November 2026 Visa Bulletin: Family Dates F1–F4 Explained
The November 2026 family-preference dates for people born in Arab countries, what changed since October, and which chart USCIS accepts this month.
Update log
- : Published with the November 2026 bulletin: F1, F2B, F3, F4 +12 months on both charts; F2A final action +1 month; USCIS uses Dates for Filing.
In short (updated October 29, 2026): Every family category moved in the November 2026 Visa Bulletin for people born in Arab countries, who are charged under "All Chargeability Areas." F1, F2B, F3 and F4 each advanced a full 12 months on both the final action chart and the Dates for Filing chart. The F2A final action date advanced one month to October 22, 2026, and F2A stays current for filing. USCIS says it will accept adjustment of status filings in November using the Dates for Filing chart for all family and employment categories.
Get an alert the moment it changes
One short email when there is official news: registration opens, the bulletin moves, or a rule changes. No spam, and you can unsubscribe at any time.
Enter your family category and priority date to see where you stand in the latest bulletin and an estimated wait.
What moved this month for family categories?
The State Department released the November 2026 bulletin, the second of fiscal year 2027, on October 22, 2026. After an October bulletin in which only one family date moved, here is the movement for "All Chargeability Areas":
- F1 (unmarried sons and daughters of US citizens, 21 or older): +12 months on both charts.
- F2A (spouses and minor children of green card holders): final action +1 month (30 days); Dates for Filing remains current.
- F2B (unmarried sons and daughters of green card holders, 21 or older): +12 months on both charts.
- F3 (married sons and daughters of US citizens): +12 months on both charts.
- F4 (brothers and sisters of adult US citizens): +12 months on both charts.
A jump this size does not mean it will repeat every month.
November 2026 dates: final action vs. dates for filing
These are the November 2026 dates for "All Chargeability Areas Except Those Listed," the column that covers every Arab country:
| Category | Final action date | Date for filing | Change from October |
|---|---|---|---|
| F1 | Jan. 22, 2021 | Feb. 1, 2021 | +12 months, both charts |
| F2A | Oct. 22, 2026 | Current | Final action +1 month |
| F2B | Aug. 22, 2020 | Sept. 1, 2020 | +12 months, both charts |
| F3 | Oct. 22, 2015 | Nov. 1, 2015 | +12 months, both charts |
| F4 | Oct. 22, 2012 | Nov. 1, 2012 | +12 months, both charts |
"Current" means visas are available to everyone in the category regardless of priority date. The F2A final action date is essentially the bulletin's publication date, so F2A is effectively current.
What it means for siblings and married children
F3 and F4 have the longest waits. The advance means sibling petitions filed between October 2011 and October 2012 are now current. If your case falls in that window, watch for National Visa Center (NVC) messages and prepare your civil documents and affidavit of support now.
To follow the dates month by month, use our Visa Bulletin tracker, or enter your date in the family visa wait calculator to see where you stand in November.
Why Arab countries fall under "All Chargeability Areas"
Only countries whose demand exceeds the per-country limit get their own column: currently mainland China, India, Mexico and the Philippines. No Arab country is on that list, so anyone born in Egypt, Syria, Iraq, Morocco or Yemen reads "All Chargeability Areas." Chargeability generally follows country of birth, not nationality: someone with an Arab passport born in India is usually charged to India, where the November F4 date is December 15, 2006.
Which chart does USCIS accept in November 2026?
Each bulletin has two charts, and USCIS announces every month which one it uses for I-485 adjustment of status filings inside the United States. For November 2026, USCIS says on its official page that all family-sponsored categories must use the Dates for Filing chart, and so must all employment-based categories.
In practice: if you are in the US and eligible to adjust status, compare your priority date with the Dates for Filing column. Final approval still waits until your date is earlier than the final action date. Applicants abroad are scheduled by the NVC and the consulate under the final action chart.
What it means for you: worked examples
Your priority date is the date USCIS received the I-130 petition your relative filed; it is on the receipt notice. The rule: your date must be earlier than the date in the bulletin. The same date is not enough.
