Visa Bulletin for October 2025: EB-3 Final Action Dates and Filing Charts

The Department of State has released the Visa Bulletin for October 2025, the first bulletin of Fiscal Year 2026. It provides both Final Action Dates and Dates for Filing Applications for all employment-based preference categories, including EB-3 skilled workers, professionals, and other workers. For FY2026, the worldwide employment-based immigrant visa limit remains at least 140,000, consistent with INA Section 201. The per-country limit is set at 7% of the combined family and employment-based annual limits, equating to 25,620 visas per country. Dependent areas are capped at 2%, or 7,320. Four chargeability areas remain oversubscribed and are subject to per-country prorating provisions: China-mainland born, India, Mexico, and the Philippines. EB-3 applicants born in these countries typically face significantly longer wait times than applicants from other countries. USCIS will indicate on its website (uscis.gov/visabulletininfo) whether applicants may use the more favorable Dates for Filing charts rather than the Final Action Dates for adjustment of status filings. EB-3 applicants should monitor both the USCIS website and monthly bulletins to determine the applicable chart for their filings. Priority date allocations were made in chronological order based on demand received by September 3rd. Applicants with priority dates on or before the listed cutoff dates in their category and country of birth may be eligible to file or receive a visa interview appointment.