Green Card Update: Visa Bulletin Shows Progress for Some Applicants

The State Department has advanced several employment-based green card cut-off dates for November, bringing some applicants closer to being eligible for permanent residence.

The November 2026 Visa Bulletin shows movement in the EB-2 and EB-3 categories for applicants from several countries, although substantial backlogs remain for those from India and China.

In the employment-based second-preference category, or EB-2, the final action date for most countries, including Mexico and the Philippines, advances three months to April 1, 2025. The date remains November 1, 2013, for India and October 1, 2021, for China.

In the EB-3 category, the final action date for most countries and Mexico advances one month to June 15, 2024. For India, it moves to January 22, 2014, from January 1, 2014, while the Philippines remains at August 15, 2023.

The EB-3 Other Workers category, which covers certain jobs requiring less than two years of training or experience, also advances. The final action date for most countries and Mexico moves five months to June 1, 2022. For India, it advances to January 22, 2014, from January 1, 2014.

The EB-1 category remains current for applicants from most countries, Mexico, and the Philippines. The final action date for applicants born in mainland China advances one month to Aug. 1, 2023, while India's date remains Feb. 1, 2023, according to the Visa Bulletin.

This is a developing story; more to follow.