/Retrogression
F2B · Mexico	15MAY10	22MAR11	Advanced 311 days
F2B · Philippines	01OCT13	01OCT14	Advanced 365 days
F3 · Mexico	15JUL01	01DEC02	Advanced 504 days
F3 · Philippines	08AUG06	22OCT06	Advanced 75 days
F4 · India	15DEC06	01FEB07	Advanced 48 days
F4 · Philippines	22MAR08	22MAR09	Advanced 365 days

Note: Unnoted categories in the table indicate no change.

I. Mainland China Employment-Based Highlights: Massive Leaps in Chart B

In October, applicants whose priority dates are earlier than the Dates for Filing (Chart B) cutoff dates listed below can formally submit their Form I-485 adjustment of status applications—along with concurrent EAD work permit and Advance Parole travel document applications:

EB-1 (Extraordinary Ability / Multinational Executives): Chart B advances 213 days (7 months) to July 1, 2024; Chart A remains at July 1, 2023.
EB-2 (Advanced Degrees / NIW): Chart B surges ahead by 365 days (1 full year) to January 1, 2023; Chart A advances 30 days to October 1, 2021.
EB-3 (Professionals and Skilled Workers): Chart B skyrockets by 814 days (over 2 years and 2 months) to April 1, 2024; Chart A advances 7 days to January 8, 2022.
EW (EB-3 Other Workers): Chart B advances 366 days to October 1, 2020; Chart A advances 153 days to October 1, 2019.
EB-5 (Unreserved - Direct & Regional Center): Chart B leaps forward 1,461 days (4 full years) to March 1, 2021; Chart A remains at December 1, 2016. All EB-5 Set-Aside categories (Rural, High Unemployment, Infrastructure) remain Current on both charts.

II. Global Trends, India Reopenings, and Family-Based Updates

Beyond the dramatic gains for Chinese applicants, the October bulletin signals significant shifts across global immigration categories:

Worldwide EB-2 and EB-3 Retrogression: To keep visa allocations within quarterly and annual statutory limits, the State Department sharply rolled back dates for the Rest of the World (ROW). The worldwide EB-2 Final Action Date dropped by 1 year and 9 months to January 1, 2025 (with Dates for Filing retrogressing 6.5 months to March 15, 2026). The worldwide EB-3 Dates for Filing retrogressed by over 2 years to August 1, 2024. Because the bulletin was released late on September 29, affected worldwide applicants were left with fewer than 48 hours to have their applications received by USCIS before the October cutoffs took effect.
India Visa Numbers Reopen: Indian applicants also saw a 7-month leap in the EB-1 Dates for Filing chart (advancing to July 1, 2024). In addition, India's EB-2 and Unreserved EB-5 Final Action dates, which became unavailable in September due to exhausted quotas, have officially reopened for the new fiscal year.
Family-Based Forward Movement: In family-sponsored preferences, the F2A Final Action Date for spouses and children of permanent residents advanced by 1 month to September 22, 2026 across most of the world, including China.

III. Critical Warnings & LYD Law Strategic Action Guide

The opening of the Dates for Filing chart at the start of a fiscal year comes with high time sensitivity; USCIS frequently closes Chart B after several months once it reaches its filing targets. To navigate the upcoming wave of submissions, LYD Law advises applicants to act decisively:

Sprint to File in October with 100% Complete Evidence: Applicants whose priority dates are current under Chart B should finalize their I-485 filing packages immediately. Under USCIS's strict evidentiary rules, officers possess full discretion to issue outright denials without an RFE for missing initial evidence. Ensure that Form I-693 medical exams, certified vital records, and continuous lawful status documents are completely assembled before mailing.
Leverage the EB-3 Advancement via a "Downgrade" Strategy: For Mainland China, the October EB-3 Date for Filing (April 1, 2024) is a full 15 months ahead of the EB-2 Date for Filing (January 1, 2023). If you hold an approved employer-sponsored PERM EB-2 I-140 with a priority date between January 2023 and March 2024 (note: self-petitioned NIWs cannot be directly downgraded without an underlying PERM labor certification), consult with counsel immediately to evaluate filing an EB-3 downgrade concurrently with Form I-485 to lock in your work authorization and green card queue.
Prepare for Chart B Closure or Steep Retrogression: The massive 15-month gap between EB-3 and EB-2 will inevitably push a surge of EB-2 applicants into the EB-3 downgrade channel. Historically, once USCIS receives a massive influx of filings in October and November, authorities often abruptly shut down Chart B or impose steep retrogressions on EB-3. Filing early in the fiscal year is the most reliable way to secure your benefits before the window shuts.
Lock in Child Status Protection Act (CSPA) Coverage: For families with dependent children nearing the age of 21, submitting Form I-485 while Chart B remains open is a vital step toward freezing the child's age under the CSPA and preventing age-out complications.

Conclusion

The starting gun for FY 2027 has officially fired. In the face of an imminent filing surge, speed and meticulous preparation are paramount. Whether you are filing an adjustment of status directly, pursuing a strategic EB-2 to EB-3 downgrade, or protecting your dependent children under the CSPA, this is the most critical window of the year.

Do not wait until the opportunity slips away. Contact the experienced immigration team at LYD Law today for an individual priority date audit and downgrade evaluation to secure your place in the new fiscal year green card queue!

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