Updated
The September 2018 visa bulletin
Every employment-based cutoff the State Department published for September 2018, on both charts, for the five countries the bulletin lists separately. Beside each cutoff is what it did since the August 2018 bulletin. The newest bulletin held here is November 2026.
What moved since August 2018
Every one of the 30 cells on each chart, by what it did.
Final action dates
Final action dates: 7 advanced, 10 unchanged, 13 went backwards.
Dates for filing
Dates for filing: 0 advanced, 30 unchanged.
Final action dates
Each cell shows the cutoff and its move since the August 2018 bulletin.
| Category | All other countries | China | India | Mexico | Philippines |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EB-1 priority workers | Jun 1, 2016 +31 days | Jan 1, 2012 unchanged | Jan 1, 2012 unchanged | Jun 1, 2016 +31 days | Jun 1, 2016 +31 days |
| EB-2 advanced degree and NIW | Jan 1, 2013 a cutoff returned | Jan 1, 2013 -789 days | Jan 1, 2007 -804 days | Jan 1, 2013 a cutoff returned | Jan 1, 2013 a cutoff returned |
| EB-3 skilled and professional | Nov 1, 2016 a cutoff returned | Nov 1, 2014 +123 days | Jan 1, 2003 -2192 days | Nov 1, 2016 a cutoff returned | Nov 1, 2016 -212 days |
| EB-3 other workers | Nov 1, 2016 a cutoff returned | May 1, 2007 unchanged | Jan 1, 2003 -2192 days | Nov 1, 2016 a cutoff returned | Nov 1, 2016 -212 days |
| EB-4 special immigrants | Current current | Current current | Feb 15, 2016 +7 days | Feb 15, 2016 +7 days | Current current |
| EB-5 unreserved | Current current | Aug 8, 2014 +7 days | Current current | Current current | Current current |
Dates for filing
Each cell shows the cutoff and its move since the August 2018 bulletin.
| Category | All other countries | China | India | Mexico | Philippines |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EB-1 priority workers | Current current | Current current | Current current | Current current | Current current |
| EB-2 advanced degree and NIW | Current current | Apr 1, 2015 unchanged | May 22, 2009 unchanged | Current current | Current current |
| EB-3 skilled and professional | Current current | Jan 1, 2016 unchanged | May 1, 2009 unchanged | Current current | Jul 1, 2017 unchanged |
| EB-3 other workers | Current current | Jun 1, 2008 unchanged | May 1, 2009 unchanged | Current current | Jul 1, 2017 unchanged |
| EB-4 special immigrants | Current current | Current current | Current current | Current current | Current current |
| EB-5 unreserved | Current current | Oct 1, 2014 unchanged | Current current | Current current | Current current |
A date means applications with a priority date earlier than it can act that month. Current means every priority date can. Unavailable means none can, usually because the fiscal year's numbers for that category and country are used up. The EB-5 set-aside rows didn't exist yet in this month's bulletin. They begin in May 2022.
Source: the State Department's bulletin page.
Visa bulletin through Nov 2026. How these figures are counted. Spotted an error? Tell us; every fix is dated in the corrections log.
The sources in full
Visa bulletin: travel.state.gov (the bulletin's tables, read in a browser; the site refuses automated clients) · data through Nov 2026 · monthly
What this data includes
Visa bulletin: Cutoff dates as the State Department published them each month. Nothing here is forecast.
Cite this page
The rules behind these numbers
Waiting on a PERM case?
- When it'll likely be decided
- An email when DOL moves it