(+1) 862-799-2200

info@gozellaw.com

March 2026 Visa Bulletin Is Out: EB-2 Becomes Current With Major Moves in EB-3 and EB-4

Major Advancements in EB-2, EB-3, and EB-4 Categories USCIS Use Table B (Dates for Filing)

Index

The U.S. Department of State has released the March 2026 Visa Bulletin, bringing significant advances for thousands of immigrant visa applicants worldwide. This month’s update is especially notable for the Employment-Based (EB) categories, which saw some of the largest forward movements in recent months. In the Dates for Filing chart, EB-2 is now “Current” for All Chargeability Areas, Mexico, and the Philippines, and EB-4 moves forward by nearly two years. Depending on your category and country, March may be an important month both for filing (Dates for Filing) and for cases moving toward final approval (Final Action Dates).

 

USCIS to Honor Dates for Filing

For March 2026, USCIS has confirmed that applicants filing for adjustment of status (Form I-485) from within the United States must use the Dates for Filing chart for both Family-Sponsored and Employment-Based preference categories.

This is a major advantage for many applicants, because the Dates for Filing chart is often ahead of the Final Action Dates chart. If your priority date is earlier than the date listed in the Filing Chart for your category and country, you can submit your I-485 application to USCIS this month. Filing can also allow you to apply for Employment Authorization (EAD) and Advance Parole (AP) while your Green Card is pending.

 

Key Highlights from the March 2026 Bulletin

Family-Sponsored, Table A (Final Action Dates)

  • F4 (Philippines): September 1, 2006 (advanced about 1 month 10 days)

Family-Sponsored, Table B (Dates for Filing)

  • F2A (All countries/areas): February 22, 2026 (advanced 1 month)

  • F3 (Philippines): June 1, 2006 (advanced 4 months)

Employment-Based, Table A (Final Action Dates)

  • EB-1: China: March 1, 2023 (advanced 1 month), India: March 1, 2023 (advanced 1 month)

  • EB-2: All Chargeability Areas, Mexico, Philippines: October 15, 2024 (advanced about 6.5 months), India: September 15, 2013 (advanced 2 months)

  • EB-3: All Chargeability Areas, Mexico: October 1, 2023 (advanced 4 months), Philippines: August 1, 2023 (advanced 2 months), Other Workers (All Chargeability Areas, Mexico, Philippines): November 1, 2021 (advanced 2 months)

  • EB-4 (All Chargeability Areas): July 15, 2021 (advanced about 6.5 months)

  • Certain Religious Workers (SR): Available again and aligned with EB-4

Employment-Based, Table B (Dates for Filing)

  • EB-1 (China, India): December 1, 2023 (advanced 4 months)

  • EB-2: All Chargeability Areas, Mexico, Philippines: Current, India: November 1, 2014 (advanced 11 months)

  • EB-3: Professionals and Skilled Workers (most countries): January 15, 2024 (advanced about 3.5 months), Other Workers: June 22, 2022 (advanced about 6.5 months)

  • EB-4 (All Chargeability Areas): January 1, 2023 (advanced about 21.5 months)

  • Certain Religious Workers (SR): Extended through September 30, 2026 and follows EB-4

  • EB-5 Unreserved: China: October 1, 2016 (advanced about 1 month 10 days)

 

TABLO A: Family-Based Final Action Dates

F1

CountryFeb 2026Mar 2026Movement
All Chargeability08NOV1608NOV16No change
China08NOV1608NOV16No change
India08NOV1608NOV16No change
Mexico22DEC0622DEC06No change
Philippines01MAR1301MAR13No change

F2A

CountryFeb 2026Mar 2026Movement
All Chargeability01FEB2401FEB24No change
China01FEB2401FEB24No change
India01FEB2401FEB24No change
Mexico01FEB2301FEB23No change
Philippines01FEB2401FEB24No change

F2B

CountryFeb 2026Mar 2026Movement
All Chargeability01DEC1601DEC16No change
China01DEC1601DEC16No change
India01DEC1601DEC16No change
Mexico15FEB0915FEB09No change
Philippines22DEC1222DEC12No change

F3

CountryFeb 2026Mar 2026Movement
All Chargeability08SEP1108SEP11No change
China08SEP1108SEP11No change
India08SEP1108SEP11No change
Mexico01MAY0101MAY01No change
Philippines01MAR0501MAR05No change

F4

CountryFeb 2026Mar 2026Movement
All Chargeability08JAN0808JAN08No change
China08JAN0808JAN08No change
India01NOV0601NOV06No change
Mexico08APR0108APR01No change
Philippines22JUL0601SEP06+1 month 10 days

