The U.S. State Department has released the August 2026 visa bulletin, showing broad advances in family-based green card categories and modest improvement in employment-based categories. The biggest change was in the family second preference A category, for spouses and minor children of permanent residents, which moved forward by more than 18 months in the final action date.
Other family categories also advanced. The first preference category for adult unmarried children of U.S. citizens moved ahead by 10 months, while the fourth preference category for siblings of U.S. citizens advanced by eight months. In employment-based immigration, the first and second preference categories remained current, meaning visas are available without a cutoff date.
The third preference categories for professionals, skilled workers and unskilled workers each moved forward by about one month. But the State Department warned that demand for second preference employment visas is rising quickly, and that the category could retrogress or stop issuing visas before the end of the fiscal year.
Separately, a policy memo issued by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services in May was reaffirmed, requiring people temporarily staying in the United States who seek permanent residence to return to their home country and apply through a consulate unless there are special circumstances. The move could affect many applicants, since more than half historically have filed for a change of status while remaining in the United States. A new rule is also set to take effect Sept. 15, limiting the stay of F, J and I visa holders — including students and exchange visitors — to a maximum of four years.
