July 2026 Visa Bulletin: EB-2 India Unavailable, EB-1 India Retrogresses – Broad Advancement Elsewhere

VisaNation’s legal team provides timely updates on the latest USCIS visa bulletin, analyzes movements in filing and final action dates, and predicts upcoming movements in priority dates. This month, we’ll go over the July 2026 visa bulletin.

For more information on how to read the bulletin, scroll to the bottom of the post or view the Table of Contents.

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July 2026 Visa Bulletin: Overview

The Department of State has released the July 2026 Visa Bulletin, and for employment-based applicants, the headline is a tale of two realities. Indian nationals in the two highest-demand professional categories absorbed real damage, while almost every other category and nearly every other country saw final action dates progress.

Below is our category-by-category breakdown comparing July against the June 2026 bulletin, with practical guidance on what each change means for petitioners and adjustment applicants.

Important note: The Final Action Dates moved meaningfully this month, but the Dates for Filing chart remained unchanged across all EB categories from June to July.

EB-1 (Priority Workers): India Retrogresses, China Advances

EB-1 final action date remains Current for all chargeability areas except China and India. China advanced two months, moving from April 1, 2023 to June 1, 2023. India moved in the wrong direction, retrogressing two months from December 15, 2022 back to October 15, 2022.

The State Department flags directly that high demand and number usage by Indian EB-1 applicants forced the retrogression to stay within the FY 2026 annual limit, and it warns that further retrogression may follow if India’s pro-rated EB-1 limit is hit before the fiscal year ends. EB-1A self-petitioners and EB-1B/EB-1C beneficiaries chargeable to India should treat the current window as fragile and prioritize getting documentarily qualified.

EB-2 (Advanced Degree / Exceptional Ability): India Unavailable, China Holds

This is the most consequential change in the July bulletin. The EB-2 India final action date, which sat at September 1, 2013 in June, is now Unavailable (“U”) for the remainder of FY 2026. The State Department states plainly that India’s pro-rated EB-2 limit has been reached.

The Department of State expects that in October (the start of FY 2027) the final action date will advance to at least the May 2026 final action date, though that is demand- and limit- dependent and not a guarantee.

• The EB-2 China Final Action Date held flat at September 1, 2021, with the bulletin cautioning that retrogression or unavailability could still come this fiscal year. EB-2 remains
• Current for all other countries, including Mexico and the Philippines. For Indian EB-2 cases — particularly NIW petitions — this means no visa numbers will be issued and no adjustment applications can be approved on an EB-2 India basis until the new fiscal year.
• Where an Indian beneficiary has a viable EB-1 path, the retrogression dynamics in both categories make the cross-category analysis more urgent, not less.

EB-3 (Skilled Workers & Professionals): Broad Advancement

• EB-3 had the most favorable movement. The Rest-of-World date and Mexico final action dates advanced two months from June 1, 2024 to August 1, 2024.
• China final action dates advanced nearly four months, from August 1, 2021 to December 22, 2021.
• India final action dates inched forward from December 15, 2013 to January 1, 2014. This is modest, but movement in the right direction in a category that is otherwise glacial.
• The Philippines final action dates held at August 1, 2023, with a standing caution that EB-3 Philippines could retrogress later this year.
• The Other Workers subcategory advanced across the board for final action dates: Rest-of-World and Mexico to March 1, 2022, India to January 1, 2014, and the Philippines to December 1, 2021. China Other Workers held at April 1, 2019.

Important note on EB-2 to EB-3 downgrade

One practical note worth flagging for cases with both an EB-2 and EB-3 path: with EB-2 India now unavailable but EB-3 India current to January 1, 2014 and advancing, the EB-2-versus-EB- 3 “downgrade” question is back on the table for certain Indian beneficiaries whose EB-3 priority date is now reachable.

EB-4 (Certain Special Immigrants / Religious Workers): Two-Month Advance

EB-4, including Certain Religious Workers, advanced uniformly for all countries from July 15, 2022 to September 15, 2022.

EB-5 (Immigrant Investors): India Unavailable in the Unreserved Category

• The Unreserved EB-5 category for India Final Action Dates went Unavailable, mirroring the EB-2 India story. The State Department reports India’s pro-rated EB-5 unreserved limit has been reached for FY 2026, with expected advancement in October to at least the June 2026 date.
• China’s unreserved EB-5 advanced from September 22, 2016 to December 1, 2016.
• Unreserved EB-5 remains Current for all other countries. Critically, all EB-5 set-aside categories — Rural (20%), High Unemployment (10%), and Infrastructure (2%) — remain Current for every country, including India and China.

