February 2026 Visa Bulletin: Analysis & Predictions Including EB-2 Priority Date India

VisaNation legal team provides regular monthly updates on the most recent visa bulletin, analyzes the date movements, and predicts upcoming months to help answer these questions. This month, we’ll go over the February 2026 visa bulletin.

For more information on how to read the bulletin, scroll to the bottom of the post or view the Table of Contents.

February 2026 Visa Bulletin: Overview and Predictions

The February 2026 Visa Bulletin brings a mix of encouraging advancements in certain categories alongside significant program updates. While employment-based categories like EB-1 and EB-2 remain stagnant, the EB-3 category saw a jump of over a month in final action dates and three months in filing dates. Meanwhile, the family-sponsored charts show notable progress for Mexico

The latest visa Bulletin reflects a “stabilization phase” following the more aggressive advancements seen in January. While the EB-3 Worldwide category provides a modest window of opportunity, the lack of movement in EB-1 and EB-2 suggests that the Department of State (DOS) is recalibrating to manage high demand and prevent retrogression later in the fiscal year.

The stagnation for China and India is noteworthy following the significant jumps in January. This indicates that the DOS is monitoring the surge of filings from the previous month before committing to further forward movement.

Outside of EB-3 for India and China, EB-2 remains the most backlogged category. The stagnation in the Worldwide date (April 1, 2024) suggests a heavy inventory of pending I-485s. For those with priority dates in late 2024, be advised that the bottleneck may persist through the spring.

EB-3 Worldwide is currently the most dynamic category. The 3-month jump in Chart B is a clear signal for “Skilled Workers” and “Professionals” to prepare their adjustment of status (AOS) packets. However, the EB-3 for India and China remains completely flat, reinforcing the divide between the rest of the world and backlogged nations.

USCIS has confirmed that it will accept Adjustment of Status filings under the Dates for Filing chart in February, an important window for thousands of applicants.

Key February Movement

Worldwide (All Other Countries)

• EB-3: Advanced 5 weeks (from April 2023 to June 2023) in Final Action and three months (to October 2023) in Filing Dates.

• EB-2 & EB-1: No progress in either chart.

• F2A (Filing): Progressed one month to January 22, 2026.

China

• No movement across any Employment-Based categories

India

• Final Action and Filing dates for EB-1, EB-2, and EB-3 remained unchanged from the previous month.

Mexico

• F1 (Unmarried Sons/Daughters): Advanced 3.5 months in Final Action (to December 2006) and 3 months in Filing Dates (to December 2007).

• F2B (Unmarried Sons/Daughters of LPRs): Jumped 3 months in both Final Action (to February 2009) and Filing Dates (to February 2010).

VisaNation Guidance 

1. EB-3 Applicants should act quickly – Jumps can sometimes be followed by “retrogressions” (dates moving backward) later in the fiscal year if demand is higher than expected. Locking in your adjustment of status application in February is crucial.
2. For L1A-to-EB1C clients, the priority remains filing as soon as the “Current” status is achieved for the rest of the world, or as dates allow for India/China.

Visa Bulletin Predictions for Early 2026

1. For EB-2 Clients with priority dates in late 2024, the “bottleneck” may persist through the spring.
2. For India and China, expect continued stagnation or small month-to-month advances. The backlog depth prevents major jumps.

Adjustment of Status (AOS) Filing Guidance

For Adjustment of Status (AOS) filings, USCIS has confirmed:

• Employment-based categories:  You must use the Dates for Filing chart in the Department of State Visa Bulletin for February 2026.
• Family-sponsored categories: You must use the Dates for Filing chart in the Department of State Visa Bulletin for February 2026.

Final Action vs. Filing Dates:

It’s important to differentiate between the final action dates (when a visa can be issued) and the filing dates (when an application can be submitted). This will help applicants understand their current status and next steps.

The Final Action Dates chart determines when an I-485 adjustment of status application can be approved (adjudicated) and your green card issued, while the Dates for Filing Chart determines when an applicant can submit their I-485 Adjustment of Status application.

Here is why this distinction is critical for our clients:

For individuals with a pending Adjustment of Status (AOS) application, we stress that their priority date must be current under the Final Action Chart for their green card to be approved.

This is also where advanced strategies like interfiling, a process that allows AOS applicants to change their preference category, become a key topic. Interfiling is a process our attorneys use to move a client’s pending AOS application from one preference category to a more favorable one (e.g., from EB-3 to EB-2) to take advantage of a more current Final Action Date. This is a complex legal decision, and we recommend contacting VisaNation Law Group to determine if it is the right strategy for your specific case.

As the fiscal year progresses, demand fluctuations and potential “retrogressions” remain possible. Our firm doesn’t just monitor these trends; we actively analyze them to provide projections as new information becomes available. We encourage all applicants to stay informed and prepared for potential adjustments in the coming months.

Family-Based Green Cards

The category for family-based immigration comprises four preference levels based on who your sponsoring family member is in relation to you. They include:

• F1 Unmarried Sons and Daughters of U.S. Citizens: 23,400 plus any numbers not required for fourth preference.
• F2A: Spouses and Children of Permanent Residents
• F2B Unmarried Sons and Daughters (21 years of age or older) of Permanent Residents: 23% of the overall second preference limitation.
• F3 Married Sons and Daughters of U.S. Citizens
• (F4) Brothers and Sisters of Adult U.S. Citizens

There are five chargeability areas for this category: China, India, Mexico, the Philippines, and all other countries. Your country of chargeability is where you were born.

