April Visa Bulletin Moves
The April 2026 Visa Bulletin shows measurable forward movement in several employment categories — EB‑2 and EB‑3 for India advanced significantly, with media reports flagging India dates now near January 2015. This shift creates a sudden uptick in adjustment‑of‑status questions and interfiling interest among multinational professionals and their employers. (eiglaw.com; youtube.com)
USCIS confirmed it will accept employment‑based adjustment‑of‑status filings in April 2026 using the Dates‑for‑Filing chart published in the April Visa Bulletin. (Fragomen.com) The Dates‑for‑Filing cut‑off for EB‑2 India moved from November 1, 2014 to January 15, 2015, and EB‑3 India’s Dates‑for‑Filing also show January 15, 2015 for April 2026. (BAL.com) The EB‑2 Final‑Action date for India advanced by 303 days in April 2026, shifting from September 15, 2013 to July 15, 2014 according to movement calculations in the bulletin. (VisaVerge.com) With EB‑2 and EB‑3 India filing dates identical at January 15, 2015 for April, traditional downgrade strategies from EB‑2 to EB‑3 that rely on an earlier filing cut‑off no longer provide a filing‑date advantage this month. (CILawGroup.com) The Department of State’s allocation language for the April bulletin reiterates that if demand requires it the Department may retrogress dates later in FY2026, a warning mirrored in multiple analysis pieces pointing to potential late‑year backtracking. (travel.state.gov; VisaVerge.com) Practice notes from recent firm analyses and guidance on “Transfer of Underlying Basis” (TUB/interfiling) stress CSPA and eligibility risks when shifting a pending I‑485 to a different I‑140 basis, and several law firms advised preparing for a near‑term spike in AOS and interfiling inquiries following April’s bulletin. (Arvian‑Immigration.com; Murthy.com; VisaNation/immi‑usa.com)
