The Visa Bulletin for October 2026 brings exciting news for many green card hopefuls, as fresh visa allocations open up for the 2027 fiscal year.
The most significant shifts are benefiting employment-based applicants hailing from India.
Two categories that had been inaccessible during September have resumed operations, whereas the application deadline for Indian nationals in the EB-1 priority-worker classification has advanced. However, the bulletin presents a mixed outlook.
New visa allocations raise hopes for Green Card seekers
As the State Department worked to reduce the number of visas issued annually, some employment-based categories that covered the majority of nations, Mexico, and the Philippines declined.
The most significant issue with the bulletin, according to former senior USCIS official Ricky Murray, was its delayed release, which gave impacted applicants less than two days to submit petitions and applications to USCIS.
That demand is impractical and largely unachievable, Murray stated to Newsweek, emphasizing that USCIS requires receipt of the documents by September, rather than applicants submitting them by month's end.
Visa bulletin highlights changes for Indian employment-based applicants
However, Murray acknowledged certain positive modifications to employment-based visa categories for candidates, calling the comprehensive situation as encompassing "the bad," "the good," and "the curious."
The concerning development was that the final action date for National Interest Waiver applicants outside of India had regressed to January 1, 2025. Similarly, the positive development was that India's EB-2 and unreserved EB-5 visa categories had resumed availability following a period of unavailability.
"The curious is the entire DV section is missing on the October bulletin," Murray stated.
While acknowledging that the exclusion does not provide precise insight into future outcomes, he emphasized that it cannot provide reassurance to DV lottery applicants that the program will continue operating through 2027.
Impact on Indian applicants: Employment-based visa modifications explained
India's EB-2 category, which encompasses advanced degree holders and individuals demonstrating exceptional ability, became available again following its closure in September.
With an October Final Action Date established as November 1, 2013, applicants whose priority dates precede this threshold are now eligible to pursue final approval.
India's unreserved EB-5 investor category has also reopened, featuring a Final Action Date of December 1, 2023. This category had similarly been closed during September.
EB-1 India progressed from October 15, 2022, advancing to February 1, 2023. This category encompasses priority workers, including certain individuals of extraordinary ability, distinguished professors and researchers, and select multinational executives or managers.
Family-based visa modifications
The F2A classification, which encompasses spouses and unmarried children under the age of 21 belonging to lawful permanent residents, demonstrated progress in visa availability. The Final Action Date progressed from August 22 to September 22, 2026, for the majority of nations, encompassing China, India, and the Philippines. Mexico advanced from August 22, 2025, to March 22, 2026.