EB-2 fell from current to January 1, 2025 on the final action chart for most countries in the October 2026 Visa Bulletin, and EB-3 slid about three and a half months, to May 15, 2024. The moves cover all other areas, Mexico and, for EB-2, the Philippines.
The State Department says the RetrogressionWhen a Visa Bulletin cutoff date moves backward, usually because demand exceeded the numbers available for that category.See it in the glossary are necessary to keep visa issuances within FY 2027 quarterly and annual limits. The September bulletin had warned that EB-2 could retrogress or become unavailable before the fiscal year ended. September’s dates held. October’s did not.
EB-2 and EB-3 dates for most countries
| Category and area | Final action, Sep | Final action, Oct | Filing, Sep | Filing, Oct |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EB-2 (all other areas, Mexico, Philippines) | Current | Jan 1, 2025 | Current | Mar 15, 2026 |
| EB-3 (all other areas, Mexico) | Sep 1, 2024 | May 15, 2024 | Current | Aug 1, 2024 |
| EB-3 Philippines | Aug 1, 2023 | Aug 15, 2023 | Jan 1, 2024 | Jan 1, 2024 |
| Other Workers (all other areas, Mexico) | Apr 1, 2022 | Jan 1, 2022 | Aug 1, 2022 | Jun 1, 2022 |
| Other Workers Philippines | Dec 1, 2021 | Jan 1, 2022 | Aug 1, 2022 | Jun 1, 2022 |
What the change means on the chart
A category listed as current authorizes numbers for all qualified applicants. Once a date is listed, numbers go only to applicants with a Priority dateThe date a petition was filed, or a labor certification was submitted, used to determine an applicant's place in line for a visa category with limited annual numbers.See it in the glossary earlier than that date. EB-2 for most countries moved from the first condition to the second.
The filing chart moved back too. EB-2 went from current to March 15, 2026, and EB-3 from current to August 1, 2024, more than two years behind the bulletin’s own date. EB-3 Other Workers fell two months on the filing chart, to June 1, 2022.
Who was not caught in the move
EB-3 for the Philippines edged forward two weeks on the final action chart and did not change on the filing chart. China and India have their own lines: China advanced on the filing chart, and India reopened EB-2. EB-1 India, which the September bulletin also flagged, advanced instead of retrogressing.
For what a backward move can mean for a pending case, see what happens if a priority date retrogresses. The categories are compared in EB-2 versus EB-3.