Family-Based Dates for Filing Charts

*The numbers in the brackets designate the amount of movement in the filing date for that particular category compared to the previous month. If there’s no bracket below certain dates, there is no movement for those dates/categories in the latest visa bulletin.

Key Takeaways

• F1 (Mexico): Advanced three months from September 1, 2007, to December 1, 2007
• F2A (All Chargeability): Advanced one month from December 22, 2025, to January 22, 2026.
• F2B (Mexico): Advanced three months from November 15, 2009, to February 15, 2010

Dates for F3 and F4 across all coutnries saw no movement

Family-Based Final Action Dates Chart

*The numbers in the brackets designate the amount of movement in the final action date for that particular category compared to the previous month. If there’s no bracket below certain dates, there is no movement for those dates/categories in the latest visa bulletin.

F1 (First Preference):

• Mexico: Advanced over three months from September 1, 2006, to December 22, 2006.
• Rest of World: no change

F2B (Second Preference B):

• Mexico: Advanced three months from November 15, 2008, to February 15, 2009
• Rest of World: No change

Dates for all other chargeability areas and preferences (F2A, F3, F4) remained stagnant.

Employment-Based Green Cards

With five different preference levels and seven chargeability areas, USCIS issues employment-based category visas through your job or occupation. The chargeability areas are China, India, Mexico, the Philippines, Central America (Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador), Vietnam, and the general category.

Employment-Based Dates: Final Action Dates

Key changes

EB-1 (Priority Workers):

• India: No change
• China: No change
• Rest of World: Remains Current (no backlog).

EB-2 (Advanced Degree / Exceptional Ability):

• Rest of World / Mexico / Philippines: No Change

• China: No Change

• India: No Change

EB-3 (Skilled Workers / Professionals):

• (Worldwide, Mexico, Philippines): Advanced approximately one month and one week from April 22, 2023, to June 1, 2023.

Certain Religious Workers (SR): This category has become “Unavailable” (U)

Employment-Based Dates for Filing Chart

Importantly, for employment-based categories, adjustment of status applicants can use the Filing Dates chart.

*The numbers in the brackets designate the amount of movement in the final action date for that particular category compared to the previous month. If there’s no bracket below certain dates, there is no movement for those dates/categories in the latest visa bulletin.

Key changes

• EB-3 (Worldwide, Mexico, Philippines): Advanced three months from July 1, 2023, to October 1, 2023
• Other Categories: No movement was recorded for EB-1, EB-2, or EB-5 filing dates

Important February 2026 Visa Bulletin Dates

For those new to the green card process, our law firm recommends learning a few terms and dates to understand the rest of this visa bulletin report. If you have further questions about the process or anything else about your green card, you should consult with your immigration attorney.

Priority Dates

Each person who files a petition with the USCIS receives a priority date when the government obtains their petition. A priority date establishes a person’s place in line to get an immigrant visa. Keep this date handy, since you will need it to compare to the dates in this bulletin. Remember that your priority date does not move, and you cannot change it except under certain circumstances.

Note: Priority dates are not relevant for immediate relatives of U.S. Citizens (e.g., spouses or minor children) as that category is always current.

Final Action Dates

Final action dates are based on the green card category and the chargeability area—your country of origin. Therefore, the final action dates constantly change based on how many people from each chargeability area have petitioned for that green card.

If green cards are still available, the final action date will likely move closer to your priority date. If green cards are unavailable, you will not see any movement from that final action date. However, if the limit has passed, you may see the date retrogress or move backward from your priority date.

Once the final action date in your green card preference level and chargeability area reaches your priority date, your priority date will be considered current. Once current, you will adjust your status or go through consular processing.

Date for Filing Charts and I-485

You’ll notice there are two charts for each category.

1. The Date for Filing chart determines whether or not one can submit the final immigrant visa application.
2. The Final Action Date chart indicates whether an immigrant visa number will be available.

USCIS announces which chart applicants can use within a week of the visa bulletin’s release.

Can You Shorten Your Waiting Time?

The short answer is: probably not. However, there are two prominent cases in which you may be able to shorten your green card processing time, which we will explain here.

1. The first way is to file an I-140 for a green card category that has a current priority date. In this case, your green card can begin processing immediately, and you can even pay an additional fee for premium processing, which will shorten the processing time to 15 business days. However, this is only available for certain green cards that use the I-140.
2. The second situation involves green card “porting,” or transferring your application from a lower preference level (EB-3) to a higher one (EB-2) to take advantage of the shorter waiting times. This is misleading because you don’t port your green card. In reality, you need to start with a new petition (and a new PERM if necessary). The “porting” aspect only comes in when you indicate that you want to retain your original priority date.

As attractive as “porting” might seem, it is a delicate process with particular requirements. Therefore, we recommend running complex decisions like this through your immigration attorney.

Staying Up-to-Date

In the world of immigration law, it always pays to be informed. The more you know about your green card, the easier it will be to make informed decisions about your case. To stay in the know about things like the newest visa bulletin, follow the Department of State’s Visa Bulletin.