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Case Stories
⏳ EB-3 Policy Update - USCIS Chart A Switch May 2026 Filing Impact
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⏳ **Case Status: Pending**
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USCIS switched from Chart B to Chart A for May 2026, closing the I-485 filing window for many applicants who were eligible under Chart B in April. India EB-3 applicants with a 14-month priority date band lost their filing window, and EB-3 Rest of World applicants with 2024-2025 priority dates are also affected. Applicants who already filed before April 30 are unaffected.
Effective May 1, 2026, USCIS switched from Chart B (Dates for Filing) to Chart A (Final Action Dates), ending six consecutive months of Chart B usage from October 2025 through April 2026. The impact varies by category: India EB-3 applicants face a 14-month priority date band that was eligible in April but locked out in May; India EB-2 sees a 6-month lockout; EB-3 Rest of World moved from Current under Chart B to a June 1, 2024 cutoff under Chart A, eliminating 2024-2025 priority dates; F2A dropped from Current to mid-2023/2024 cutoffs. Applications already pending are unaffected - EAD, AP, and AC21 protections continue. USCIS will reject filings submitted with priority dates not current under Chart A. The June 2026 bulletin, typically released mid-month, may or may not revert to Chart B.
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**[📎 View Original Post](https://www.reddit.com/r/greencard/comments/1t1uycb/uscis_switched_to_chart_a_for_may_2026_and_the/)**
*Source: Reddit EB-3 search*
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*This post was automatically curated from online sources to share real case experiences with the community.*
The Chart A/B switch is one of the most disruptive monthly changes USCIS can make. Historically, when USCIS uses Chart B for several consecutive months then reverts to Chart A, it signals the State Department is managing visa number consumption more tightly - often ahead of fiscal year-end (September 30). Applicants locked out should monitor the June bulletin closely but should not attempt to file speculatively. Those already in the pipeline with pending I-485s retain all benefits regardless of the chart switch. India EB-3 backlogs have historically shown priority date movement of 1-3 weeks per month on average, so a 14-month gap represents a meaningful multi-year delay in regaining filing eligibility under Chart A.