October 2026 Visa Bulletin Finally Released: EB-3 Retrogression 4 Months Back Despite New FY Relief for Indians

The October 2026 Visa Bulletin, which faced an unusual delay before release, officially opens the new federal fiscal year (FY2027) and resets annual green card quotas. For Indian nationals in employment-based categories, the new fiscal year traditionally provides a brief window of forward movement as fresh numbers become available — and some Indians are seeing incremental relief as a result. However, the bulletin brings significant setbacks as well. EB-3 priority dates have retrogressed approximately four months, meaning applicants whose cases were previously current may now face additional waiting periods before they can file or receive approval for adjustment of status. This type of retrogression typically occurs when USCIS exhausts available visa numbers faster than anticipated. EB-2 India also faces retrogression in the October bulletin, a recurring pattern that reflects the severe per-country backlog for Indian-born applicants. Rest-of-World (ROW) EB-2 is similarly impacted, indicating broader demand pressures across employment-based categories entering the new fiscal year. For applicants tracking the Dates for Filing chart, it is critical to verify which chart USCIS has designated as actionable for October 2026, as the agency determines monthly whether to use the Final Action Dates or Dates for Filing chart for I-485 submissions. USCIS I-485 surprise notices have also been a trending concern, suggesting some applicants are receiving unexpected correspondence. EB-3 applicants should closely monitor the November 2026 bulletin for any corrections and consult with their immigration attorneys before taking action based on October dates alone, particularly given the retrogression and the bulletin's delayed release this cycle.