November 2026 Visa Bulletin: India EB-3 Priority Date Advances, EB-1 & EB-2 Hold Steady

The U.S. Department of State has released the November 2026 Visa Bulletin, delivering encouraging news for Indian nationals in the EB-3 employment-based preference category. Priority dates for India EB-3 have moved forward, offering hope to thousands of skilled workers and professionals who have been waiting in the backlog queue. In contrast, the EB-1 (priority workers) and EB-2 (professionals with advanced degrees or exceptional ability) categories remain static for November, with no forward movement in their cutoff dates. This pattern highlights the ongoing disparity in demand and visa number allocation across employment-based preference categories. For EB-3 applicants from India, any forward movement in priority dates is significant given the historically long backlogs driven by per-country caps. Even incremental advances can bring applicants measurably closer to eligibility for immigrant visa issuance or adjustment of status filing. Applicants are advised to compare their individual priority dates against both the 'Final Action Dates' and 'Dates for Filing' charts in the November bulletin. USCIS typically announces separately which chart is in effect for adjustment of status applications, which can affect eligibility to file Form I-485. Immigration practitioners recommend that India-born EB-3 applicants review the November bulletin closely and consult with their attorneys to assess whether new filing windows have opened. Continued monitoring of monthly bulletins remains essential as priority date movement can be unpredictable.