By Hasan Legal Admin · August 28, 2026
The September 2026 Visa Bulletin shows meaningful forward movement across family-sponsored preference categories, while most employment-based categories stay largely where they were. But the Department of State is also warning that high demand could force retrogression or temporary category closures before the fiscal year ends on September 30. Here's what moved, what didn't, and why the last month of the fiscal year is the one to watch most closely.
The September 2026 Visa Bulletin shows meaningful forward movement across family-sponsored preference categories, while most employment-based categories stay largely where they were. But the Department of State is also warning that high demand could force retrogression or temporary category closures before the fiscal year ends on September 30.
Here's what moved, what didn't, and why the last month of the fiscal year is the one to watch most closely.
September is always a tense month on the Visa Bulletin calendar — it's the last month of the fiscal year, and the Department of State manages a fixed annual pool of visa numbers that has to last exactly until September 30. That combination — real forward movement in family categories, paired with an explicit DOS warning about possible retrogression — is exactly the pattern that shows up when a fiscal year is running close to its limits.
Family preference categories moved forward meaningfully in the September bulletin. The specific chargeability-area dates for F1, F2A, F2B, F3, and F4 are not yet reflected below — pull the actual September 2026 Dates for Filing and Final Action charts directly from travel.state.gov before publishing this piece.
| Family Category | August 2026 | September 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| F1 (Unmarried sons/daughters of U.S. citizens) | See Aug. bulletin | [VERIFY — pull from Sept. bulletin] |
| F2A (Spouses/children of LPRs) | Current | [VERIFY] |
| F2B (Unmarried sons/daughters of LPRs, 21+) | See Aug. bulletin | [VERIFY] |
| F3 (Married sons/daughters of U.S. citizens) | See Aug. bulletin | [VERIFY] |
| F4 (Siblings of U.S. citizens) | See Aug. bulletin | [VERIFY] |
This table needs the actual September 2026 chart dates, by chargeability area (Worldwide, China, India, Mexico, Philippines), pulled directly from the Department of State's published bulletin. The source material available for this article only confirmed that family categories advanced generally — it did not include specific dates.
By contrast, most employment-based categories reportedly held close to where they were in August, without the same forward movement seen on the family side. As with the family chart, the specific EB-1 through EB-5 dates by chargeability area need to be pulled directly from the published bulletin.
| Employment Category | September 2026 |
|---|---|
| EB-1 (Worldwide) | [VERIFY] |
| EB-2 (Worldwide / India / China) | [VERIFY] |
| EB-3 (Worldwide / India / China) | [VERIFY] |
| EB-4 | [VERIFY] |
| EB-5 | [VERIFY] |
For EB-2 NIW and EB-1A applicants specifically, "largely unchanged" is worth confirming rather than assuming — even a one-month shift in the wrong direction, for the wrong chargeability area, can change whether it's the right moment to file an I-485.
The Department of State flagged that high demand in certain categories could force retrogression — dates moving backward — or temporary category closures before the fiscal year ends September 30, 2026. This isn't unusual by itself; DOS manages a fixed number of visas per fiscal year, and categories that have been oversubscribed sometimes get pulled back or closed entirely for the final weeks once that year's allocation is exhausted.
What it means practically: if your priority date is current or close to current in a category the Department has flagged as high-demand, September is not a month to delay filing if you're otherwise ready. A category that's open today can close with little notice before the fiscal year rolls over into October.
Even if a category closes or retrogresses in September, the new fiscal year on October 1 brings a fresh annual allocation of visa numbers. A category that closes for the last weeks of September often reopens — sometimes at a more favorable date — once the new fiscal year's numbers become available. That's a reason for patience, not necessarily alarm, if you're affected by a September closure.
If your priority date is current or approaching current for EB-2 NIW or EB-1A, September's retrogression risk makes this a good month to confirm your filing readiness rather than wait. We also handle O-1 petitions.
This article is provided for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. The specific category dates in this article are placeholders and must be replaced with verified figures from the official September 2026 Visa Bulletin before publishing. Visa availability changes monthly and can retrogress without extended notice. Past results do not guarantee future outcomes. Consult a licensed immigration attorney about your specific circumstances.