Updated
The October 2018 visa bulletin
Every employment-based cutoff the State Department published for October 2018, on both charts, for the five countries the bulletin lists separately. Beside each cutoff is what it did since the September 2018 bulletin. The newest bulletin held here is November 2026.
What moved since September 2018
Every one of the 30 cells on each chart, by what it did.
Final action dates
Final action dates: 22 advanced, 8 unchanged.
Dates for filing
Dates for filing: 3 advanced, 21 unchanged, 6 went backwards.
Final action dates
Each cell shows the cutoff and its move since the September 2018 bulletin.
| Category | All other countries | China | India | Mexico | Philippines |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EB-1 priority workers | Apr 1, 2017 +304 days | Jun 1, 2016 +1613 days | Jun 1, 2016 +1613 days | Apr 1, 2017 +304 days | Apr 1, 2017 +304 days |
| EB-2 advanced degree and NIW | Current became current | Apr 1, 2015 +820 days | Mar 26, 2009 +815 days | Current became current | Current became current |
| EB-3 skilled and professional | Current became current | Jun 1, 2015 +212 days | Jan 1, 2009 +2192 days | Current became current | Jun 1, 2017 +212 days |
| EB-3 other workers | Current became current | May 1, 2007 unchanged | Jan 1, 2009 +2192 days | Current became current | Jun 1, 2017 +212 days |
| EB-4 special immigrants | Current current | Current current | Current became current | Oct 22, 2016 +250 days | Current current |
| EB-5 unreserved | Current current | Aug 15, 2014 +7 days | Current current | Current current | Current current |
Dates for filing
Each cell shows the cutoff and its move since the September 2018 bulletin.
| Category | All other countries | China | India | Mexico | Philippines |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EB-1 priority workers | Jun 1, 2018 a cutoff returned | Oct 1, 2017 a cutoff returned | Oct 1, 2017 a cutoff returned | Jun 1, 2018 a cutoff returned | Jun 1, 2018 a cutoff returned |
| EB-2 advanced degree and NIW | Current current | Jun 15, 2015 +75 days | May 22, 2009 unchanged | Current current | Current current |
| EB-3 skilled and professional | Current current | Aug 8, 2015 -146 days | Oct 1, 2009 +153 days | Current current | Jul 1, 2017 unchanged |
| EB-3 other workers | Current current | Jun 1, 2008 unchanged | Oct 1, 2009 +153 days | 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