Find Your Priority Date Status — August 2026
Final Action Cutoff Date
⏳ Unavailable (U)
EB-2 (Advanced Degree / Exceptional Ability) — 🇮🇳 India
Note: India EB-2 is designated as Unavailable (U) for the remainder of the fiscal year due to reaching the per-country statutory cap under INA § 202(a)(2).
August 2026 Employment-Based Final Action Dates
| Category | 🇮🇳 India | 🇨🇳 China | 🇲🇽 Mexico | 🇵🇭 Philippines | 🌍 Rest of World |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EB-1 (Priority Workers: EB-1A / EB-1B / EB-1C) | October 15, 2022 | July 1, 2023 | Current | Current | Current |
| EB-2 (Advanced Degree / Exceptional Ability) | Unavailable (U) | September 1, 2021 | Current | Current | Current |
| EB-3 (Skilled Workers / Professionals) | January 1, 2014 | December 22, 2021 | August 1, 2024 | August 1, 2023 | August 1, 2024 |
| EB-3 Other Workers | January 1, 2014 | May 1, 2019 | April 1, 2022 | December 1, 2021 | April 1, 2022 |
⭐ Recommended FX Partner Zero Bank Markup 50+ Currencies
Wise International Money Transfer — Transparent International Wire Transfers
Bypass expensive bank markup fees when transferring USD, GBP, EUR, CAD, or INR. Fast, secure cross-border payments.
Calculate Wise Rate Zero Hidden Currency Markup
⭐ Low-Fee Money Transfer Real Exchange Rate
Wise International Money Transfer
Send money across 50+ currencies with real mid-market exchange rates and zero hidden bank markup fees.
Transfer Money with Wise🛡️ Guaranteed Mid-Market Rate
Related Tools
Related US Tools & Guides
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
A priority date generally establishes an applicant's place in the employment-based immigrant-visa queue. For cases requiring labor certification, the priority date is the date the U.S. Department of Labor accepts the labor certification application for processing. For employment-based categories that do not require labor certification, it is generally the date USCIS receives the properly filed Form I-140. The applicable rule can vary by immigration category.
Final Action Dates determine when an immigrant visa may be issued or when an adjustment of status case can generally be finally approved, subject to the other requirements. Dates for Filing are earlier cutoff dates that can allow eligible applicants to submit required immigrant-visa documentation to the National Visa Center or, when USCIS designates that chart for the month, allow eligible adjustment-of-status applicants to file Form I-485.
Under INA § 202(a)(2), no single country of birth can receive more than 7% of total annual preference immigrant visas, causing severe multi-year backlogs for high-demand born-in-India and born-in-China applicants.
Generally, an employment-based beneficiary may retain the priority date of an approved Form I-140 for a subsequently filed employment-based petition under 8 CFR § 204.5(e), subject to the regulation's exceptions, including revocation for fraud or willful misrepresentation. Retaining a priority date is different from portability: AC21 portability has separate requirements and does not automatically apply to every employment-based category or situation.
Cross-chargeability can allow certain applicants to be charged to a spouse's country of birth when the statutory requirements are satisfied. It can provide access to a different Visa Bulletin chargeability area, but it does not automatically make Form I-485 immediately fileable; the applicable category, priority date, filing chart, USCIS monthly designation, and derivative-spouse circumstances must all be considered.
Under AC21 §104(c), an H-1B worker may qualify for extensions in three-year increments beyond the normal six-year limit when the worker is the beneficiary of an approved Form I-140 and would be eligible for permanent residence but for the applicable per-country limitation on immigrant visas. The extension is subject to the statutory and USCIS requirements and is not automatic merely because a priority date is backlogged.
Official U.S. Government Portals
• U.S. Department of State Official Visa Bulletin: travel.state.gov/visa-bulletin
• USCIS Adjustment of Status Filing Charts: uscis.gov/visabulletininfo