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Visa Bulletin – Minimal Changes for February 2026

13 Jan

by Foster, on Immigration Updates

The U.S. Department of State (DOS) has published the monthly Visa Bulletin for February 2026. Until February 1, the January 2026 Visa Bulletin remains in effect.   

The Visa Bulletin contains the DOS’s Final Action Dates chart, which lists the priority dates that are current in each respective category, the categories that are current during the applicable month (i.e., categories that do not have any backlogs), and the categories that are unavailable. The Visa Bulletin also contains the DOS’s Dates for Filing chart, which usually progresses ahead of the Final Action Dates chart, and which U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Services (USCIS) sometimes uses to determine the date that Adjustment of Status filings are permitted in each category.   

For February 2026, USCIS has confirmed that beneficiaries of employment-based immigrant petitions should use the Dates for Filing chart to determine eligibility to file Adjustment of Status applications.   

 Key Takeaways:  

Final Action Dates 

  • The EB-3 category for all countries (except China and India) advanced one month and 10 days.  
  • The Certain Religious Workers category became unavailable.  
  • There was no change for any other employment-based category.  

Dates for Filing 

  • The EB-3 category for all countries (except China and India) advanced three months.  
  • The Certain Religious Workers category became unavailable.  
  • There was no change for any other employment-based category.  

 Final Action Date Chart for Employment-Based Preference Cases for February 2026: 

Employment- 
based 

All Chargeability  
Areas Except 
Those Listed 

CHINA- 
mainland  
born 

INDIA 

MEXICO 

PHILIPPINES 

1st 

C 

01FEB23 

01FEB23 

C 

C 

2nd 

01APR24 

01SEP21 

15JUL13 

01APR24 

01APR24 

3rd 

01JUN23 

01MAY21 

15NOV13 

01JUN23 

01JUN23 

Other Workers 

01SEP21 

08DEC18 

15NOV13 

01SEP21 

01SEP21 

4th 

01JAN21 

01JAN21 

01JAN21 

01JAN21 

01JAN21 

Certain Religious Workers 

U 

U 

U 

U 

U 

5th Unreserved 
(including C5, T5, I5, R5, NU, RU) 

C 

15AUG16 

01MAY22 

C 

C 

5th Set Aside: 
Rural (20%, including NR, RR)  

C 

C 

C 

C 

C 

5th Set Aside: 
High Unemployment (10%, including NH, RH) 

C 

C 

C 

C 

C 

5th Set Aside: 
Infrastructure (2%, including RI) 

C 

C 

C 

C 

C 

 

 

Dates for Filing Chart for Employment-Based Preference Cases for February 2026:  

Employment- 
based 

All Chargeability 
Areas Except 
Those Listed 

CHINA- 
mainland  
born 

INDIA 

MEXICO  

PHILIPPINES  

1st 

C 

01AUG23 

01AUG23 

C 

C 

2nd 

15OCT24 

01JAN22 

01DEC13 

15OCT24 

15OCT24 

3rd 

01OCT23 

01JAN22 

15AUG14 

01OCT23 

01OCT23 

Other Workers 

01DEC21 

01OCT19 

15AUG14 

01DEC21 

01DEC21 

4th 

15MAR21 

15MAR21 

15MAR21 

15MAR21 

15MAR21 

Certain Religious Workers 

U 

U 

U 

U 

U 

5th Unreserved 
(including C5, T5, I5, R5) 

C 

22AUG16 

01MAY24 

C 

C 

5th Set Aside: 
(Rural: NR, RR – 20%) 

C 

C 

C 

C 

C 

5th Set Aside: 
(High Unemployment: NH, RH – 10%) 

C 

C 

C 

C 

C 

5th Set Aside: 
(Infrastructure: RI – 2%) 

C 

C 

C 

C 

C 

For case-specific guidance or to confirm filing eligibility, please contact a Foster LLP attorney. Foster LLP will continue to track immigrant visa availability and provide updates about any developments via Immigration Updates©, articles, and blogs on our website at www.fosterglobal.com.   

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