Visa Bulletin for January 2026: EB-3 Final Action Dates and Filing Guidance

The Department of State has released the January 2026 Visa Bulletin, the tenth bulletin of Fiscal Year 2026. The bulletin governs when employment-based and family-sponsored immigrant visa applicants may file adjustment of status applications or proceed with consular processing. Allocations were made based on demand received through December 2nd, in chronological order of priority dates. For FY2026, the worldwide employment-based preference immigrant visa limit stands at a minimum of 140,000 annually. The per-country cap is set at 7% of the combined family-sponsored and employment-based annual limits, equating to 25,620 visas per country. This cap continues to create significant backlogs for nationals of high-demand countries. Four countries remain designated as oversubscribed chargeability areas: China (mainland born), India, Mexico, and the Philippines. Applicants born in these countries face longer waits due to the per-country limits and high demand, particularly in the EB-3 skilled worker and professional categories. EB-3 applicants should verify whether USCIS has authorized the use of the 'Dates for Filing' chart (which may allow earlier filing) versus the mandatory 'Final Action Dates' chart. USCIS posts this determination at uscis.gov/visabulletininfo at the start of each month. Applicants with priority dates approaching the cutoff dates should ensure their documentation is assembled and ready for submission to the National Visa Center or USCIS. Any retrogression in final action dates during the monthly allocation process may suspend eligibility to file until dates advance again.