US March 2026 Visa Bulletin: Key Dates and Deadlines Released
The U.S. Department of State has officially released the March 2026 Visa Bulletin. This document provides essential dates for both “Filing” and “Final Action.” These dates help immigrant visa applicants determine when to submit their documents to the National Visa Center.
Annual Visa Limits for 2026
For the 2026 fiscal year, the U.S. has set the following limits for immigrant visas:
- Family-Sponsored: 226,000 visas.
- Employment-Based: At least 140,000 visas.
- Per-Country Limit: No single country can receive more than 7% of the total visas (approximately 25,620).
- Dependent Areas: Limited to 7,320 visas.
Understanding the Charts
If you are applying to adjust your status through USCIS, you must use the “Final Action Dates” charts. These charts show which priority dates are currently being processed.
In high-demand categories, the “final action date” is the priority date of the first person who could not be given a visa because the annual limit was reached. If the government has to move these dates backward (retrogression), they will only process applications that fall within the new, updated dates.
Family-Sponsored Visas: Final Action Dates (Global)
- (F1) Unmarried Sons/Daughters of US Citizens: Nov. 8, 2016
- (F2A) Spouses and Children of Permanent Residents: Feb. 1, 2024
- (F2B) Unmarried Sons/Daughters (21+) of Permanent Residents: Dec. 1, 2016
- (F3) Married Sons/Daughters of US Citizens: Sep. 8, 2011
- (F4) Brothers and Sisters of Adult US Citizens: Nov. 1, 2006
Family-Sponsored Visas: Dates for Filing (India)
- F1: Sep. 1, 2017
- F2A: Feb. 22, 2026
- F2B: March 15, 2017
- F3: July 22, 2012
- F4: Dec. 15, 2006
Employment-Based Visas: Final Action Dates (India)
- First (Priority Workers): Mar. 1, 2023
- Second (Advanced Degrees/Exceptional Ability): Sep. 15, 2013
- Third (Skilled Workers & Professionals): Nov. 13, 2013
- Fourth (Special Immigrants): July 15, 2021
- Fifth (Employment Creation/EB-5): Aug. 1, 2016
Employment-Based Visas: Dates for Filing (India)
- First (EB-1): Dec. 1, 2023
- Second (EB-2): Nov. 1, 2014
- Third (EB-3): Aug. 15, 2014
- Fourth (EB-4): Jan. 1, 2023
- Fifth (EB-5): May 1, 2024
Important Policy Updates
The bulletin notes that visa issuance rates for some countries have decreased due to new administration policies aimed at national security. Because of these changes, the government has advanced the dates for other countries to ensure all available visa numbers for 2026 are used.
However, applicants should stay alert. If demand increases or policies change again, dates could move backward (retrogress) later this year. If a category reaches its annual limit entirely, it will become “unavailable,” and no further visas will be issued for that period.
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