In the Visa Bulletin for August 2026, the F2A category — spouses and children of green card holders — jumped to July 22, 2026, and shows “current” in the filing chart. The Department of State warns openly, however: dates may retrogress before September 30.
The Department of State has published the Visa Bulletin for August 2026 (data as of July 15) — and this is no routine update. Just a month ago we reported that the F2A category stood at January 1, 2025. In August, the final action date leaped to July 22, 2026 — more than a year and a half forward, practically to the present day. For Polish families waiting to be reunited, this is the best news in months.
F2A: an eighteen-month jump and “current” in the filing chart
A reminder: the bulletin contains two charts. “Final Action Dates” indicate whose case can be completed with a visa or green card in a given month. “Dates for Filing” indicate who may already submit documents. If your priority date is earlier than the date in the chart — you are in the game.
In August, both charts look exceptional for F2A: the final action date is July 22, 2026 (for all countries except Mexico), and in the filing chart F2A shows “C” — current — for all countries. This means spouses and minor children of green card holders may submit documents to the National Visa Center regardless of their priority date, once notified by the NVC. Whether the filing chart also applies in a given month to adjustment of status applications filed with USCIS is decided by the agency itself — the information is published at uscis.gov/visabulletininfo.
One technical note from the bulletin’s fine print: F2A numbers exempt from the per-country limit are available to applicants with priority dates earlier than July 22, 2025, while numbers subject to that limit cover dates from July 22, 2025 to July 22, 2026. For Poland, which is not an oversubscribed country, this split poses no obstacle — but it is worth knowing the two pools exist.
Family categories — July vs. August
All family categories for Poland (the “All Chargeability” column, Final Action Dates) moved forward:
| Category | August 2026 | July 2026 | Movement |
|---|---|---|---|
| F1 (unmarried adult children of U.S. citizens) | December 15, 2018 | February 1, 2018 | forward by ~10 months |
| F2A (spouses and children of green card holders) | July 22, 2026 | January 1, 2025 | forward by ~19 months |
| F2B (unmarried adult children of green card holders) | January 1, 2018 | November 22, 2017 | forward by ~1 month |
| F3 (married children of U.S. citizens) | May 15, 2012 | April 15, 2012 | forward by 1 month |
| F4 (siblings of U.S. citizens) | September 1, 2009 | January 1, 2009 | forward by 8 months |
In the employment-based categories, the picture for Poland is steady and favorable: EB-1 and EB-2 remain “current”, EB-3 moved to September 1, 2024 (one month forward), the “Other Workers” category to April 1, 2022, and EB-5 in the unreserved pool is still “current”. What’s more, in the filing chart EB-3 also shows “C” for Poland — documents in this category can be submitted regardless of priority date. For comparison: in the same bulletin, EB-2 for India shows “U” (numbers unavailable). One caution, though: in a separate note the bulletin warns that heavy number use in EB-2 may force a retrogression or a temporary shutdown of the category in the coming months — and that note applies to the entire category, not just India.
Why the dates accelerated — and why the window may close
Section D of the bulletin explains the mechanism bluntly. As a result of administration actions — including Presidential Proclamations 10949 and 10998 restricting entry for nationals of certain countries — the pace of immigrant visa issuance for those countries has dropped. To use up the visa numbers available in fiscal year 2026, the Department of State is advancing dates for the remaining countries — including Poland.
The same paragraph carries a warning: as additional demand materializes or administration actions change, retrogression may become necessary in the coming months — dates may move backward, and individual categories may become “Unavailable” even before the end of the fiscal year, i.e., before September 30, 2026. In other words: the window is wide open, but no one promises it will stay open through the fall.
DV-2026 lottery: the program’s final weeks
The August bulletin also brings important numbers for DV-2026 lottery selectees. For Europe, visas in August are available to rank numbers below 29,000, and in September the cut-off rises to 47,500. Remember the hard deadline, though: eligibility under the DV-2026 lottery expires on September 30, 2026, and no visa from this pool can be issued after that date. The bulletin states outright that availability through the very end of the fiscal year “cannot be taken for granted” — numbers may run out earlier. If you hold a high rank number and have your documents complete, do not wait until the final days.
What this means in practice
First: if you hold a green card and are sponsoring a spouse or child, and your priority date is earlier than July 22, 2026 — the case may be finalized as early as August. Second: even with a fresh petition, documents can be submitted to the NVC right away, because the filing chart is “current”. Third: precisely because this acceleration stems from unused visa numbers rather than a permanent change in the law, putting the matter off “until after vacation” may mean returning to the queue — the September bulletin could roll these dates back.
It pays to have documents prepared in advance: civil records with translations, valid passports, certificates. Any decision to file should be discussed with a licensed immigration attorney, and dates should always be verified in the original Department of State bulletin — the only binding source.
Sources:
- U.S. Department of State — Visa Bulletin for August 2026 (Number 17, Volume XI; data as of July 15, 2026): https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/legal/visa-law0/visa-bulletin/2026/visa-bulletin-for-august-2026.html
- U.S. Department of State — Visa Bulletin for July 2026 (for comparison of movements): https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/legal/visa-law0/visa-bulletin/2026/visa-bulletin-for-july-2026.html
- USCIS — which bulletin chart applies for adjustment of status: https://www.uscis.gov/visabulletininfo
This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Priority dates and eligibility depend on individual circumstances — consult a licensed immigration attorney.
Author: Bartosz Karczmarski · July 30, 2026
