The May 2026 Visa Bulletin brings encouraging news for families, with forward movement in several family-based categories.” However, most employment-based categories remained unchanged, creating ongoing uncertainty for skilled workers and employers, including many in Texas.
The latest Visa Bulletin shows stronger progress for family-sponsored immigration categories, particularly for adult children and siblings of U.S. citizens. The F-1 category, which covers unmarried adult sons and daughters of U.S. citizens, advanced by roughly seven months, one of the largest recent movements.
The F-2B category, covering unmarried adult children of permanent residents, also moved forward, while the F-4 category for siblings of U.S. citizens saw modest progress. Meanwhile, the F-2A category, which includes spouses and minor children of lawful permanent residents, remains current for all countries. That means visas are immediately available for eligible applicants in that category.
The F-3 category, which applies to married children of U.S. citizens, saw only limited movement, meaning many applicants may still face long waits before their priority dates become current.
On the employment side, the bulletin brought little relief. Key categories such as EB-1, EB-2, and EB-3 remained unchanged. These categories are often used by professionals, researchers, executives, engineers, healthcare workers, and other skilled employees seeking permanent residency through work. EB-3 Other Workers moved slightly, while EB-5 China advanced modestly.
For Texas cities such as Houston, Dallas, Austin, and San Antonio, the update is especially important. Texas has large immigrant communities with many residents sponsoring family members abroad, while employers in healthcare, energy, and technology sectors closely watch employment-based green card movement for workforce planning.
Immigration attorneys often note that even small changes in the Visa Bulletin can significantly affect families waiting to reunite after years apart. For workers, stagnant employment categories may mean longer temporary visa dependence and delays in long-term settlement plans.
As the May 2026 Visa Bulletin shows mixed progress, families may benefit while workers continue to face delays. For now, family-based applicants have reason for cautious optimism, while employment-based applicants may need more patience.