 

TABLO B: Family-Based Dates for Filing

 

F1

CountryFeb 2026Mar 2026Movement
All Chargeability01SEP1701SEP17No change
China01SEP1701SEP17No change
India01SEP1701SEP17No change
Mexico01DEC0701DEC07No change
Philippines22APR1522APR15No change

F2A

CountryFeb 2026Mar 2026Movement
All Chargeability22JAN2622FEB26+1 month
China22JAN2622FEB26+1 month
India22JAN2622FEB26+1 month
Mexico22JAN2622FEB26+1 month
Philippines22JAN2622FEB26+1 month

F2B

CountryFeb 2026Mar 2026Movement
All Chargeability15MAR1715MAR17No change
China15MAR1715MAR17No change
India15MAR1715MAR17No change
Mexico15FEB1015FEB10No change
Philippines01OCT1301OCT13No change

F3

CountryFeb 2026Mar 2026Movement
All Chargeability22JUL1222JUL12No change
China22JUL1222JUL12No change
India22JUL1222JUL12No change
Mexico01JUL0101JUL01No change
Philippines01FEB0601JUN06+4 months

F4

CountryFeb 2026Mar 2026Movement
All Chargeability01MAR0901MAR09No change
China01MAR0901MAR09No change
India15DEC0615DEC06No change
Mexico30APR0130APR01No change
Philippines15JAN0815JAN08No change

 

TABLO A: Employment-Based Final Action Dates

EB-1

CountryFeb 2026Mar 2026Movement
All ChargeabilityCCNo change
China01FEB2301MAR23+1 month
India01FEB2301MAR23+1 month
MexicoCCNo change
PhilippinesCCNo change

EB-2

CountryFeb 2026Mar 2026Movement
All Chargeability01APR2415OCT24+6 months 2 weeks
China01SEP2101SEP21No change
India15JUL1315SEP13+2 months
Mexico01APR2415OCT24+6 months 2 weeks
Philippines01APR2415OCT24+6 months 2 weeks

EB-3

CountryFeb 2026Mar 2026Movement
All Chargeability01JUN2301OCT23+4 months
China01MAY2101MAY21No change
India15NOV1315NOV13No change
Mexico01JUN2301OCT23+4 months
Philippines01JUN2301AUG23+2 months

EB-3 Other Workers

CountryFeb 2026Mar 2026Movement
All Chargeability01SEP2101NOV21+2 months
China08DEC1808DEC18No change
India15NOV1315NOV13No change
Mexico01SEP2101NOV21+2 months
Philippines01SEP2101NOV21+2 months

EB-4

CountryFeb 2026Mar 2026Movement
All Chargeability01JAN2115JUL21+6 months 2 weeks
China01JAN2115JUL21+6 months 2 weeks
India01JAN2115JUL21+6 months 2 weeks
Mexico01JAN2115JUL21+6 months 2 weeks
Philippines01JAN2115JUL21+6 months 2 weeks

EB-4 Certain Religious Workers

CountryFeb 2026Mar 2026Movement
All ChargeabilityU15JUL21Now available
ChinaU15JUL21Now available
IndiaU15JUL21Now available
MexicoU15JUL21Now available
PhilippinesU15JUL21Now available

EB-5 Unreserved

CountryFeb 2026Mar 2026Movement
All ChargeabilityCCNo change
China15AUG1615AUG16No change
India01MAY2201MAY22No change
MexicoCCNo change
PhilippinesCCNo change

EB-5 Set Aside Rural

CountryFeb 2026Mar 2026Movement
All ChargeabilityCCNo change
ChinaCCNo change
IndiaCCNo change
MexicoCCNo change
PhilippinesCCNo change

EB-5 Set Aside High Unemployment

CountryFeb 2026Mar 2026Movement
All ChargeabilityCCNo change
ChinaCCNo change
IndiaCCNo change
MexicoCCNo change
PhilippinesCCNo change

EB-5 Set Aside Infrastructure

CountryFeb 2026Mar 2026Movement
All ChargeabilityCCNo change
ChinaCCNo change
IndiaCCNo change
MexicoCCNo change
PhilippinesCCNo change

 

TABLO B: Employment-Based Dates for Filing

EB-1

CountryFeb 2026Mar 2026Movement
All ChargeabilityCCNo change
China01AUG2301DEC23+4 months
India01AUG2301DEC23+4 months
MexicoCCNo change
PhilippinesCCNo change

EB-2

CountryFeb 2026Mar 2026Movement
All Chargeability15OCT24CCurrent
China01JAN2201JAN22No change
India01DEC1301NOV14+11 months
Mexico15OCT24CCurrent
Philippines15OCT24CCurrent

