The July 2026 Visa Bulletin contains significant updates for employment-based green card applicants, with outcomes varying sharply depending on an applicant’s country of birth.
EB-2 remains Current on the Final Action Dates chart for all countries except India and China, continuing a window that has held open since May 2026.
The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services has designated the Final Action Dates chart, not the Dates for Filing chart, as the operative chart for employment-based adjustment of status filings this month.
That designation means eligible Rest of World applicants with an approved Form I-140 can file Form I-485 now, with green cards approvable during this window subject to standard USCIS processing timelines.
Once an I-485 application is filed and accepted, applicants may also apply for a work permit and travel permission while their green card case remains pending.
India EB-2 has become unavailable for the remainder of fiscal year 2026 after reaching its pro-rated annual limit, representing a hard stop rather than a retrogression.
The bulletin notes it is likely the category will reopen in October, the start of fiscal year 2027, at least to the date published in the May 2026 bulletin, though reopening is not guaranteed.
India EB-1 has retrogressed to October 15, 2022, and the bulletin explicitly warns that further retrogression or an unavailable designation may follow before the fiscal year ends on September 30.
India EB-5 Unreserved has also become unavailable for the remainder of fiscal year 2026, with a likely October reopening tied to at least the June 2026 date.
China EB-2 holds at September 1, 2021, with the bulletin warning that retrogression or unavailability is possible in coming months as demand continues to build.
China EB-1 moved forward to June 1, 2023, while EB-3 Philippines holds at August 1, 2023, with both categories flagged as candidates for possible retrogression before year-end.
For consular applicants processing abroad, a Current Final Action Date affects when an immigrant visa can be issued, not merely when documents can be submitted to the National Visa Center.
Consular interview slots are finite and the fiscal year ends September 30, meaning the practical runway for Rest of World applicants is meaningful even when a category reads simply as Current.
Country-specific consular processing restrictions apply to some nationals, and anyone processing outside the United States should confirm current consular status with qualified immigration counsel before proceeding.
The Current status for Rest of World applicants is a genuine opportunity, but the bulletin itself notes that retrogression may become necessary in upcoming months to keep visa issuances within annual statutory limits.