US Visa Bulletin September 2026: India Green Card Update

The September 2026 US Visa Bulletin brings a notable shift for Indian families waiting for family-sponsored Green Cards. Several family preference categories moved forward, with some dates advancing by more than a year compared with August, while many employment-based categories remained stalled or unavailable.

The September bulletin is particularly important because it is the final monthly Visa Bulletin of fiscal year 2026. The US Department of State uses the bulletin to determine when immigrant visa numbers are available for different family-sponsored and employment-based categories and countries.

For Indian applicants, the biggest movement is in the family-sponsored categories. The F1 final action date moved from December 15, 2018, to January 22, 2020. F2B advanced by more than 19 months, and F3 moved from May 15, 2012, to October 22, 2014. F2A also moved forward to August 22, 2026.

At the same time, the picture for employment-based applicants is far less encouraging. India‘s EB-2 and EB-5 unreserved categories are listed as unavailable for September, while EB-1 remains at October 15, 2022 and EB-3 remains at January 1, 2014.

That contrast means Indian Green Card applicants need to look beyond the headline movement and understand exactly what their category’s date means.

What the September 2026 Visa Bulletin means for Indian applicants

The Visa Bulletin publishes two major sets of dates: Final Action Dates and Dates for Filing Applications.

The distinction is crucial.

A Final Action Date indicates when an immigrant visa number is available for final approval or issuance. Generally, an applicant’s priority date must be earlier than the listed date for the relevant category and country.

The Dates for Filing chart is different. It identifies when eligible applicants may begin assembling and submitting documentation for immigrant visa processing, subject to the applicable procedures. For adjustment of status applications filed inside the United States, applicants must follow the chart designated for use by US Citizenship and Immigration Services for that particular month.

Therefore, simply seeing a date move forward does not automatically mean every applicant in that category can immediately receive a Green Card.

The applicant’s priority date, preference category, country of chargeability and whether the case is being processed through consular processing or adjustment of status all matter.

Family-sponsored Green Card dates move significantly for India

The September bulletin provides some of the most substantial movement seen by Indian family-sponsored applicants in the latest update.

The table shows why the September bulletin is particularly significant for some Indian families. The movement is not uniform across all categories.

For example, an Indian applicant in F3 with a priority date before October 22, 2014, is now within the September Final Action Date, assuming all other requirements are satisfied. An F1 applicant needs a priority date earlier than January 22, 2020, under the September final-action chart.

Meanwhile, F4 applicants receive no advancement in the final action date and remain subject to a November 1, 2006 cutoff.

F1 category gets a major jump

The F1 category covers unmarried sons and daughters of US citizens WHO are 21 or older.

For Indian applicants, the F1 final action date moves from December 15, 2018, in August to January 22, 2020, in September.

That is a substantial advance of more than one year.

For families that have been waiting for a long period, this type of movement can have practical importance. Applicants whose priority dates are now earlier than the new cutoff may move closer to final immigrant visa issuance, provided the other requirements of their cases have been completed.

The movement also demonstrates why applicants should check each monthly bulletin rather than relying on an old estimate of when their Green Card might become available.

F2A moves close to the present date

The F2A category covers spouses and minor children of US lawful permanent residents.

For India, its September Final Action Date advances from July 22, 2026, to August 22, 2026.

That puts the cutoff only about a week behind the beginning of September.

There is an additional technical detail in the September bulletin. F2A numbers that are exempt from the per-country limit have different treatment from numbers subject to that limit. The State Department specifies separate rules for priority dates in this category.

For families following the F2A route, this means the simple movement from one date to another does not tell the entire story. The exact type of visa number available can affect whether a particular applicant’s priority date qualifies.

F2B applicants also see substantial progress

The F2B category covers unmarried sons and daughters, age 21 or older, of permanent residents.

For Indian applicants, the final action date moves from January 1, 2018, to August 22, 2019.

That is one of the largest advances in the September bulletin, at roughly 19 and a half months.

The movement could be particularly relevant for families whose cases have been waiting just beyond the previous cutoff. However, applicants should remember that a priority date must generally be earlier than the listed Final Action Date, not simply equal to it.

F3 advances by more than two years

Another major development is in the F3 category, which covers married sons and daughters of US citizens.

India’s F3 final action date jumps from May 15, 2012, to October 22, 2014.

This is an advance of more than two years and represents one of the clearest examples of the family-sponsored movement in September.

Applicants with older F3 priority dates should therefore pay particular attention to their case status and ensure that required documentation and other processing steps are in order.

However, applicants should not interpret the date movement as a guarantee of immediate Green Card issuance. Visa availability is only one part of the immigration process.

F4 remains stuck in the same position

The F4 category is for brothers and sisters of adult US citizens.

Unlike F1, F2B and F3, F4 did not move for India in September. Its Final Action Date remains November 1, 2006.

That means the improvement in other family-sponsored categories does not translate into broad relief for every family-based applicant.

For people waiting under F4, the unchanged date is a reminder of how different immigration backlogs can be between preference categories, even when the applicants are from the same country.

Employment-based Green Card applicants face a very different picture

The September bulletin presents a much more difficult situation for Indian employment-based applicants.

EB-1 remains at October 15, 2022, while EB-3 remains at January 1, 2014. EB-4 advances from October 15 to December 15, 2022.

But the biggest issue is the word “Unavailable.”

