The U.S. Department of State has released the November 2026 Visa Bulletin, announcing several significant changes to employment-based and family-sponsored immigrant visa categories.
This month’s bulletin features one-year advancements in several family-sponsored categories for Worldwide, China, and India, alongside more modest employment-based gains. No retrogressions are reported.
Which Chart Will USCIS Use in November 2026?
For November 2026, USCIS will use the Dates for Filing chart for both:
Family-sponsored preference categories
Employment-based preference categories
Eligible applicants may use these charts to determine whether they can file Form I-485, Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status.
The Final Action Dates chart continues to determine when immigrant visas are available for final approval.
Despite a federal court ruling striking down the Trump administration’s 75-country immigrant visa pause, visa applications have moved very slowly.
Court records show that between August 21 and September 30th only 318 immigrant visa applications were approved or resulted in visa issuance, out of more than 43,000 applications affected by the pause.
Adding to the uncertainty, just last week the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit temporarily blocked an order requiring the State Department to reconsider previously refused applications. As a result, filing a federal lawsuit may be the most effective path toward resolving these cases.
Key Highlights
The 75-country immigrant visa pause no longer applies as of August 21, 2026, following a federal court order.
New immigrant visa applications are not subject to the pause.
Applications previously refused under the pause are not automatically reopened or reconsidered.
Mandamus or group lawsuits may be an option for applicants whose visas were previously refused under the pause, depending on the circumstances of their cases.
Between August 21 and September 30th, the State Department reviewed just 706 immigrant visa applications, approving or issuing 318 visas and refusing 388 applications on other grounds. This represents fewer than 2% of the more than 43,000 applications affected by the pause.
What Was the 75-Country Immigrant Visa Pause?
On January 14, 2026, the Trump administration announced a suspension of immigrant visa issuance for nationals of 75 countries, that became effective on January 21, 2026.
The State Department justified the pause by citing concerns that immigrants from certain countries were more likely to rely on U.S. public benefits and become a “public charge.”
With sweeping visa restrictions affecting nationals of 75 and 39 countries, securing a U.S. visa has become increasingly challenging. But even under the toughest immigration restrictions, exceptions are possible.
Here’s how we overcame a visa refusal under the travel ban and successfully secured a National Interest Exception (NIE) for our clients.
Status of the Travel Bans
The U.S. Department of State implemented two significant immigration restrictions affecting nationals of dozens of countries. Although both measures created substantial barriers to visa issuance, their legal status has since changed.
As of October 18, 2026, the 39-country travel ban remains in effect, while the 75-country immigrant visa suspension was lifted following a federal court ruling on August 21, 2026.
Immigration Restriction
Current Status
39-Country Travel Ban
Still in effect
75-Country Immigrant Visa Suspension
Lifted August 21, 2026
Which Countries Are Subject to the 39-Country Travel Ban?
Under Presidential Proclamation 10998, effective January 1, 2026, nationals of 39 countries face full or partial restrictions on U.S. visa issuance and entry into the United States.
Full Restriction (19 countries): Afghanistan, Burma (Myanmar), Burkina Faso, Chad, Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Laos, Libya, Mali, Niger, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, and Yemen. Restrictions also apply to individuals traveling on documents issued or endorsed by the Palestinian Authority.
Partial Restriction (20 countries): Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Benin, Burundi, Côte d’Ivoire, Cuba, Dominica, Gabon, The Gambia, Malawi, Mauritania, Nigeria, Senegal, Tanzania, Togo, Tonga, Turkmenistan, Venezuela, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.
Who Is Affected?
The travel ban generally applies to nationals of designated countries who were outside the United States and did not hold a valid U.S. visa on January 1, 2026.
Individuals who already held a valid U.S. visa on that date are generally exempt from the proclamation and may continue traveling to the United States, provided their visa remains valid and they meet all other entry requirements. The proclamation does not automatically revoke previously issued visas, and lawful permanent residents (green card holders) are exempt.
For those subject to the ban, visa issuance and entry may be restricted even if they otherwise qualify for a U.S. visa. However, certain exceptions remain available, including a National Interest Exception (NIE) for applicants whose entry would serve the national interest of the United States.
We are pleased to report that the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Consular Affairs has published the October 2026 Visa Bulletin.
In this blog post, we breakdown the movement of the employment-based and family-sponsored categories in the coming month.
Adjustment of Status Chart
For adjustment of status filings to permanent residence in the month of October, USCIS will continue using the Dates for Filing Chart for family-sponsored categories only.
For employment-based categories, USCIS will begin using the Dates for Filing Chart .
