The State Department’s March 2026 Visa Bulletin brings renewed momentum for certain green card applicants following a largely stagnant February.
While several visa categories remain unchanged, the March bulletin introduces meaningful forward movement — particularly in employment-based categories — and offsets some of the setbacks seen earlier this year.
For many applicants, this marks the strongest month of advancement in fiscal year 2026 so far.
Understanding the Visa Bulletin
The State Department releases its Visa Bulletin monthly to guide green card applicants on when they can file applications and when their cases may be approved.
The bulletin uses two key benchmarks:
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Dates for Filing: If your priority date falls before this date, you may submit your green card application.
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Final Action Dates: If your priority date is earlier than this date, a visa number is available and your case may be approved.
Here’s how categories have changed since February.
Family-Sponsored Visas: Limited Movement
Most family-based categories remain largely static, though a few groups saw modest gains.
F1 – Unmarried Adult Children of U.S. Citizens
No change in March for most countries. Mexico’s Final Action Date remains December 22, 2006, and filing dates are unchanged across all regions.
F2A – Spouses and Children of Permanent Residents
Final Action Dates remain unchanged worldwide. However, Dates for Filing advance by one month, moving from January 22, 2026, to February 22, 2026. This allows additional families to begin the application process, even though final approvals remain capped.
F2B – Unmarried Adult Children of Permanent Residents
No movement in either Final Action Dates or Filing Dates.
F3 – Married Adult Children of U.S. Citizens
Final Action Dates remain unchanged. However, the Philippines sees a notable Filing Date jump from February 1, 2006, to June 1, 2006 — a four-month improvement. Other regions remain static.
F4 – Siblings of Adult U.S. Citizens
Final Action Dates remain frozen for most countries. The Philippines advances modestly, moving from July 22, 2006, to September 1, 2006.
Overall, family-based categories continue to see limited progress, with only isolated improvements.
Employment-Based Visas: Broader Advances
March brings significantly stronger movement across several employment-based categories.
EB-1 – Priority Workers
China and India see Final Action Dates advance by one month, from February 1, 2023, to March 1, 2023. Filing Dates move forward sharply for both countries, jumping from August 1, 2023, to December 1, 2023. All other regions remain current.
EB-2 – Advanced Degrees and Exceptional Ability
Final Action Dates remain mostly unchanged, but India advances two months, from July 15, 2013, to September 15, 2013.
The most notable progress appears in Filing Dates:
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The category becomes current worldwide, including Mexico and the Philippines.
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India’s Filing Date advances significantly, from December 1, 2013, to November 1, 2014.
This marks one of the most significant improvements in the March bulletin.
EB-3 – Skilled Workers and Professionals
This category sees broad movement.
Final Action Dates:
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Most countries move forward from June 1, 2023, to October 1, 2023.
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The Philippines advances from June 1, 2023, to August 1, 2023.
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China and India remain unchanged.
Filing Dates:
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Most regions move from October 1, 2023, to January 15, 2024.
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China and India again remain frozen.
EB-3 – Other Workers
Final Action Dates advance two months for most countries, including Mexico and the Philippines, moving from September 1, 2021, to November 1, 2021. India and China remain unchanged.
Filing Dates also move forward significantly, from December 1, 2021, to June 22, 2022, though India and China see no movement.
The March 2026 Visa Bulletin delivers meaningful progress for many employment-based applicants, particularly in EB-2 and EB-3 categories. However, family-sponsored applicants continue to face limited forward movement, with only modest advances in select regions.
For many green card applicants, March offers cautious optimism — especially for those waiting in employment-based backlogs — even as long-standing bottlenecks remain in place for others.
