The federal fiscal year commences on October 1, introducing reopened green card classifications, stricter Medicaid eligibility requirements for certain immigrants, and enhanced social media review procedures for visa candidates.
These modifications determine whether particular immigrants can progress existing applications, maintain healthcare benefits, or encounter heightened examination.
Employment-based green card applicants from India, select noncitizens enrolled in Medicaid or CHIP, international journalists, and specific professionals from Canada and Mexico represent groups experiencing these impacts.
Change in employment Green Card dates as new fiscal year kicks off
In October, two categories will be reopened for India, while some worldwide employment cutoffs moved backward.
Who gets to move ahead with their Green Card applications in October?
October's biggest immigration news is the State Department dropping their October 2026 Visa Bulletin.
This monthly report lays out the key dates that tell family-based and work-based green card hopefuls when they are able to file their paperwork or get their final green light.
Also Read: US visa bond: Is India affected from $20,000 deposit rule? Check full list
{{/usCountry}}Also Read: US visa bond: Is India affected from $20,000 deposit rule? Check full list
{{/usCountry}}Two employment-based visa categories for Indian applicants that were unavailable in September have reopened following the allocation of additional visa numbers for fiscal year 2027.
India's EB-2 category, designated for professionals holding advanced degrees or demonstrating exceptional ability, now has a Final Action Date of November 1, 2013. Applicants whose priority date precedes this date may qualify for visa issuance or green card application approval.
India's unreserved EB-5 category, designated for immigrant investors not utilizing any of the program's specially protected investment categories, becomes available again with a cutoff date of December 1, 2023.
The EB-1 India priority date, which encompasses priority workers including individuals with extraordinary ability, distinguished professors or researchers, and certain multinational executives, shifts forward from October 15, 2022, to February 1, 2023.
China experiences notably major changes in the Dates for Filing chart, which establishes the timeline when applicants may be permitted to file their documentation even though their green card approval remains pending.
China's EB-3 filing date, encompassing skilled workers, professionals, and certain additional workers, moves forward from January 8, 2022, to April 1, 2024. The nation's unreserved EB-5 filing date for immigrant investors advances from March 1, 2017, to March 1, 2021.
Some Green Card applicants see delays
Not all applicants benefit equally.
The EB-2 Final Action Date for the majority of countries, including Mexico and the Philippines, transitions from "Current," indicating no cutoff was enforced, to January 1, 2025.
EB-3 for most countries and Mexico regresses from September 1 to May 15, 2024.
This regressive movement is referred to as retrogression and indicates that fewer applicants qualify for immediate approval eligibility.
The State Department stated that it adjusted certain employment-based dates in a backward direction to ensure the quantity of visas distributed remains aligned with quarterly and annual allocation caps.
Benefits for family-sponsored visa categories
Family-sponsored applicants experience increasingly positive progress.
The F2A category, which encompasses spouses and unmarried children under 21 of lawful permanent residents, progresses by one month to September 22, 2026, across most nations.
Mexico's F2A priority date advances by seven months to March 22, 2026.
The F2B Mexico category, which encompasses unmarried sons and daughters aged 21 and above of lawful permanent residents, progresses to May 15, 2010.
The Philippines' F4 classification, encompassing brothers and sisters of adult U.S. citizens, advances to May 15, 2008.
The actual consequence is contingent upon which of the bulletin's two charts an applicant is permitted to reference.
A Final Action Date establishes the point at which an immigrant visa may be granted or an application for permanent resident status filed from within the United States may obtain final approval.
A Filing Date may enable applicants to submit their documentation in advance, prior to visa issuance.
People seeking permanent residency status while residing within the United States should verify which chart the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has designated for October.
Medicaid and CHIP coverage eligibility becomes more restrictive
Beginning October 1, federally financed Medicaid and CHIP programs will primarily restrict eligibility to lawful permanent residents, Cuban and Haitian entrants, individuals lawfully residing under Compacts of Free Association, and eligible children or pregnant individuals in states that have adopted the relevant coverage provisions.
This policy modification eliminates coverage access for several other lawfully present populations, including certain refugees and asylees who have not obtained permanent resident status.
Emergency Medicaid coverage will continue to be accessible for individuals meeting its established criteria, while states retain the option to utilize state funding to extend coverage more broadly.
According to KFF, the Congressional Budget Office projects that these Medicaid and CHIP limitations will decrease federal expenditures by $6.2 billion and result in approximately 100,000 additional uninsured individuals by 2034.
State Dept expands social media screening
Effective October 1, the State Department will broaden its digital-presence evaluation to encompass I visas for international journalists, TN visas for eligible professionals from Canada and Mexico, and TD visas for their family members.
Applicants within these classifications must configure all social media accounts to "public" or "open" settings.
According to the department, it leverages accessible data to evaluate qualification requirements and detect potential threats to national security or public welfare.