June 2026 Visa Bulletin: Steep Retrogression for India EB-1 and EB-2 — What You Need to Do Now
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June 20, 2026 | Breaking News | United States
The U.S. Department of State's June 2026 Visa Bulletin brought sharp retrogression for Indian nationals in both the EB-1 and EB-2 employment-based green card categories — with a combined setback of more than 14 months for applicants who held current dates in May. The State Department has warned that further retrogression, or even making the categories entirely unavailable, may be necessary before the fiscal year ends on September 30, 2026.
If you are an Indian national on an H-1B or L-1 visa waiting to file Form I-485, this bulletin directly affects your timeline. Here is what happened, who is affected, and what to do next.
What Is Retrogression?
Each month, the State Department publishes a Visa Bulletin setting "priority date" cutoffs for each visa category and country. If your priority date — typically the date your employer filed your labor certification or immigrant petition — falls before the cutoff, your visa number is considered "current" and you can proceed with the next step in your green card process.
Retrogression means the cutoff date moved backward, making fewer applicants eligible in a given month. It happens when demand for visa numbers exceeds the annual per-country supply.
June 2026 Final Action Dates: The Numbers
Category | May 2026 | June 2026 | Change |
EB-1 India | April 1, 2023 | December 15, 2022 | −3.5 months |
EB-1 China | August 22, 2022 | June 1, 2022 | −2.5 months |
EB-1 All Other Countries | Current | Current | No change |
EB-2 India | July 15, 2014 | September 1, 2013 | −10.5 months |
EB-2 China | September 1, 2021 | September 1, 2021 | No change |
EB-2 All Other Countries | Current | Current | No change |
EB-3 India (Professionals) | November 15, 2013 | December 15, 2013 | +1 month |
EB-3 China (Professionals) | June 15, 2021 | August 1, 2021 | +6 weeks |
EB-5 Set-Asides (All Countries) | Current | Current | No change |
Source: U.S. Department of State, June 2026 Visa Bulletin
The EB-2 India movement is among the most severe single-month backward movements in recent memory for that category — a retrogression of more than 10 months in a single bulletin.
Important Filing Change for June
USCIS has confirmed that employment-based adjustment of status applicants must use the Final Action Dates chart for June 2026 filings — not the more favorable Dates for Filing chart. This means applicants cannot file I-485 ahead of their Final Action Date, even if the Dates for Filing chart shows an earlier cutoff.
For family-sponsored categories, the Dates for Filing chart remains available. F2A (spouses and children of permanent residents) made a significant leap of five months across all countries — a meaningful benefit for those in that category.
Why Did This Happen?
The U.S. issues a limited number of employment-based green cards each fiscal year, with a per-country cap ensuring no single country receives more than 7% of the annual total. India, with its large population of skilled workers in the United States — concentrated in technology, healthcare, and engineering — consistently reaches that ceiling.
The State Department had been aggressively advancing India's EB-1 and EB-2 cutoff dates in earlier months of fiscal year 2026, attempting to use visa numbers freed up from countries with reduced issuance due to travel ban restrictions. That rapid advancement generated a surge in filings and approvals that exhausted available numbers ahead of schedule, forcing the current reversal.
The Warning: More Retrogression Possible
The June Visa Bulletin contains explicit caution from the State Department. Additional retrogression — or making EB-1 and EB-2 India entirely "unavailable" — may be necessary before September 30, 2026, if India's pro-rated limits are reached.
Other categories flagged as potentially at risk in coming months:
Category | Warning |
EB-1 India | Further retrogression likely July–August; unavailable designation possible in late summer |
EB-2 China | May require retrogression or unavailability |
EB-3 Philippines | May face retrogression later this fiscal year |
EB-5 India Unreserved | May retrogress or become unavailable as early as July |
When a category is "unavailable," no one — regardless of priority date — can file or receive approval until the new fiscal year begins on October 1.
Who Is Directly Affected Right Now?
Indian nationals with EB-2 priority dates between September 1, 2013 and July 15, 2014. Your date was current in May. In June, it is not. If your I-485 was not physically received by USCIS before June 1, you cannot file this month and must wait for your date to become current again.
Indian nationals with EB-1 priority dates between December 15, 2022 and April 1, 2023. Same situation — you lost your current date when the bulletin moved backward.
Indian nationals with EB-1 or EB-2 priority dates still current in June but who have not yet filed. Given the State Department's explicit warnings, waiting is a significant risk. A further retrogression next month could close your window again.
What Should You Do?
File immediately if your date is still current. Do not wait. The State Department's warnings make clear that the window may close again — possibly for the remainder of the fiscal year.
Do not assume October will solve everything. When FY 2027 begins on October 1, new visa numbers become available and cutoff dates typically advance. However, the magnitude of that advancement depends on demand dynamics that will not be clear until later in the year.
Watch the July 2026 Visa Bulletin closely. Based on current warnings, further retrogression for EB-1 and EB-2 India is likely, and unavailability is possible. The July bulletin will be released in mid-June.
Consider EB-5 set-aside categories. EB-5 reserved categories remain current for all countries and are not subject to per-country backlogs. The investment requirements are significant, but for those who qualify, it offers one of the few immediately available pathways.
Ensure your I-140 is filed. If you do not yet have an approved immigrant petition, filing one now establishes your priority date — even if the actual green card timeline is years away. An earlier priority date is always advantageous in this system.
The Immigrants will monitor the July 2026 Visa Bulletin and any mid-month updates from the State Department. Bookmark immigrants.live for updates.
About The Immigrants
The Immigrants is an independent publication covering the policies, systems, and decisions that shape the lives of people who move across borders.
Legal Disclaimer: This article is provided for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Visa bulletin dates change monthly and filing windows can close quickly. Verify current dates at travel.state.gov or consult a licensed immigration attorney before taking action.
Sources: U.S. Department of State June 2026 Visa Bulletin, Fragomen Del Rey Bernsen & Loewy, WR Immigration, Hunton Andrews Kurth, VisaNation, EB5 Visa Investments, Gozel Law, EB1A Experts.
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