June 2026 Visa Bulletin: Sharp EB-1 and EB-2 India Retrogression, Further Cuts Possible

The Department of State released the June 2026 Visa Bulletin on May 13, 2026. The news is bad for India-born employment-based applicants: EB-2 India retrogresses by more than 10 months and EB-1 India falls by 3.5 months, with an explicit State Department warning that additional cutbacks — including possible “unavailable” status — may come before the fiscal year ends on September 30, 2026.

USCIS confirmed it will continue using the Final Action Dates (FAD) chart for I-485 adjustment of status filings in June 2026, the same as in May.

Employment-Based Final Action Dates (June 2026)

Category	Worldwide	India	China	Mexico	Philippines
EB-1	Current	Dec 15, 2022	Apr 1, 2023	Current	Current
EB-2	Current	Sep 1, 2013	Sep 1, 2021	Current	Current
EB-3 Skilled/Prof	Current	Dec 15, 2013	Jul 1, 2021	Current	Aug 1, 2023
EB-3 Other Workers	Feb 1, 2022	Dec 15, 2013	Feb 1, 2019	Feb 1, 2022	Nov 1, 2021
EB-5 Rural Set-Aside	Current	Current	Current	Current	Current

Always verify dates at travel.state.gov before filing — this table reflects the June 2026 bulletin as published.

Check the Visa Bulletin Priority Date Tracker to see if your priority date is current.

What changed from May to June 2026

EB-1 India: Down 3.5 months

May final action date: April 1, 2023 June final action date: December 15, 2022

About 3.5 months of retrogressions. The State Department cited surging EB-1 demand from India-chargeable applicants exceeding the FY2026 pro-rated annual limit.

EB-2 India: Down 10.5 months

May final action date: July 15, 2014 June final action date: September 1, 2013

A 10.5-month retrogression is among the largest single-month moves ever seen in EB-2 India. This means applicants who were eligible under May’s date — with priority dates between September 2013 and July 2014 — are no longer eligible to file or complete their cases in June.

This follows April’s unusually large forward movement in EB-2 India (over 300 days), which accelerated visa number use significantly and triggered this correction.

EB-3 India: Up 1 month

May final action date: November 15, 2013 June final action date: December 15, 2013

A modest one-month advance in EB-3 India — the only good news in the employment-based India column. EB-3 China also saw modest forward movement.

USCIS using Final Action Dates in June

USCIS announced it will use the Final Action Dates chart (Table A) for I-485 filings in June 2026 — the same chart used in May. The more permissive Dates for Filing chart (Table B), which would allow people to file I-485 before their priority date is final, will not be available in June.

For India-born applicants who qualified under April’s Dates for Filing chart but not under the current Final Action Dates, this means continued inability to file I-485 in June.

State Department warning: further retrogression possible

The June 2026 bulletin includes a warning from the State Department that EB-1 India and EB-2 India may require further retrogression, or could become “unavailable”, before fiscal year 2026 ends on September 30, 2026.

This is a serious signal. An “unavailable” designation means no green cards would be issued in that category for the affected country for the remainder of the fiscal year — applicants with pending I-485s would see their cases frozen until October 2026 (FY2027).

India-born EB-1 and EB-2 applicants should:

• Verify their current case status with USCIS
• Confirm their case has been filed and receipted (if eligible)
• Consult an immigration attorney about contingency plans if their dates become unavailable

Why retrogression keeps happening

The employment-based system allocates approximately 140,000 immigrant visas per year, with per-country limits (no single country can use more than 7% of the worldwide total in a fiscal year). India consistently exhausts its per-country share well before October because Indian-born applicants file the largest volume of employment-based petitions.

When demand outpaces availability mid-fiscal year, the State Department retrogressess cutoff dates to prevent over-issuance. The second half of any fiscal year (April–September) is when retrogression is most common.

What to do now

If you have a pending I-485 (case already filed): Your case is not dismissed by retrogression — your I-485 remains pending. However, USCIS cannot complete your green card approval until the Final Action Date for your category and country again covers your priority date. This may mean waiting until FY2027 (October 2026 onward).

If you were planning to file I-485 this summer: Check your priority date against the current Visa Bulletin. If it is no longer current under the Final Action Dates chart, you cannot file I-485 until the date advances again. Keep evidence of status current (H-1B extensions, EAD renewals).

If your EB-2 NIW or EB-1A I-140 is pending approval: Your priority date is established by filing date. Approval does not depend on the Visa Bulletin — but your ability to file I-485 afterward does. An approved I-140 is worth locking in regardless of current dates.

For the complete employment-based and family-based table, see the Visa Bulletin page and the Priority Date Tracker.

Visa Bulletin dates change monthly. Always verify current dates at travel.state.gov before filing or making immigration decisions based on priority date availability.