Visa Bulletin November 2026: Final Action Dates Advance, Filing Dates Hold

The State Department released the November 2026 Visa Bulletin on October 22. Final Action Dates advanced in EB-1, EB-2, and EB-3 for several countries, while the Dates for Filing chart, which USCIS is again using for employment-based filings, barely changed. More pending cases can be approved this month, but very few people can newly file.

Which chart does USCIS use for November 2026?

The Dates for Filing chart, for every employment-based category. The bulletin defaults to Final Action Dates unless USCIS posts a notice on its Adjustment of Status Filing Charts page allowing the filing chart instead. It did so for October and again for November.

The November filing chart matches October's in every employment-based cell except EB-3 Other Workers for rest of world and Mexico, which advances one month to July 1, 2022. Anyone eligible to file last month is still eligible, so the country sections below cover final action dates only.

India

EB-1 India holds at February 1, 2023, and EB-2 India holds at November 1, 2013. EB-3 India advances three weeks, from January 1, 2014 to January 22, 2014, and EB-3 Other Workers India moves to the same date.

China

EB-1 China advances one month, from July 1, 2023 to August 1, 2023. EB-2 China holds at October 1, 2021. EB-3 China advances two weeks, from January 8, 2022 to January 22, 2022, while EB-3 Other Workers China holds at October 1, 2019.

Rest of world, Mexico, and the Philippines

EB-1 remains current. EB-2 is the biggest mover of the month: final action dates for rest of world, Mexico, and the Philippines advance three months, from January 1, 2025 to April 1, 2025, regaining ground after EB-2 retrogressed in the October bulletin.

EB-3 for rest of world and Mexico advances one month, from May 15, 2024 to June 15, 2024. EB-3 Philippines holds at August 15, 2023. EB-3 Other Workers for rest of world and Mexico jumps five months, from January 1, 2022 to June 1, 2022, while the Philippines holds at January 1, 2022.

What changes for HR and mobility teams this month

More EB-2 and EB-3 cases can close in November. Three groups just became approvable: EB-2 employees from rest of world, Mexico, or the Philippines with priority dates from January through March 2025; EB-3 rest of world and Mexico employees with dates from May 15 to June 14, 2024; and EB-3 Other Workers from rest of world and Mexico with dates from January through May 2022. If their I-485s are pending, make sure employment verification letters are current so an RFE does not hold up an approval.

Only one new group can file: Other Workers with June 2022 priority dates. EB-3 Other Workers employees from rest of world or Mexico with priority dates in June 2022 can file I-485s for the first time. Everyone else on the filing chart was already eligible in October, so any of those cases that did not go out last month should go out now. USCIS required Final Action Dates for filings from May through September 2026 and can switch back with any bulletin.

What changes for green card applicants this month

Small moves for China and India still open new approvals. EB-1 China applicants with July 2023 priority dates, EB-3 China applicants with dates from January 8 to 21, 2022, and EB-3 and Other Workers India applicants with dates from January 1 to 21, 2014 are now within the final action date. A pending I-485 in one of these windows can be approved, and consular cases become eligible for an interview.

Nothing new to file unless you are in Other Workers. If your EB-3 Other Workers priority date is in June 2022 and you are from anywhere other than China, India, or the Philippines, you can file your I-485, along with work and travel authorization, for the first time this month.

This post is for general information and is not legal advice. Talk to an immigration attorney about your specific case.

Sources

• Visa Bulletin for November 2026, U.S. Department of State
• Adjustment of status filing charts, USCIS