Highlights of the October 2026 Visa Bulletin
At a Glance
What can we expect to see in the month of October?
Employment-Based Categories
Final Action Advancements
EB-1 Aliens of extraordinary ability, Outstanding Professors and Researchers, and Certain Multinational Managers or Executives
EB-1 India will advance 3.6 months to February 1, 2023
EB-1 Except China, all other countries remain current
EB-2 Members of the Professions and Aliens of Exceptional Ability
EB-2 India moves from unavailable to November 1, 2013
EB-2 China will advance 1 month to October 1, 2021
Worldwide, Mexico, Philippines moves from current to a cutoff date of January 1, 2025
EB-3 Professionals and Skilled Workers
EB-3 China will advance 1 week to January 8, 2022
EB-3 Philippines will advance 2 weeks to August 15, 2023
Worldwide and Mexico will retrogress 3.6 months from September 1, 2024, to May 15, 2024
EB-3 Other Workers
EB-3 China will advance 5 months to October 1, 2019
EB-3 Philippines will advance 1 month to January 1, 2022
Worldwide and Mexico will retrogress 3 months from April 1, 2022, to January 1, 2022
Imagine you’re working in the United States on a visa such as an H-1B, L-1, or TN and suddenly lose your job. Under current rules, you may have up to 60 days to find a new employer, change to another immigration status, or leave the United States.
Now, DHS is proposing to eliminate that 60-day grace period for certain employment-based visa holders. If the proposal is finalized, affected workers could have far less time to take action after their employment ends.
What the Rule Says Today
Under the current rule, H-1B workers generally have up to 60 days after losing or leaving a job to find a new employer, change to another immigration status, or make arrangements to leave the United States. This is known as the 60-day “grace period.” Under the proposed rule, that protection would disappear, meaning workers could begin falling out of status as soon as the day after their employment ends.
Who is Affected
The proposal would affect workers in these nonimmigrant visa categories:
E-1 treaty traders
E-2 treaty investors and qualifying employees
E-3 Australian specialty occupation workers
H-1B specialty occupation workers
H-1B1 workers from Chile and Singapore
L-1 intracompany transferees
O-1 individuals with extraordinary ability or achievement
TN professionals from Canada and Mexico
It would apply when employment or the qualifying activity underlying that status ends, whether the worker is terminated, laid off, or voluntarily leaves the job.
They generally would be considered to have failed to maintain status beginning the day after their employment ends unless they have some other lawful basis to remain in the United States.
We are pleased to report that the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Consular Affairs has published the September 2026 Visa Bulletin.
In this blog post, we breakdown the movement of the employment-based and family-sponsored categories in the coming month.
Adjustment of Status Chart
For adjustment of status filings to permanent residence in the month of September, USCIS will continue using the Dates for Filing Chart for family-sponsored categories only.
For employment-based categories, USCIS will also continue using the Final Action Dates Chart.
Highlights of the September 2026 Visa Bulletin
At a Glance
What can we expect to see in the month of September?
Employment-Based Categories
Final Action Advancements
No changes except for EB-4 which will advance 2 months to December 15, 2022
EB-2 India and EB-5 India remain unavailable
The State Department warns that the EB-2, EB-1 India, and EB-5 unreserved categories may become unavailable before the end of September, with availability resuming when the new fiscal year starts in October.
October 1 can change everything for green card applicants stuck in the immigrant visa backlog. With the start of the new fiscal year, a fresh supply of immigrant visa numbers becomes available—and applicants who are ready can move fast when their priority dates become current. If your case is close, the time to prepare is before October 1, not after.
If you are from India, China, the Philippines, or Mexico, you may already be familiar with the effects of high demand and limited immigrant visa availability. For example, the EB-2 category for India has been unavailable for final action since July 2026 because of heavy demand. On the family-sponsored side, countries such as India and Mexico have also faced significant backlogs as visa demand has outpaced the number of available visas.
While demand from these countries is expected to remain high, the October 1 fiscal-year reset brings a new annual supply of immigrant visa numbers, which can allow more applicants to move forward with interviews and final visa issuance.
In this video, we break down what you need to know—and what you should do now—to put yourself in the strongest position before October 1.
What Is the End-of-Year Fiscal Reset?
The U.S. government’s fiscal year runs from October 1 through September 30, and many employment- and family-based immigrant visa categories are subject to annual numerical limits set by Congress.
Except for immediate relatives of U.S. citizens, applicants generally must wait until an immigrant visa number becomes available based on their priority date and country of nationality before they can be scheduled for an interview and ultimately receive an immigrant visa.
When the new fiscal year begins on October 1, those annual visa limits reset, allowing the government to begin using a new supply of immigrant visa numbers.
