The January 2026 Visa Bulletin is important for anyone waiting for an employment-based green card, especially applicants from India and China who face the longest backlogs. At the same time, many employers and professionals are starting to prepare for the H-1B FY2027 cap season.
This article explains what actually changed in January 2026, how priority dates moved, what it means for different countries, and what is officially known about the next H-1B lottery.
The Visa Bulletin is issued monthly by the U.S. Department of State. The January 2026 bulletin includes official Final Action Dates for employment-based green cards.
Employment-Based First Preference (EB-1)
• All Countries: Current
• China: 01 FEB 2023
• India: 01 FEB 2023
Employment-Based Second Preference (EB-2)
• All Countries: 01 APR 2024
• China: 01 SEP 2021
• India: 15 JUL 2013
Employment-Based Third Preference (EB-3)
• All Countries: 22 APR 2023
• China: 01 MAY 2021
• India: 15 NOV 2013
If your priority date is earlier than the listed cutoff, your case may move forward for approval.
If it is later, you must wait until the date progresses in future bulletins.
Movement still depends on annual visa limits, demand in each category, and per-country caps.
India and China continue to face the longest queues. This is driven by three factors.
• very high application volume
• strict annual worldwide limits
• per-country caps
In EB-1, both China and India remain set at 01 February 2023, even though EB-1 is current for most other countries.
In EB-2 and EB-3 the gap is much larger.
For India, EB-2 is stuck at 2013, and EB-3 at 2013 as well.
For China, EB-2 sits in 2021, and EB-3 in 2021.
In short, January 2026 brings movement, but it does not remove the backlog reality for these two countries.
Applicants from other regions generally see more favorable timelines, with EB-1 current and EB-2 and EB-3 significantly ahead of India and China.
H-1B FY2027 will cover employment starting October 1, 2026. USCIS will hold its electronic lottery registration before that date.
Here is what is officially confirmed.
• Registration is required and handled electronically
• Employers submit registrations during a defined USCIS window
• USCIS conducts the lottery and selects cases
• Only selected cases can file full petitions
As of now, USCIS has not yet announced the exact registration dates for FY2027. Any specific dates circulating online are estimates or speculation. Historically, registration usually occurs in March. USCIS will publish exact dates closer to the opening of the registration period.
Until then, employers should prepare roles, compliance documentation, and wage strategies, so they are ready once USCIS makes the announcement.
Immigration planning should rely only on confirmed policy, especially for categories like EB and H-1B where timing controls everything. Depending on rumors or “predicted dates” often leads to disappointment, stressful planning, or lost opportunities.
Relocode tracks every Visa Bulletin, USCIS update, and policy change directly from official sources. Our team helps:
• analyze your priority date situation
• estimate realistic timing
• prepare for visa filing or adjustment
• build strategy for India and China backlogs
• guide H-1B planning responsibly
• support your family through the relocation process
If you want clarity instead of noise, Relocode will guide you with calm, precise, and professional support.
This article explains what actually changed in January 2026, how priority dates moved, what it means for different countries, and what is officially known about the next H-1B lottery.
Confirmed January 2026 Priority Dates
The Visa Bulletin is issued monthly by the U.S. Department of State. The January 2026 bulletin includes official Final Action Dates for employment-based green cards.
Here are the verified Final Action Dates for January 2026:
Employment-Based First Preference (EB-1)
• All Countries: Current
• China: 01 FEB 2023
• India: 01 FEB 2023
Employment-Based Second Preference (EB-2)
• All Countries: 01 APR 2024
• China: 01 SEP 2021
• India: 15 JUL 2013
Employment-Based Third Preference (EB-3)
• All Countries: 22 APR 2023
• China: 01 MAY 2021
• India: 15 NOV 2013
If your priority date is earlier than the listed cutoff, your case may move forward for approval.
If it is later, you must wait until the date progresses in future bulletins.
Movement still depends on annual visa limits, demand in each category, and per-country caps.
India and China Backlogs
India and China continue to face the longest queues. This is driven by three factors.
• very high application volume
• strict annual worldwide limits
• per-country caps
In EB-1, both China and India remain set at 01 February 2023, even though EB-1 is current for most other countries.
In EB-2 and EB-3 the gap is much larger.
For India, EB-2 is stuck at 2013, and EB-3 at 2013 as well.
For China, EB-2 sits in 2021, and EB-3 in 2021.
In short, January 2026 brings movement, but it does not remove the backlog reality for these two countries.
Applicants from other regions generally see more favorable timelines, with EB-1 current and EB-2 and EB-3 significantly ahead of India and China.
H-1B FY2027 Lottery Registration
H-1B FY2027 will cover employment starting October 1, 2026. USCIS will hold its electronic lottery registration before that date.
Here is what is officially confirmed.
• Registration is required and handled electronically
• Employers submit registrations during a defined USCIS window
• USCIS conducts the lottery and selects cases
• Only selected cases can file full petitions
As of now, USCIS has not yet announced the exact registration dates for FY2027. Any specific dates circulating online are estimates or speculation. Historically, registration usually occurs in March. USCIS will publish exact dates closer to the opening of the registration period.
Until then, employers should prepare roles, compliance documentation, and wage strategies, so they are ready once USCIS makes the announcement.
Why accuracy matters
Immigration planning should rely only on confirmed policy, especially for categories like EB and H-1B where timing controls everything. Depending on rumors or “predicted dates” often leads to disappointment, stressful planning, or lost opportunities.
How Relocode helps
Relocode tracks every Visa Bulletin, USCIS update, and policy change directly from official sources. Our team helps:
• analyze your priority date situation
• estimate realistic timing
• prepare for visa filing or adjustment
• build strategy for India and China backlogs
• guide H-1B planning responsibly
• support your family through the relocation process
If you want clarity instead of noise, Relocode will guide you with calm, precise, and professional support.