If you or a family member are waiting for a green card through a family petition or a job, the Visa Bulletin decides when your turn comes. The November 2026 bulletin was published on October 22. It moves spouses and children of permanent residents born in Mexico forward by one month, and USCIS confirmed that in November all family and employment cases use the “Dates for Filing” chart. Here is what that means and what to check.

What is the Visa Bulletin, and why does it matter?

Each year there is a limited number of green cards in the family and employment preference categories. That is why there is a line. Every month, the Department of State publishes the Visa Bulletin with two charts:

• Final Action Dates: when the green card can be approved or the visa issued.
• Dates for Filing: when you can start the process.

Your place in line is your priority date. In family cases, it is the day the I-130 was filed; it appears on the receipt notice. In employment cases that require PERM, it is the day the Department of Labor received the PERM application. If your priority date is earlier than the bulletin’s date for your category and your country of birth, it is your turn.

What changed in the family categories?

The main news for Mexico is in F2A, the category for spouses and children under 21 of permanent residents:

• The Final Action Date for Mexico moved from March 22, 2026 (October) to April 22, 2026 (November).
• For most other countries, the F2A Final Action Date is October 22, 2026.
• On the Dates for Filing chart, F2A is current (“C”) for every country, including Mexico.

The other family categories for Mexico barely moved on the Final Action chart:

• F1 (unmarried sons and daughters over 21 of U.S. citizens): September 22, 2008.
• F2B (unmarried sons and daughters over 21 of permanent residents): May 15, 2010.
• F3 (married sons and daughters of U.S. citizens): July 15, 2001.
• F4 (brothers and sisters of U.S. citizens): April 22, 2001.

What changed for employment-based green cards?

For Mexico and most countries, the November dates are:

• EB-1: current.
• EB-2: Final Action Date April 1, 2025; Date for Filing March 15, 2026.
• EB-3 (professionals and skilled workers): Final Action Date June 15, 2024; Date for Filing August 1, 2024.
• EB-3 “other workers” (positions that require no experience): Final Action Date June 1, 2022; Date for Filing July 1, 2022.

India and China have earlier dates in EB-2 and EB-3.

Which chart do I use if I am in the United States?

Each month, USCIS decides which chart applies to adjustment of status filings (Form I-485). For November 2026, USCIS says all family and employment preference categories must use the Dates for Filing chart.

In practice:

• Spouses and children of permanent residents (F2A): because F2A is current for filing, a family member who is in the United States and is eligible to adjust status can file the I-485 in November. As Fernanda Inegol explains in her consultations, the I-485 requires two things: the person must be in the United States, and the category must be current.
• Workers with PERM or NIW cases: if your priority date is earlier than March 15, 2026 (EB-2) or August 1, 2024 (EB-3), and you are eligible, you can file the I-485.

Filing does not mean an immediate approval. The green card can only be approved once your priority date is earlier than the Final Action Date.

What if my case is at a consulate?

If your family member is outside the United States, the case follows the Final Action Date. For example, in F2A Mexico, your priority date must be earlier than April 22, 2026, for the consulate to issue the visa.

Can the dates move backward?

Yes. The November bulletin gives no projections. Fernanda puts it this way: the bulletin comes out around the middle of the month for the following month, and there is no way to predict it. That is why it pays to prepare your documents before your date arrives.

What we recommend

1. Find your priority date on your I-130 or I-140 receipt, or the date your PERM was received.
2. Compare it with your category and your country of birth, not the country where you live.
3. If you are in the United States and your date is current, check with your attorney whether you are eligible to adjust status before you file.
4. Start preparing now: birth and marriage certificates, passports, the medical exam and, in family cases, the Affidavit of Support (I-864).
5. Check the bulletin every month, around mid-month, along with the USCIS page that says which chart to use.

Need help?

If you petitioned for your spouse or children, or if your employer is sponsoring your green card, schedule a consultation with our San Antonio office. We will review your priority date, your category and the best path for you.

This article is general information and is not legal advice for your case. Fernanda Inegol, Barba Inegol Law Firm PLLC.

Sources: U.S. Department of State: Visa Bulletin for November 2026 (official PDF) · U.S. Department of State: Visa Bulletin for October 2026 · USCIS: Adjustment of Status Filing Charts from the Visa Bulletin · USCIS: When to File, November 2026