For applicants stuck in backlogged categories like EB-2 India and F2A Mexico, this reset is especially important because the allocation of new visa numbers creates new opportunities for eligible applicants to move forward in the green card process.
The U.S. government has announced major changes affecting certain foreign nationals who were previously admitted for “duration of status,” commonly listed as “D/S” on Form I-94. Instead of remaining in the United States for the duration of their authorized program or activity, affected individuals will be admitted for a fixed period of time, generally limited to four years.
The new rule will affect individuals currently in the United States, as well as those preparing to enter under the following visa classifications:
F visa holders: International students and their dependents;
J visa holders: Exchange visitors and their dependents; and
I visa holders: Representatives of foreign information media and their dependents.
These changes may also affect how long individuals can remain in the United States and, for international students, their ability to pursue employment authorization after graduation. The rule is scheduled to take effect on September 15, 2026.
Old Rule
Under the previous rule, F, J, and I visa holders were generally admitted to the United States without a specific departure date on Form I-94. Instead, their Form I-94 displayed “D/S,” which stands for “Duration of Status.”
This allowed them to remain in the United States for as long as they continued to follow the requirements of their visa category. For example, an F-1 student could remain while maintaining a full course of study, and a J-1 exchange visitor could remain while participating in an authorized exchange program.
For students, duration of status could also include authorized practical training and any applicable grace period after completing their program. However, D/S did not allow someone to remain in the United States indefinitely. A person who failed to maintain status could lose their authorization to stay.
The U.S. Department of State has launched a temporary program that allows certain business visitors and tourist visa applicants to pay an additional $750 for a faster U.S. visa interview appointment at select Embassies and Consulates.
The program began on July 1, 2026, and is scheduled to remain in effect through December 31, 2026.
Who Can Use the Program?
The expedited option is limited to applicants seeking:
B-1 visas for temporary business travel;
B-2 visas for tourism or personal visits; or
Combined B-1/B-2 visas.
It is available only at selected U.S. embassies and consulates and only when expedited appointments are available.
What Does the $750 Fee Provide?
Applicants who use the service may schedule an interview within 10 business days after paying the expedited appointment fee.
However, the $750 is charged in addition to the standard $185 visitor visa application fee, bringing the total cost to $935.
To request the faster appointment, an applicant must first:
Submit Form DS-160 Online Nonimmigrant Visa Application
Pay the standard visa application fee
Schedule a regular interview appointment and
Select and pay for an available expedited appointment.
Unlike traditional emergency appointment requests, applicants do not need to provide a written explanation showing urgent travel.
Does Paying $750 Guarantee a Visa?
No. The fee only provides access to an earlier B-1/B-2 visa interview appointment.
Applicants must still complete the regular interview, security checks, and eligibility review. The service does not speed up administrative processing and does not guarantee that a visa will be approved.
Expedited appointments are limited, so paying applicants are not guaranteed that an appointment will be available. Applicants who cancel or fail to attend the expedited interview will lose the $750 fee.
The Bottom Line
The new program does not allow applicants to pay for visa approval. It allows eligible B-1 and B-2 applicants at participating Consulates to pay $750 for a chance to obtain an interview within 10 business days. Travelers should confirm that the service is available at their selected embassy or consulate before relying on it for urgent travel.
For more information please contact your Embassy or Consulate directly.
Contact Us.If you would like to schedule a consultation, please text 619-483-4549 or call 619-819-9204.
Need more immigration updates? We have created a new facebook group to address the impact of the new executive orders and other changing developments. Follow us there!
Is your case stuck at the National Visa Center with no interview in sight? You are not alone. Thousands of applicants are waiting months—or even years—for their visa interviews to be scheduled. The good news is that you may have options. In this video, we discuss three proven strategies that could help push your NVC case forward.
Why are so many cases stuck at the National Visa Center for months—or even years?
The problem is a perfect storm of overwhelming case volume, limited availability of interview appointments, staffing shortages, and delays at U.S. consulates worldwide.
Even after a case is documentarily complete and ready to move forward, it can remain at the NVC for months—or longer—until the appropriate embassy has an available interview slot.
Sweeping visa restrictions have made the backlogs even worse. The Trump administration has fully or partially restricted entry and visa issuance for nationals of 39 countries, while immigrant visa issuance has been separately paused for nationals of 75 countries.
Although U.S. embassies may remain open and continue scheduling some interviews, affected visas generally cannot be issued while these restrictions remain in place.
The result is thousands of applicants left in limbo, with no clear timeline and little information about when their cases will finally move forward.
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