January 2026 Visa Bulletin: Final Action Dates, Dates for Filing, and USCIS I-485 Chart

Index

• Key Developments for January Visa Bulletin 2026
• Family-Sponsored (Final Action Dates)
• Family-Sponsored (Dates for Filing)
• Employment-Based (Final Action Dates)
• Employment-Based (Dates for Filing)
• Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) - January 2026 Visa Bulletin

U.S. Department of State has officially released the January 2026 Visa Bulletin. Our monthly Visa Bulletin Update provides a detailed summary of the Final Action Dates and Dates for Filing for family-sponsored and employment-based categories.

Compared with December, most family-based Final Action Dates for All Chargeability, China, and India stayed the same. The changes are more noticeable in employment-based categories, including a major shift in EB-1 India.

On the Dates for Filing chart, F2A moves to December 22, 2025, and EB-5 Unreserved (India) advances to May 1, 2024.

Looking at the January 2026 movement, while some categories show notable progress (like EB-1 India and EB-5), others show minimal movement (like EB-3 in Chart B) compared to previous months.

Key Developments for January Visa Bulletin 2026

1. Family Categories Final Action Dates (Chart A)

For F1, F2A, F2B, F3, and F4, Final Action Dates are unchanged for All Chargeability, China, and India compared to December 2025.

Several family categories move in the Mexico and Philippines columns.

2. Family Categories Dates for Filing (Chart B) - USE THIS CHART FOR I-485

F2A (spouses and minor children of green card holders) moves forward by 1 month for all countries, from November 22, 2025 to December 22, 2025.

Technical Note on F2A "Current" Status: When applicants ask, "Is F2A current?", they are typically looking for the "C" (Current) status on the Final Action Dates (Chart A). While USCIS requires using Chart B for filings this month (allowing applications for dates up to Dec 22, 2025), the actual green card issuance depends on the Final Action Date, which currently stands at February 1, 2024.

For All Chargeability, China, and India, F1, F3, and F4 stay unchanged, while F2B advances 7 days (from March 8, 2017 to March 15, 2017).

3. Employment-Based Categories Final Action Dates (Chart A)

Employment-based Final Action Dates move forward in multiple categories in January 2026 compared to December 2025.

• EB-1: All Chargeability stays Current. China moves from January 22, 2023 to February 1, 2023 (10 days). India moves from March 15, 2022 to February 1, 2023 (about 10 months and 17 days).

• EB-2: All Chargeability advances 2 months to April 1, 2024. China advances 3 months to September 1, 2021. India advances 2 months to July 15, 2013.

For applicants under the EB-2 NIW (National Interest Waiver) category, tracking the priority date is important. With the 2-month advancement in Final Action Dates and 3-month jump in Dates for Filing, the EB-2 NIW processing time 2026 is becoming more favorable for I-485 filing windows.

• EB-3 Professionals/Skilled Workers: All Chargeability advances 7 days to April 22, 2023. China advances 1 month to May 1, 2021. India advances to November 15, 2013 (about 1 month and 3 weeks).

• EB-3 Other Workers: All Chargeability advances 1 month to September 1, 2021. China advances 1 year to December 8, 2018. India advances to November 15, 2013 (about 1 month and 3 weeks).

• EB-4: advances from September 1, 2020 to January 1, 2021 (4 months) for All Chargeability, China, and India.

• EB-4 Certain Religious Workers (SR): shown with the same Final Action date as EB-4 for January, and the bulletin notes the category may become Unavailable on January 30, 2026 without further legislative action.

• EB-5 Unreserved: All Chargeability remains Current. China advances 1 month to August 15, 2016. India advances to May 1, 2022 (10 months). EB-5 set-aside categories (Rural, High Unemployment, Infrastructure) remain Current.

4. Employment-Based Categories Dates for Filing (Chart B) - USE THIS CHART FOR I-485

On the Dates for Filing chart, fewer categories change, but the shifts in EB-1 and EB-5 (India) are notable.

• EB-1: All Chargeability remains Current. China moves to August 1, 2023. India moves to August 1, 2023.

• EB-2: All Chargeability advances 3 months to October 15, 2024. China advances 1 month to January 1, 2022. India shows no change at December 1, 2013.

• EB-3: unchanged for All Chargeability, China, and India.

EB-3 visa timeline: In Chart B this month, EB-3 priority date stays unchanged for All Chargeability, China, and India, so the filing cutoffs do not open further compared to December.

• EB-3 Other Workers: All Chargeability and India are unchanged, while China advances by 1 year to October 1, 2019.

• EB-4 and EB-4 SR: advance 1 month to March 15, 2021.

• EB-5 Unreserved: China advances 1 month to August 22, 2016. India advances to May 1, 2024 (about 2 years and 1 month). All Chargeability remains Current, and EB-5 set-aside categories remain Current.

Family-Sponsored (Final Action Dates)

F1

F2A

F2B

F3

F4

Family-Sponsored (Dates for Filing)

F1

F2A

F2B

F3

F4

Employment-Based (Final Action Dates)

EB-1

EB-2

EB-3

EB-3 Other Workers

EB-4

EB-4 Certain Religious Workers

EB-5 (Unreserved)

EB-5 Set Aside (Rural, High Unemployment, Infrastructure)

Employment-Based (Dates for Filing)

EB-1

EB-2

EB-3

EB-3 Other Workers

EB-4

EB-4 Certain Religious Workers

EB-5 (Unreserved)

EB-5 Set Aside (Rural, High Unemployment, Infrastructure)

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) - January 2026 Visa Bulletin

1. What are the key highlights of the January 2026 Visa Bulletin?

The January 2026 Visa Bulletin shows notable progress in several employment-based categories. While the Final Action Dates for EB-1 (India and China) have advanced, some family-sponsored categories are experiencing minimal movement due to high demand. For a detailed summary, please refer to our analysis tables above.

2. Will the F2A category become "Current" again in 2026?

Based on the current visa bulletin movement, the F2A category (Spouses and Unmarried Children of LPRs) remains backlogged. While we see steady progress in the priority date for F2A, a return to "Current" status is not expected in the immediate monthly updates for early 2026.

3. What is the current EB-2 NIW processing time for 2026?

The EB-2 NIW processing time 2026 depends on two factors: I-140 approval and the Final Action Date for your country. The January bulletin shows a modest advancement for EB-2, allowing more National Interest Waiver applicants to file their I-485 adjustment of status applications.

4. What is the difference between "Final Action Date" and "Dates for Filing"?

In the visa bulletin, these two terms serve different purposes:

• Final Action Date: The date when a green card can be officially issued.

• Dates for Filing: The date when you are eligible to assemble and submit your application to the NVC or USCIS. Usually, the Dates for Filing are ahead of the Final Action Dates, providing a "filing window" for applicants.

5. When will the February 2026 Visa Bulletin be released?

The U.S. Department of State typically releases the monthly bulletin between the 10th and 15th of the preceding month. We expect the February 2026 Visa Bulletin release date to be around mid-January 2026.

6: Which chart should I use for my I-485 filing in January 2026?

USCIS has confirmed that for January 2026, all applicants across both family and employment-based categories must use the Dates for Filing chart. This is great news as it generally allows for earlier filings compared to the Final Action Dates.