October Visa Bulletin: spouses and children of green card holders can now file without waiting in line
Every month the Department of State publishes the visa bulletin, the table that says which family- and employment-based green card cases can move forward. October's carries more weight than the others because it opens fiscal year 2027 and brings new visa numbers for the whole year.
If your case depends on a family or employment petition, this is the table that decides whether you can file your adjustment of status now or whether your case can move to the consulate.
How to read the bulletin
Each petition has a priority date, usually the day the petition was filed. The bulletin publishes two charts:
Final action dates: if your priority date is earlier than the date shown for your category, a visa is available and the case can be decided.
Dates for filing: if your priority date is earlier than this one, you can already file the adjustment of status or submit documents to the National Visa Center, even if the visa is not yet available for approval.
Each month USCIS says which of the two charts it accepts for adjustment of status filed inside the United States. For October 2026 USCIS said the dates for filing chart applies, for both family and employment petitions.
Colombia does not have its own column: Colombians use the general "all chargeability areas" column.
Family petitions: the dates for Colombians
Dates for filing (the ones USCIS accepts in October):
F1, unmarried sons and daughters over 21 of citizens: February 1, 2020.
F2A, spouses and children under 21 of permanent residents: current.
F2B, unmarried sons and daughters over 21 of permanent residents: September 1, 2019.
F3, married sons and daughters of citizens: November 1, 2014.
Final action dates:
F1: January 22, 2020.
F2A: September 22, 2026.
F2B: August 22, 2019.
F3: October 22, 2014.
Spouses, children under 21 and parents of U.S. citizens do not appear in the bulletin because they have no line: a visa is always available for them (for parents, when the citizen child is 21 or older).
The key point in family cases: F2A
F2A is current on the dates for filing chart and its final action date is September 22, 2026, just days before the bulletin was published. In practice, the spouse or child under 21 of a permanent resident who is inside the United States and meets the other requirements can file their adjustment of status this month without waiting years in line.
Two caveats. First, "current" on the filing chart does not mean the visa is approved: the decision depends on the final action date. Second, being current in line does not solve other problems in the case, such as entries without inspection or time without status, which must be reviewed before filing.
Employment: EB-2 moved back
In the employment categories, for Colombians:
EB-1, extraordinary ability, researchers and executives: current.
EB-2, professionals with advanced degrees or exceptional ability, including the National Interest Waiver: the final action date moved back to January 1, 2025. Anyone with a later priority date has to wait.
EB-3, professionals and skilled workers: final action date of May 15, 2024.
The Department of State explained that some employment categories for "rest of world" moved back to keep visa issuance within fiscal year 2027 quarterly and annual limits. Because USCIS accepted the dates for filing chart for employment cases in October too, it is worth checking that chart before concluding that an employment case cannot be filed.
What to do with this information
Find your priority date on the petition receipt (Form I-797 for the I-130 or I-140).
Compare it with the filing chart if you are inside the United States and plan to adjust this month.
Check every month. Dates move forward, stay put or move back, and the chart USCIS accepts can change from one month to the next.
If your priority date is already current, the next step is to review the rest of the case before filing, because a badly filed adjustment costs more than a few weeks of waiting.
Informational content only. It is not legal advice and does not create an attorney-client relationship; each case depends on its own facts.
Responsible for this content: Camila Giraldo Bolívar, attorney admitted in New York and Colombia. GB Partners, Calle 5 A # 39-93, oficina 702, Medellín, Colombia. Phone and WhatsApp +57 305 234 6543. www.gbpartnersllc.com
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