US October Visa Bulletin: EB-5 unreserved China filing date jumps about 4 years to 2021-03-01, set-aside categories stay Current
United States · Residency planning · October 2026 Visa Bulletin (first month of FY2027)
| Country / region | United States |
|---|---|
| Category | Residency planning |
| Date | October 2026 Visa Bulletin (first month of FY2027) |
| What happened | In the first month of FY2027 (October 2026), the EB-5 set-aside categories (rural 20%, high-unemployment 10%, infrastructure 2%) remain Current for both China and India on Charts A and B. In the unreserved (pre-2022) category, China's final action date is unchanged at 2016-12-01, while the dates for filing advance from 2017-03-01 to 2021-03-01 (about 4 years, 1,461 days); India's unreserved final action date reopens at 2023-12-01 (previously Unavailable) with a filing date of 2024-05-01. USCIS has confirmed that Chart B may be used for employment-based adjustment filings in October. EB-1 remains Current worldwide (China 2023-07-01, India 2023-02-01). Elsewhere, EB-2 worldwide retrogresses from Current to 2025-01-01 and EB-3 from 2024-09-01 to 2024-05-15, while China EB-2 advances to 2021-10-01 and China EB-3 to 2022-01-08. |
| Impact on applicants | Pre-2022 EB-5 investors already in the United States with a priority date earlier than 2021-03-01 can file I-485 this month and may apply for work and travel documents at the same time. But Chart B only means 'may file' - final approval still depends on the Chart A date. New investors should still look first at the set-aside categories, which are current. |
| Source | U.S. Department of State Visa Bulletin for October 2026 (first month of FY2027) ↗ Note on scope: The State Department bulletin text governs; Chart A and Chart B mean different things |
Source: U.S. Department of State Visa Bulletin for October 2026 (first month of FY2027) ↗ · Last verified: 2026-10-14 · For reference only; not application or legal advice. Always check the official source for current rules.
FAQ
US October Visa Bulletin: EB-5 unreserved China filing date jumps about 4 years to 2021-03-01, set-aside categories stay Current — what happened?
In the first month of FY2027 (October 2026), the EB-5 set-aside categories (rural 20%, high-unemployment 10%, infrastructure 2%) remain Current for both China and India on Charts A and B. In the unreserved (pre-2022) category, China's final action date is unchanged at 2016-12-01, while the dates for filing advance from 2017-03-01 to 2021-03-01 (about 4 years, 1,461 days); India's unreserved final action date reopens at 2023-12-01 (previously Unavailable) with a filing date of 2024-05-01. USCIS has confirmed that Chart B may be used for employment-based adjustment filings in October. EB-1 remains Current worldwide (China 2023-07-01, India 2023-02-01). Elsewhere, EB-2 worldwide retrogresses from Current to 2025-01-01 and EB-3 from 2024-09-01 to 2024-05-15, while China EB-2 advances to 2021-10-01 and China EB-3 to 2022-01-08.
What does this mean for applicants?
Pre-2022 EB-5 investors already in the United States with a priority date earlier than 2021-03-01 can file I-485 this month and may apply for work and travel documents at the same time. But Chart B only means 'may file' - final approval still depends on the Chart A date. New investors should still look first at the set-aside categories, which are current.
Where does this information come from?
U.S. Department of State Visa Bulletin for October 2026 (first month of FY2027) (Note on scope: The State Department bulletin text governs; Chart A and Chart B mean different things), verified by us on 2026-10-14.
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