EB-2 dates in the November 2026 bulletin
EB-2 cut-offs differ by country of chargeability because no single country may use more than 7% of the combined family and employment preference limits in a year.[4] The table shows this month's date, how many years it sits behind the bulletin month, the latest value of each chart USCIS has reproduced and the average pace over five years.[1]
| Country | November 2026 (Dates for Filing) | Backlog | Latest Final Action | Latest Dates for Filing | 5-yr pace |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rest of world | 15 Mar 2026 | 0.6 yrs | C | 15 Mar 2026 | 27 days per month |
| China | 01 Jan 2023 | 3.8 yrs | 01 Sep 2021 | 01 Jan 2023 | 24 days per month |
| India | 15 Jan 2015 | 11.8 yrs | U | 15 Jan 2015 | 12 days per month |
| Mexico | 15 Mar 2026 | 0.6 yrs | C | 15 Mar 2026 | 27 days per month |
| Philippines | 15 Mar 2026 | 0.6 yrs | C | 15 Mar 2026 | 27 days per month |
The backlog figure is the gap between the bulletin month and the cut-off. It is not your wait: the date can move slower or faster than the calendar. For projections, see visa bulletin predictions; to check one date, use the priority date calculator.
EB-2 Final Action Dates since 2015
Final Action Dates decide when an EB-2 green card can be approved. USCIS reproduced the employment Final Action chart in 84 of the 134 months since October 2015, so the chart below has gaps where USCIS used Dates for Filing instead.[2]
- Rest of world
- China
- India
Vertical axis: the cut-off date printed in the bulletin. “Current” is plotted at the bulletin month; gaps are months when USCIS used the other chart or the category was unavailable.
EB-2 Dates for Filing since 2015
Dates for Filing run ahead of Final Action Dates and decide when an EB-2 applicant in the United States may file Form I-485 in months when USCIS accepts this chart.[2]
- Rest of world
- China
- India
Vertical axis: the cut-off date printed in the bulletin. “Current” is plotted at the bulletin month; gaps are months when USCIS used the other chart or the category was unavailable.
EB-2 at the start of each fiscal year
October bulletins reset the year's numbers, so the October value is a clean way to see the long-run trend for EB-2.[5]
| Fiscal year opens | Rest of world | China | India | Chart USCIS used |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2016 (Oct 2015) | C | 01 Jan 2013 | 01 Jul 2009 | Dates for Filing |
| FY2017 (Oct 2016) | C | 01 Mar 2013 | 22 Apr 2009 | Dates for Filing |
| FY2018 (Oct 2017) | C | 22 May 2013 | 15 Sep 2008 | Final Action Dates |
| FY2019 (Oct 2018) | C | 15 Jun 2015 | 22 May 2009 | Dates for Filing |
| FY2020 (Oct 2019) | C | 01 Aug 2016 | 01 Jul 2009 | Dates for Filing |
| FY2021 (Oct 2020) | C | 01 Oct 2016 | 15 May 2011 | Dates for Filing |
| FY2022 (Oct 2021) | C | 01 Sep 2018 | 08 Jul 2012 | Dates for Filing |
| FY2023 (Oct 2022) | C | 08 Jul 2019 | 01 May 2012 | Dates for Filing |
| FY2024 (Oct 2023) | 01 Jan 2023 | 01 Jan 2020 | 15 May 2012 | Dates for Filing |
| FY2025 (Oct 2024) | 01 Aug 2023 | 01 Oct 2020 | 01 Jan 2013 | Dates for Filing |
| FY2026 (Oct 2025) | 15 Jul 2024 | 01 Dec 2021 | 01 Dec 2013 | Dates for Filing |
| FY2027 (Oct 2026) | 15 Mar 2026 | 01 Jan 2023 | 15 Jan 2015 | Dates for Filing |
Who qualifies for EB-2
EB-2 is the second employment-based preference: members of the professions holding advanced degrees or their equivalent, and people of exceptional ability in the sciences, arts or business.[3] It receives 28.6% of the worldwide employment-based level, plus any numbers not used by EB-1. Most EB-2 cases need a PERM labor certification and a Form I-140; a national interest waiver removes the job-offer and labor-certification requirement. Compare with EB-3, which has a separate quota, and see the India detail on the EB-2 India priority date page.
Frequently asked questions
What is the EB2 visa bulletin date for India?
15 Jan 2015 on the Dates for Filing chart USCIS accepts for November 2026. India's EB-2 date is the furthest behind of any country because of very high demand under the 7% per-country cap.
Why is EB-2 current for most countries but not India or China?
The per-country cap limits each country to 7% of the preference total. Demand from India and China far exceeds that share, so those countries get their own, earlier cut-off dates while the rest of the world can be current or close to current.
Can I switch from EB-3 to EB-2 and keep my priority date?
Generally yes. A priority date from an approved I-140 is usually retained for later employment-based petitions, so applicants who qualify for EB-2 can file a new EB-2 petition and keep the earlier date, unless the first petition was revoked for fraud or a similar reason.
How often does the EB-2 date move?
It can move every month, but it often holds for several months and sometimes retrogresses. The State Department adjusts dates based on demand and on how many numbers remain in the fiscal year.
Sources
- When to File Your Adjustment of Status Application for Family-Sponsored or Employment-Based Preference Visas: November 2026
- Adjustment of Status Filing Charts from the Visa Bulletin
- 8 U.S.C. 1153 (INA 203): allocation of immigrant visas
- 8 U.S.C. 1152 (INA 202): numerical limitations on individual foreign states
- The Visa Bulletin (monthly publication and archive)
- When to File Your Adjustment of Status Application for Family-Sponsored or Employment-Based Preference Visas: October 2016