State Department’s October 2026 Visa Bulletin Still Missing, Fueling Green-Card Uncertainty

For the first time in more than a decade, the U.S. Department of State has failed to publish its monthly Visa Bulletin before the start of the new fiscal year. Immigration law firm One Visa Center noted on September 27 that the bulletin for October 2026—the month that resets annual green-card quotas—remains listed as “Coming Soon,” with no explanation from the government. The delay leaves hundreds of thousands of employment-based (EB-1, EB-2 and EB-3) and family-sponsored applicants unable to predict when they can file adjustment-of-status petitions or complete consular processing. Historically, the October bulletin is eagerly awaited because unused family-based numbers “spill over” into employment categories, often advancing priority dates by months. Corporate mobility managers are scrambling to update onboarding timelines for foreign talent. Without a bulletin, HR cannot determine whether new hires stranded overseas can obtain immigrant visas this quarter or whether in-country employees can switch from H-1B to permanent resident status. Several Fortune 500 companies told recruiters to prepare contingency extensions of temporary work visas to avoid status gaps. Visa-number analysts speculate that the holdup may be related to still-unreleased FY 2026 visa-usage statistics or to last-minute policy changes hinted at in recent White House proclamations tightening nonimmigrant worker entry. In the meantime, attorneys caution clients against filing based on unofficial “leaked” cut-off dates circulating on social media, warning that premature submissions will be rejected and filing fees forfeited. If the bulletin is not posted by October 1, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services could face a processing backlog similar to the infamous 2007 “Visa Gate,” when thousands of adjustment filings had to be reopened, costing the agency an estimated $3 million in overtime. Companies are advised to prepare communication templates for foreign employees and to budget for premium-processing upgrades once the bulletin finally drops.