News·2026
October Visa Bulletin: EB-1 for Russia is Current, and EB-2 and NIW have retrogressed
The Department of State has published the Visa Bulletin for October 2026 — the first of the new fiscal year. For applicants from Russia and the other “rest of the world” countries, the news cuts both ways: EB-1 remains without a queue, and EB-2, which includes NIW, has rolled back for the first time since March.
Sergei Voronin · published September 29, 2026 · Updated: September 29, 2026 · 3 min read
Current as of October 1, 2026
Source: Visa Bulletin for October 2026, U.S. Department of State; USCIS guidance on which chart applies
What changed?
For “rest of the world” countries, which include Russia, the October Visa Bulletin looks like this.
| Category | Final Action Dates (decisions and visas) | Dates for Filing (filing the I-485) |
|---|---|---|
| EB-1 (including EB-1A) | Current — no queue | Current |
| EB-2 (including NIW) | January 1, 2025 — retrogression from Current | March 15, 2026 — retrogression from Current |
USCIS announced that in October, green-card applications inside the United States are accepted under the Dates for Filing chart. An I-485 in EB-2 can be filed if the petition’s priority date is earlier than March 15, 2026; a decision comes when the Final Action Dates chart reaches your date — currently January 1, 2025. Consular processing uses only Final Action Dates: an interview is scheduled for those whose priority date is earlier than January 1, 2025.
The Department of State explained the rollback simply: demand in EB-2 and EB-3 from the “rest of the world” exceeded the new fiscal year’s quarterly and annual limits, and the dates were moved back so the numbers would fit. The Department says it will watch demand and adjust the dates.
What does it mean?
Nothing changes for EB-1A. Once the petition is approved, you can file for adjustment of status or an immigrant visa immediately. That is the main argument for EB-1A when choosing between categories, and it became stronger this month. The comparison is in “EB-1A or EB-2 NIW: which to choose in 2026, and when to file both?”.
For an NIW with an approved petition. If the priority date is earlier than January 1, 2025, the queue does not affect you. If it falls between January 2025 and March 2026 and you are in the United States in lawful status, you can file the I-485 in October, receive a work permit and advance parole, and wait for a final decision until the dates catch up. If it is later than March 15, 2026, wait for the next bulletins. Abroad, the National Visa Center will accept the documents but will not schedule an interview until Final Action Dates reach your priority date.
For anyone still preparing an NIW. The priority date is locked on the day the I-140 is filed, not on the day it is approved, so waiting out the queue is a mistake: the earlier the petition is filed, the earlier your place in line. For profiles on the line between the categories, a parallel EB-1A filing is worth considering.
For families. A spouse can work at the I-485 stage only after the I-485 is filed, and under EB-2 that filing now depends on the priority date. Anyone for whom this is critical should recalculate the timeline.
The Visa Bulletin is issued every month; the next one, for November, comes in mid-October. We record each change in this chronicle on the day it is released.
This material is informational and is not legal advice on your situation.
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