April 2026 Visa Bulletin: Attorney Analysis of Key Filing Date Movements

The Department of State's April 2026 Visa Bulletin continues a positive trend, with filing and final action dates advancing for the second month in a row. Immigration attorneys are noting that these movements may open new filing windows for applicants who have been waiting for their priority dates to become current. For EB-1 and EB-2 applicants in particular, the forward movement in dates represents a meaningful opportunity to initiate or advance their adjustment of status applications. When filing dates move forward, applicants with earlier priority dates may become eligible to submit Form I-485 even before their final action date is reached, depending on USCIS's acceptance of the filing chart. While the article primarily addresses EB-1 and EB-2 categories, movements in the Visa Bulletin often have downstream effects on EB-3 applicants as well, particularly those who have downgraded from EB-2 to EB-3 to take advantage of more favorable cutoff dates in certain countries of chargeability. EB-3 applicants are advised to review both the Final Action Dates and Dates for Filing charts in the April 2026 Visa Bulletin to determine whether their priority date is now current or approaching currency.