US Department of State Maintains Static Visa Bulletin for Sept 2026

The U.S. Department of State released its September 2026 Visa Bulletin, revealing that several employment-based (EB) preference categories remain stagnant. For many applicants, this 'unchanged' status confirms that the supply of visa numbers for the current fiscal year has been largely exhausted or that demand continues to significantly outpace the available annual quota.

The Visa Bulletin serves as the primary mechanism for managing the flow of legal immigration to the United States. When dates do not advance, it indicates that the government is managing a backlog to ensure that the statutory limits for each category are not exceeded before the end of the fiscal year on September 30. This period is historically characterized by limited movement as agencies finalize processing for the current cycle and prepare for the reset of quotas in the new fiscal year starting October 1.

This update primarily affects foreign nationals currently in the United States or abroad who are waiting for their priority dates to become current under various employment-based visa categories. It also impacts employers who are sponsoring these individuals and are planning for long-term workforce stability.

Makutet analysis suggests that the lack of movement in the September bulletin is a standard end-of-fiscal-year stabilization measure rather than a permanent policy shift. We anticipate that the October 2026 bulletin will likely show some movement as the annual visa quotas reset, though significant backlogs in high-demand categories like EB-2 and EB-3 are expected to persist throughout the coming year.