This is the key takeaway for prospective and pending investors: the reserved-visa pathways are unaffected by the unreserved retrogression, and for Indian and Chinese investors a set-aside investment continues to offer immediate number availability that the unreserved category cannot.

Predictions In The Coming Months

These projections are grounded in the State Department’s own commentary in the July bulletin and the demand patterns visible across recent months. They are informed expectations, not guarantees — visa number movement is demand-driven and can shift abruptly.

EB-2 and EB-5 Unreserved India: dark through September, then a jump in October

Both categories were shut down because India’s pro-rated FY 2026 limits were exhausted, and there is no mechanism to revive them mid-year. The bulletin itself signals the October reset: EB- 2 India is expected to return to at least the May 2026 final action date, and EB-5 unreserved India to at least the June 2026 date.

Expect a meaningful one-time advance when FY 2027 numbers become available, followed by the familiar pattern of slow creep or renewed retrogression as the new year’s demand materializes.

EB-1 India: continued pressure likely

The two-month retrogression this month, paired with the bulletin’s explicit warning about reaching India’s pro-rated EB-1 limit, suggests this category remains at risk of further retrogression – or unavailability – before September 30.

We would not be surprised to see EB-1 India hold flat or slip again in the August or September bulletins, with a corrective advance in October.

EB-2 China: the next domino to watch

China held flat at September 1, 2021 this month, but the bulletin flags it directly for possible retrogression or unavailability before fiscal year-end.

With EB-2 India already exhausted, spillover demand and number pressure make a China EB-2 retrogression a real possibility in the final months of FY 2026.

EB-3 Philippines: vulnerable despite holding steady

The Philippines stayed at August 1, 2023 this month, but the State Department’s standing caution about EB-3 Philippines demand suggests the date is more likely to retrogress than advance in the near term.

Filipino EB-3 applicants with current dates should not assume the window stays open.

EB-3 and Other Workers: continued advancement, cautiously

These categories led the gains this month across most countries. We expect modest continued forward movement through fiscal year-end, where numbers remain available, though the EB-3 India advance will stay incremental given the depth of the backlog.

The FY 2027 reset (October bulletin)

Most of the lack of progress or reverse movement in this bulletin is a function of FY 2026 limits being exhausted.

The October bulletin should bring broad forward movement as a fresh allocation of employment-based numbers becomes available. Applicants in currently-stalled India categories should prepare documentation now so they are ready to act the moment numbers return.

Next Steps

If your priority date is affected, contact our office to review case strategy, including EB-3 downgrade options for Indian EB-2 holders, AP/EAD renewal timing, and contingency planning for the months ahead.

This summary is provided for general informational purposes and does not constitute legal advice. Visa bulletin movement can change month to month. Please contact our office to discuss how the July 2026 bulletin affects your specific case.

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Adjustment of Status (AOS) Filing Guidance

For Adjustment of Status (AOS) filings, USCIS has confirmed:

• Employment-based categories:  You must use the Final Action Dates chart in the Department of State Visa Bulletin for July 2026.
• Family-sponsored categories: You must use the Dates for Filing chart in the Department of State Visa Bulletin for July 2026.

Final Action vs. Filing Dates:

It’s important to differentiate between the final action dates (when a visa can be issued) and the filing dates (when an application can be submitted). This will help applicants understand their current status and next steps.

The Final Action Dates chart determines when an I-485 adjustment of status application can be approved (adjudicated) and your green card issued, while the Dates for Filing Chart determines when you can submit your I-485 Adjustment of Status application.

Here is why this distinction is critical for our clients:

For individuals with a pending Adjustment of Status (AOS) application, we stress that their priority date must be current under the Final Action Chart for their green card to be approved.

This is also where advanced strategies like interfiling, a process that allows AOS applicants to change their preference category, become a key topic. Interfiling is a process our attorneys use to move a client’s pending AOS application from one preference category to a more favorable one (e.g., from EB-3 to EB-2) to take advantage of a more current Final Action Date. This is a complex legal decision, and we recommend contacting VisaNation Law Group to determine if it is the right strategy for your specific case.