- A Jordanian sister of a US citizen, priority date October 25, 2011, F4: in October her date was only earlier than the filing date. In November it is earlier than the final action date (Oct. 22, 2012), so her turn has come and a visa can be issued once her file and consular interview are complete.
- An Egyptian unmarried son of a citizen, in the US in a status that allows adjustment, priority date January 25, 2021, F1: his date is earlier than the filing date (Feb. 1, 2021) but not the final action date (Jan. 22, 2021). He can file an I-485 in November because USCIS is using the filing chart, but approval waits for the final action date to move.
- A Moroccan married daughter of a citizen, priority date January 1, 2017, F3: her date is later than both dates (Oct. 22, 2015 and Nov. 1, 2015), so she still waits, even after a one-year advance.
Many people in the US without lawful status cannot adjust in family preference categories even when current. Talk to a licensed attorney before filing an I-485.
The travel ban and the 75-country pause: what still blocks families
A current date is not enough on its own. Here is where two measures stand as of October 29, 2026:
- Proclamation 10998: still in force with no published amendment. It blocks immigrant visas for nationals of Syria, Yemen, Sudan, Libya, Somalia and Mauritania and for Palestinian Authority document holders, apart from limited exceptions. A Yemeni family can be current in November and still not receive a visa. Details in our travel ban guide.
- The 75-country immigrant visa pause: vacated by a New York federal court on August 21, 2026, in CLINIC v. Rubio, and the State Department said it is complying. The government appealed to the Second Circuit and asked for a stay; as of October 29, 2026 we found no confirmed stay. Cases for nationals of Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco and others continue, but the appeal could change that. Details in our 75-country pause guide.
Common mistakes
- Reading the wrong column: people born in Arab countries read "All Chargeability Areas," even if they hold another passport.
- Mixing up the charts: the filing date lets you file and prepare documents; the final action date is when the visa or green card can be issued.
- Ignoring NVC messages: if you do not act within one year of a visa availability notice, the petition can be terminated.
What next
New to the bulletin? Start with our guide to reading the Visa Bulletin. If your relative has not filed yet, read the I-130 family petition guide, because the priority date only starts on the day it is filed. To compare with last month, see the October 2026 bulletin.
The December 2026 bulletin usually appears in mid-November or later; we will publish a new post then. Check the official bulletin and the USCIS filing charts page before any step.
Frequently asked questions
Did F4 move in the November 2026 Visa Bulletin?
Yes. For All Chargeability Areas, the F4 final action date moved from October 22, 2011 to October 22, 2012, and the filing date from November 1, 2011 to November 1, 2012, a 12-month advance on both charts.
Which chart does USCIS use in November 2026?
USCIS says all family-sponsored and all employment-based categories must use the Dates for Filing chart for I-485 adjustment filings in November 2026.
Why is there no column for Egypt or Syria?
Separate columns are only for countries whose demand exceeds the per-country limit, currently mainland China, India, Mexico and the Philippines. Arab countries fall under All Chargeability Areas, based generally on country of birth.
Is F2A current right now?
F2A is current on the Dates for Filing chart, and its final action date is October 22, 2026, so it is effectively current for most applicants in November 2026.
My date is current but I am Yemeni. Will my visa be issued?
Not necessarily. Proclamation 10998 still blocks immigrant visas for nationals of Yemen, Syria, Sudan, Libya, Somalia and Mauritania and Palestinian Authority document holders, apart from limited exceptions.
When will the December 2026 bulletin come out?
Bulletins usually appear around the middle of the previous month or later. The December 2026 bulletin had not been published as of October 29, 2026.
Official sources we reviewed
- US Department of State — Visa Bulletin for November 2026 (official; site blocks automated access, values cross-checked in the secondary sources below) ↗
- USCIS — Adjustment of Status Filing Charts from the Visa Bulletin ↗
- Federal Register (govinfo) — Proclamation 10998 ↗
- CLINIC — CLINIC v. Rubio: the 75-country visa pause was vacated (secondary) ↗
- Ellis Porter — November 2026 Visa Bulletin (secondary) ↗
- Kulen Law Firm — Visa Bulletin for November 2026 (secondary) ↗
- Gozel Law — November 2026 Visa Bulletin (secondary) ↗