U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services confirmed on 24 April 2026 that employment-based Adjustment of Status applications filed in May must use the Visa Bulletin’s Final Action Dates chart, ending a six-month stretch in which applicants could rely on the more generous Dates for Filing chart. For many Indian and Chinese professionals—and for employers racing to lock in green-card benefits—the switch makes 30 April the last day to file under April’s looser cut-offs. The policy reversal follows historic forward movement in the April bulletin that saw EB-2 Rest-of-World become current and India EB-2 advance by 303 days.
![USCIS will require Final Action Dates for May filings, creating 30 April deadline rush]()
If you need guidance on timing, document preparation, or understanding which chart applies to your case, VisaHQ can streamline the process. Their online platform (https://www.visahq.com/united-states/) connects applicants with expert support, real-time visa updates, and step-by-step checklists, giving both individuals and corporate mobility teams an efficient way to stay compliant amid shifting USCIS policies.
USCIS says the surge in filings risks exhausting annual visa numbers before the fiscal year ends on 30 September. Corporate mobility teams now face an ‘all-hands’ fortnight: medical exams, Supplement J confirmations, and fee cheques must be packaged and postmarked by 30 April for any case eligible under Chart B but not Chart A. Applicants shut out in May may have to wait until at least October 2026, when the new fiscal year begins, for another filing window. Practically, employers should triage candidates by priority date, allocate overtime to immigration vendors, and warn foreign talent that travel plans could be impacted if biometrics or interviews are scheduled quickly. Finance teams should also brace for a spike in premium-processing spend as companies rush to cross-file upgraded EB-2 petitions before the cut-off.
If you need guidance on timing, document preparation, or understanding which chart applies to your case, VisaHQ can streamline the process. Their online platform (https://www.visahq.com/united-states/) connects applicants with expert support, real-time visa updates, and step-by-step checklists, giving both individuals and corporate mobility teams an efficient way to stay compliant amid shifting USCIS policies.
USCIS says the surge in filings risks exhausting annual visa numbers before the fiscal year ends on 30 September. Corporate mobility teams now face an ‘all-hands’ fortnight: medical exams, Supplement J confirmations, and fee cheques must be packaged and postmarked by 30 April for any case eligible under Chart B but not Chart A. Applicants shut out in May may have to wait until at least October 2026, when the new fiscal year begins, for another filing window. Practically, employers should triage candidates by priority date, allocate overtime to immigration vendors, and warn foreign talent that travel plans could be impacted if biometrics or interviews are scheduled quickly. Finance teams should also brace for a spike in premium-processing spend as companies rush to cross-file upgraded EB-2 petitions before the cut-off.