As the fiscal year progresses, demand fluctuations and potential “retrogressions” remain possible. Our firm doesn’t just monitor these trends; we actively analyze them to provide projections as new information becomes available. We encourage all applicants to stay informed and prepared for potential adjustments in the coming months.

Family-Based Green Cards

The category for family-based immigration comprises four preference levels based on who your sponsoring family member is in relation to you. They include:

• F1: Unmarried Sons and Daughters of U.S. Citizens: 23,400 plus any numbers not required for fourth preference.
• F2A: Spouses and Children of Permanent Residents
• F2B: Unmarried Sons and Daughters (21 years of age or older) of Permanent Residents: 23% of the overall second preference limitation.
• F3: Married Sons and Daughters of U.S. Citizens
• F4: Brothers and Sisters of Adult U.S. Citizens

There are five chargeability areas for this category: China, India, Mexico, the Philippines, and “All Other Chargeability Areas.” Your country of chargeability is where you were born.

Family-Based Dates for Filing Charts

*The numbers in the brackets designate the amount of movement in the filing date for that particular category compared to the previous month. If there’s no bracket below certain dates, there is no movement for those dates/categories in the latest visa bulletin.

Family-Based Final Action Dates Chart

*The numbers in the brackets designate the amount of movement in the final action date for that particular category compared to the previous month. If there’s no bracket below certain dates, there is no movement for those dates/categories in the latest visa bulletin.

Employment-Based Green Cards

With five different preference levels and seven chargeability areas, USCIS issues employment-based category visas through your job or occupation. The chargeability areas are China, India, Mexico, the Philippines, Central America (Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador), Vietnam, and the general category.

Employment-Based Dates: Final Action Dates

Employment-Based Dates for Filing Chart

*The numbers in the brackets designate the amount of movement in the final action date for that particular category compared to the previous month. If there’s no bracket below certain dates, there is no movement for those dates/categories in the latest visa bulletin.

Important July 2026 Visa Bulletin Dates

For those new to the green card process, our law firm recommends learning a few terms and dates to understand the rest of this visa bulletin report. If you have further questions about the process or anything else about your green card, you should consult with your immigration attorney.

Priority Dates

Each person who files a petition with the USCIS receives a priority date when the government receives their petition. A priority date establishes a person’s place in line to get an immigrant visa. Keep this date handy, since you will need it to compare with the dates in this bulletin. Remember that your priority date does not move, and you cannot change it except under certain circumstances.

Note: Priority dates are not relevant for immediate relatives of U.S. Citizens (e.g., spouses or minor children) as that category is always current.

Final Action Dates

Final action dates are based on the green card category and the chargeability area – your country of origin. Therefore, the final action dates constantly change based on how many people from each chargeability area have petitioned for that green card.

If green cards are still available, the final action date will likely move closer to your priority date. If green cards are unavailable, you will not see any movement from that final action date. However, if the limit has passed, you may see the date retrogress or move backward from your priority date.

Once the final action date in your green card preference level and chargeability area reaches your priority date, your priority date will be considered current. Once current, you will adjust your status or go through consular processing.

Date for Filing Charts and I-485

You’ll notice there are two charts for each category.

1. The Date for Filing chart determines whether or not one can submit the final immigrant visa application.
2. The Final Action Date chart indicates whether an immigrant visa number will be available.

USCIS announces which chart applicants can use within a week of the visa bulletin’s release.

Can You Shorten Your Waiting Time?

The short answer is: probably not. However, there are two prominent cases in which you may be able to shorten your green card processing time, which we will explain here.

1. The first way is to file an I-140 for a green card category that has a current priority date. In this case, your green card can begin processing immediately, and you can even pay an additional fee for premium processing, which will shorten the processing time to 15 business days. However, this is only available for certain green cards that use the I-140.
2. The second situation involves green card “porting,” or transferring your application from a lower preference level (EB-3) to a higher one (EB-2) to take advantage of the shorter waiting times. This is misleading because you don’t port your green card. In reality, you need to start with a new petition (and a new PERM if necessary). The “porting” aspect only comes in when you indicate that you want to retain your original priority date.

As attractive as “porting” might seem, it is a delicate process with particular requirements. Therefore, we recommend running complex decisions like this through your immigration attorney.

Staying Up-to-Date

In the world of immigration law, it always pays to be informed. The more you know about your green card, the easier it will be to make informed decisions about your case. To stay in the know about things like the newest visa bulletin, follow the Department of State’s Visa Bulletin.