The U.S. Department of State (DOS) released the July 2026 Visa Bulletin providing the visa number availability to file for and obtain legal permanent residency (immigrant or “green card” status). The July 2026 Visa Bulletin reflects several important changes from the June 2026 Visa Bulletin, including the unavailability of EB-2 India and EB-5 Unreserved India for the remainder of FY 2026, continued retrogression pressure for EB-1 India, and modest forward movement in several other employment-based categories.
Summary of Movement of Immigrant Visas from the Final Action Dates Chart from June 2026 to July 2026
- EB-2 India is now unavailable for the remainder of FY 2026, after having a June 2026 final action date of September 1, 2013.
- EB-5 Unreserved India is now unavailable for the remainder of FY 2026, after having a June 2026 final action date of May 1, 2022.
- EB-1 India retrogresses by two months, from December 15, 2022 to October 15, 2022.
- EB-1 China advances by two months, from April 1, 2023 to June 1, 2023.
- For worldwide chargeability, EB-1 and EB-2 remain current, EB-3 advances to August 1, 2024, and EB-4 advances to September 15, 2022.
- EB-3 China advances from August 1, 2021 to December 22, 2021; and EB-3 India advances modestly from December 15, 2013 to January 1, 2014.
- EB-4 and Certain Religious Workers advance by two months for all chargeability areas, from July 15, 2022 to September 15, 2022.
- The State Department continues to warn that additional retrogression—or categories becoming unavailable—may occur before the fiscal year ends on September 30, 2026.
- EB-5 set-aside categories remain current for all countries.
The EB-1 category includes EB-1A extraordinary ability aliens, EB-1B outstanding researchers and professors, and EB-1C multinational managers and executives. The EB-2 category includes National Interest Waivers, Schedule A Exceptional Ability and advanced degree PERM labor certification application-based Forms I-140 immigrant visa petitions. The EB-3 category includes skilled workers (two years of experience), professionals (bachelor’s degree) and other workers.
USCIS has indicated on its Visa Bulletin webpage bulletin that adjustment of status applicants must use the Final Action Dates chart for July 2026. Applicants should confirm the applicable USCIS chart before filing Form I-485.
For those interested in holding green card status, it is very important to closely monitor the Visa Bulletin each month to learn if a visa number is available to apply for a green card. A foreign national who is eligible to file for the green card in the month noted in the Visa Bulletin chart should file that month, since the visa numbers can slide backwards (retrogress) in successive months, making the foreign national ineligible until the visa number becomes available again.
Applicants who are eligible to file for a green card in July 2026 should file during July if possible, since visa numbers can move backward or become unavailable in later months. This is especially important near the end of the fiscal year, when increased demand can cause retrogression or temporary unavailability in oversubscribed categories.
In the charts below, the “C” listing indicates that the category is current, and that applications may be filed regardless of the applicant’s priority date. For employment-based cases, the priority date is the date that the PERM labor certification, or if not required, the Form I-140 was filed. The listing of a date for any category indicates that only applicants with a priority date which is earlier than the listed date may file their application.
FINAL ACTION DATES FOR EMPLOYMENT-BASED PREFERENCE CASES
Numbers are authorized for issuance only for applicants whose priority date is earlier than the final action date listed below.
| Employment- based |
All Chargeability Areas Except Those Listed |
CHINA- mainland born |
INDIA | MEXICO | PHILIPPINES |
| 1st | C | 01JUN23 | 15OCT22 | C | C |
| 2nd | C | 01SEP21 | U | C | C |
| 3rd | 01AUG24 | 22DEC21 | 01JAN14 | 01AUG24 | 01AUG23 |
| Other Workers | 01MAR22 | 01APR19 | 01JAN14 | 01MAR22 | 01DEC21 |
| 4th | 15SEP22 | 15SEP22 | 15SEP22 | 15SEP22 | 15SEP22 |
| Certain Religious Workers | 15SEP22 | 15SEP22 | 15SEP22 | 15SEP22 | 15SEP22 |
DATES FOR FILING OF EMPLOYMENT-BASED VISA APPLICATIONS
For July 2026, applicants should confirm on the USCIS Visa Bulletin webpage whether USCIS will accept employment-based adjustment of status applications under the Dates for Filing chart or require use of the Final Action Dates chart.
| Employment- based |
All Chargeability Areas Except Those Listed |
CHINA- mainland born |
INDIA | MEXICO | PHILIPPINES |
| 1st | C | 01DEC23 | 01DEC23 | C | C |
| 2nd | C | 01JAN22 | 15JAN15 | C | C |
| 3rd | C | 01JAN22 | 15JAN15 | C | 01JAN24 |
| Other Workers | 01AUG22 | 01OCT19 | 15JAN15 | 01AUG22 | 01AUG22 |
| 4th | 01JAN23 | 01JAN23 | 01JAN23 | 01JAN23 | 01JAN23 |
| Certain Religious Workers | 01JAN23 | 01JAN23 | 01JAN23 | 01JAN23 | 01JAN23 |