India’s EB-2 category is unavailable in September, and the State Department has warned that increased demand and visa-number use could require continued restrictions. The department is also warning that EB-5 unreserved numbers may be unavailable or subject to further changes as fiscal year 2026 closes.

Why India’s EB-2 category is unavailable

The EB-2 category covers members of professions holding advanced degrees and people considered to have exceptional ability.

The State Department had already announced that the available EB-2 immigrant visas for India for fiscal year 2026 had been used. As a result, no additional EB-2 immigrant visas for India could be issued during the remainder of the fiscal year.

The annual employment-based visa limits reset when the new fiscal year begins on October 1, 2026.

This does not mean that Indian EB-2 applicants have permanently lost eligibility. Rather, the September “Unavailable” designation reflects the exhaustion of the applicable visa numbers for fiscal year 2026.

What happens after October 1 will depend on the new fiscal year’s available numbers, demand and the State Department’s allocation of visas.

EB-5 has also hit a major limit for India

The EB-5 category provides an immigration route for qualifying investors who meet the program’s requirements.

The State Department previously announced that India’s annual limit for the EB-5 unreserved category had been reached for fiscal year 2026. The department said available numbers had been used by June 5, 2026, meaning immigrant visas in the category could not be issued for the rest of that fiscal year.

The new fiscal year begins October 1, when the annual limits reset.

This explains why the September bulletin continues to show EB-5 unreserved as unavailable even though the category may receive new numbers in fiscal year 2027.

Why the September movement is happening

The State Department says visa availability can change depending on the number of applicants, the pace of visa issuance and annual statutory limits.

For fiscal year 2026, the worldwide family-sponsored preference limit is 226,000, while the worldwide employment-based preference limit is 186,317.

Immigration Law also establishes per-country limits for preference immigrants. India is one of the countries affected by the demand and allocation rules associated with oversubscribed categories.

The State Department has said that changes in immigrant visa issuance rates and other administration actions have affected demand patterns, allowing dates to advance in several categories during recent months. But the department has also warned that increased demand could require dates to retrogress.

In other words, a large jump in one month should not automatically be treated as the beginning of a permanent trend.

Could Green Card dates move backward again?

Yes. The September bulletin itself warns that retrogression may become necessary if demand increases or visa numbers are used more quickly than anticipated.

Retrogression occurs when a Final Action Date moves backward instead of forward. An applicant who was previously close to visa availability can therefore find that the date is no longer current for their case.

The State Department also warns that categories can become unavailable if the annual limit is reached.

This is especially relevant at the end of a fiscal year because government agencies are working within fixed annual numerical limits.

Therefore, September’s substantial family-category advances should be viewed as an opportunity for eligible applicants, not as a promise that similar movement will continue every month.

What Indian Green Card applicants should check now

Applicants who saw their category move forward should compare the September bulletin with their own immigration records.

• Check the preference category: Confirm whether the case is F1, F2A, F2B, F3, F4 or an employment-based category.
• Find the priority date: This is the date that determines where the case falls in the Visa Bulletin queue.
• Compare the date carefully: For Final Action Dates, the priority date generally must be earlier than the published cutoff.
• Check the correct chart: Visa applicants processing through a US consulate and people seeking adjustment of status may have different filing procedures.
• Watch USCIS instructions: Adjustment-of-status applicants should confirm which Visa Bulletin chart USCIS has designated for the month.
• Keep documents ready: Applicants who are approaching eligibility should make sure their supporting documentation and case information are current.

The most important point is that a favorable movement in the Visa Bulletin does not by itself approve a Green Card. It indicates visa-number availability under the applicable cutoff rules.

What the September 2026 bulletin means for families

The latest bulletin creates a sharply divided picture for Indians waiting for US permanent residence.

For family-sponsored applicants, September brings genuine movement. F1 advances to January 22, 2020, F2B reaches August 22, 2019, and F3 moves to October 22, 2014. F2A advances to August 22, 2026, while F4 remains unchanged.

For employment-based applicants, the situation is more constrained. EB-1 remains at October 15, 2022, EB-3 remains at January 1, 2014, and EB-4 moves to December 15, 2022. EB-2 and EB-5 unreserved remain unavailable for India for September.

The difference reflects how the US Immigration system allocates limited immigrant visa numbers across categories and countries. It also shows why the same monthly bulletin can bring major relief to one group while offering little immediate benefit to another.

What to expect when fiscal year 2027 begins

The next major checkpoint will be October 1, 2026, when fiscal year 2027 begins.

The reset of annual employment-based visa numbers could change the situation for categories that became unavailable during fiscal year 2026. However, the exact dates that will appear in the October Visa Bulletin cannot be known until the State Department makes its new allocation decisions based on available numbers and demand.

That makes the September bulletin both an important update and a transition point.

For Indian family-sponsored applicants, the significant advances provide a reason to review cases that may have become eligible. For employment-based applicants, the unavailable EB-2 and EB-5 categories highlight the importance of watching the October reset rather than assuming that September’s restrictions will continue indefinitely.

The broader lesson is straightforward: Visa Bulletin movement can be significant, but it is never a substitute for checking the exact category, priority date and filing rules that apply to an individual case.

For thousands of Indian families, September 2026 therefore brings some of the most meaningful family-sponsored Green Card movement of the year, even as employment-based applicants approach the new fiscal year facing a much more uncertain outlook.