EB-3

CountryFeb 2026Mar 2026Movement
All Chargeability01OCT2315JAN24+3 months 2 weeks
China01JAN2201JAN22No change
India15AUG1415AUG14No change
Mexico01OCT2315JAN24+3 months 2 weeks
Philippines01OCT2315JAN24+3 months 2 weeks

EB-3 Other Workers

CountryFeb 2026Mar 2026Movement
All Chargeability01DEC2122JUN22+6 months 3 weeks
China01OCT1901OCT19No change
India15AUG1415AUG14No change
Mexico01DEC2122JUN22+6 months 3 weeks
Philippines01DEC2122JUN22+6 months 3 weeks

EB-4

CountryFeb 2026Mar 2026Movement
All Chargeability15MAR2101JAN23About 21.5 months
China15MAR2101JAN23About 21.5 months
India15MAR2101JAN23About 21.5 months
Mexico15MAR2101JAN23About 21.5 months
Philippines15MAR2101JAN23About 21.5 months

EB-4 Certain Religious Workers

CountryFeb 2026Mar 2026Movement
All ChargeabilityU01JAN23Now available
ChinaU01JAN23Now available
IndiaU01JAN23Now available
MexicoU01JAN23Now available
PhilippinesU01JAN23Now available

EB-5 Unreserved

CountryFeb 2026Mar 2026Movement
All ChargeabilityCCNo change
China22AUG1601OCT16+1 month 10 days
India01MAY2401MAY24No change
MexicoCCNo change
PhilippinesCCNo change

EB-5 Set Aside Rural

CountryFeb 2026Mar 2026Movement
All ChargeabilityCCNo change
ChinaCCNo change
IndiaCCNo change
MexicoCCNo change
PhilippinesCCNo change

EB-5 Set Aside High Unemployment

CountryFeb 2026Mar 2026Movement
All ChargeabilityCCNo change
ChinaCCNo change
IndiaCCNo change
MexicoCCNo change
PhilippinesCCNo change

EB-5 Set Aside Infrastructure

CountryFeb 2026Mar 2026Movement
All ChargeabilityCCNo change
ChinaCCNo change
IndiaCCNo change
MexicoCCNo change
PhilippinesCCNo change

Frequently Asked Questions: March 2026 Visa Bulletin

For March 2026, USCIS has officially announced that applicants must use the Dates for Filing (Table B) for all family-sponsored and employment-based preference categories. This allows many applicants to file their adjustment of status paperwork months—and in some cases years—before a visa number actually becomes available for final approval.

While both India and China saw steady progress in the Filing Dates (Table B) earlier this year, the Final Action Dates (Table A) for March 2026 show continued forward movement. For EB-1 India, the cutoff date has advanced to December 1, 2023, offering a significant window for high-priority applicants.

Yes, the F2A category remains one of the most searched topics. In the March 2026 bulletin, the Dates for Filing for F2A have advanced to February 22, 2026, for all countries. This is a crucial step for Green Card holders looking to reunite with their immediate family members.

The F4 category, known for its long wait times, saw a notable jump specifically for the Philippines this month, moving forward by 4 months in the Filing Chart. For other regions, movement remains slow but steady, following the minimal shifts observed in late 2025 and early 2026.

The March 2026 Visa Bulletin sets the regional rank cut-off numbers for Diversity Visa (DV-2026) applicants, with notable increases scheduled for April. For Europe, the cut-off rises from 11,000 in March to 20,000 in April, while Africa moves from 45,000 to 55,000 (with specific exceptions like Algeria and Egypt). It is important to note that due to legislative adjustments (NACARA and NDAA), the total DV-2026 allocation has been reduced to approximately 52,000 visas. All selectees must finalize their status by September 30, 2026, but applicants are encouraged to act quickly as visa numbers could be exhausted before the fiscal year ends.

One of the biggest highlights of the March 2026 bulletin is the EB-2 category reaching "Current" status in the Dates for Filing chart for most countries (excluding India and China). This indicates that the supply of visas currently matches or exceeds the filing demand for this period, allowing all qualified EB-2 applicants in the "All Chargeability" group to start their I-485 process immediately.

Comments

Leave a Comment

Please enter your name and surname
Please enter a valid email address
Please enter your comment

Stay Informed: Your Monthly Legal Insights & Updates

Keep up with the latest in immigration and trademark law. Our monthly newsletter delivers expert advice, important legal updates, and tips to help you navigate your legal journey with confidence. Sign up today and stay ahead.

Hello,
How can we help you?