The FP Visa Bulletin for March: Dates for Filing Chart and an Employer’s Immigration Action Plan

Each month, federal immigration authorities publish a list of dates informing immigrant visa applicants when they should expect to assemble and submit required documentation to government officials. This Insight reviews March’s release to help employers determine whether and when you should provide corresponding notifications to any of your foreign-national employees to assist their efforts. You’ll also find a specific action plan so you can adapt your immigration strategy based on this month’s developments. If you want to ensure you follow compliant processes to address your critical workforce needs in a timely manner, read on.

March Dates: An Overview

US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that it will follow the State Department’s Dates for Filing Chart (Chart B) published in the March Visa Bulletin to determine whether candidates are eligible to submit an Adjustment of Status application on Form I-485 for that month. Dates appearing in this chart must be compared with an employee’s Immigration Priority Date shown on their EB-1/2/3 I-140 approval notice with their current employer to determine eligibility.

Movement in Employment-Based Preference Classes for March

The March 2026 Visa Bulletin reflects significant forward movement across multiple employment-based preference categories, particularly for India and China, and marks the return of EB-2 “All Chargeability Areas” to current status. Employers with foreign nationals who were previously ineligible to file Adjustment of Status applications should re-evaluate eligibility immediately, as this month’s advancements opens new filing opportunities.

EB-1

• EB-1 remains current for All Chargeability Areas, Mexico, and Philippines
• EB-1 China advances to December 1, 2023
• EB-1 India advances to December 1, 2023

EB-2

• EB-2 All Chargeability Areas, Mexico, and Philippines advance to Current
• EB-2 China remains at January 1, 2022
• EB-2 India advances from December 1, 2013 to November 1, 2014

The advancement of EB-2 All Chargeability Areas from October 15, 2024 to Current represents the complete elimination of the prior cutoff date, resulting in the category becoming fully current and removing all backlog constraints for that classification.

The advancement for EB-2 India represents nearly eleven months of forward movement, a notable shift after prolonged stagnation.

EB-3

• EB-3 All Chargeability Areas, Mexico, and Philippines advance to January 15, 2024
• EB-3 China remains at January 1, 2022
• EB-3 India remains at August 15, 2014

Dates for Filing Chart

The recently announced Dates for Filing for EB-1, EB-2 and EB-3 appear in the table below. Please note this table can always change, so check here for the most accurate and updated information before acting on these dates.

Preference	All Chargeability Areas Except Those Listed	CHINA – mainland born	INDIA	MEXICO	PHILIPPINES
EB-1	Current	Dec. 1, 2023	Dec. 1, 2023	Current	Current
EB-2	Current	Jan. 1, 2022	Nov. 1, 2014	Current	Current
EB-3	Jan. 15, 2024	Jan. 1, 2022	Aug. 15, 2014	Jan. 15, 2024	Jan. 15, 2024

What Should You Do? Your Action Plan

For March, USCIS is using the Dates for Filing chart (Chart B). This means an Adjustment of Status application may be filed for anyone with a priority date that is current under this chart. However, USCIS will not begin final adjudication of the case until the Final Action Date becomes current. While overall processing may be delayed, filing now allows cases to enter the queue and enables applicants to receive Employment Authorization Documents (EADs) and Advance Parole travel authorization while awaiting green card approval.

The advancement of EB-2 All Chargeability Areas to Current status and the nearly eleven-month advancement for EB-2 India represent particularly significant developments this month. For many employers, this shift may immediately expand green card filing eligibility for sponsored professionals who were previously subject to cutoff date limitations. Employers with pending or recently approved EB-2 I-140 petitions should conduct an immediate review of priority dates, as this movement may allow for the filing of long-anticipated Adjustment of Status applications.

If you have employees whose priority dates will be current in March under Chart B, you should reach out to your immigration attorney to prepare and submit their Adjustment of Status applications during March to preserve eligibility and strategic advantages.

Conclusion

We will continue to monitor developments from immigration officials and provide similar guidance on a monthly basis. Make sure you are subscribed to Fisher Phillips’ Insight System to get the most up-to-date information – including next month’s FP Visa Bulletin. If you have any questions, please contact your Fisher Phillips attorney, the authors of this Insight, or any attorney in our Immigration Practice Group.