Visa Bulletin for April 2026 Released by State Department

The U.S. Department of State has released the Visa Bulletin for April 2026, which provides the latest priority dates for all immigrant visa categories including employment-based preferences. The bulletin serves as the official monthly guide for determining visa availability for foreign nationals waiting in the immigration queue. For EB-3 applicants — including skilled workers, professionals, and unskilled workers — the April 2026 bulletin establishes the cutoff dates that determine who may move forward with their immigrant visa application or adjustment of status. Applicants whose priority dates are earlier than the published cutoff dates may be eligible to proceed. Immigrants from high-demand countries such as India, China, Mexico, and the Philippines are particularly affected by the monthly bulletin, as these nationalities often face longer backlogs due to per-country caps. Any movement — forward or backward — in the EB-3 cutoff dates for these countries can have significant implications for thousands of pending applicants. EB-3 applicants and their attorneys should review the April 2026 bulletin in detail to assess whether their priority date has become current and whether they should take action, such as filing Form I-485 for adjustment of status if USCIS confirms the use of the Dates for Filing chart.