January 2026 Visa Bulletin: EB Categories Advance With No Regressions

The U.S. Department of State released the January 2026 Visa Bulletin with positive news for employment-based immigrant visa applicants. Most EB visa categories demonstrated forward movement in their priority dates, with no categories experiencing retrogressions compared to the prior month. For EB-3 applicants — including skilled workers, professionals, and other workers — the lack of regressions is a stabilizing signal heading into the new year. Forward movement in priority dates means more applicants may become current and eligible to file adjustment of status applications or receive immigrant visa interviews. The bulletin also includes updates to the Diversity Visa (DV) program, which runs parallel to employment-based categories and affects nationals of countries with historically low immigration rates to the United States. Applicants are advised to verify their specific country of chargeability and preference category against the Final Action Dates and Dates for Filing charts in the official bulletin. Movement can vary significantly by country, particularly for high-demand nations such as India and China in the EB-3 category. Immigration attorneys recommend that applicants consult with their legal counsel promptly, as visa availability windows can shift month to month and timely filing is critical to preserving priority dates.