The July 2026 Visa Bulletin turns the retrogression warnings of recent months into hard reality for Indian applicants. After June retrogressed both EB-1 and EB-2 India, the July bulletin goes further: EB-2 India and EB-5 Unreserved India are now Unavailable for the rest of FY 2026, and EB-1 India retrogressed a second straight month (Dec 15, 2022 to Oct 15, 2022, -61 days). The picture elsewhere is the opposite. Family-sponsored Final Action dates advanced broadly, led by F1 ROW/China/India jumping five months (+153 days), and several employment categories moved forward for China and the Rest of World. Every employment Dates-for-Filing cell, by contrast, stayed completely frozen. This side-by-side comparison covers every category and every country with exact movement calculations.
India Goes Unavailable – The Headline Story of July 2026
June warned it; July made it official. Two India employment categories that still had Final Action Dates in June are now Unavailable for the remainder of FY 2026. Section F of the July bulletin states: “Due to high demand and number use by aliens chargeable to India in the EB-2 visa category, India’s pro-rated EB-2 limit was reached and the category is unavailable for the remainder of FY 2026.” Section I says the same for EB-5 Unreserved India. On top of that, Section E retrogresses EB-1 India a second consecutive month, from Dec 15, 2022 to Oct 15, 2022. The bulletin notes both EB-2 and EB-5 India should advance “in October” to at least their earlier FY 2026 dates once FY 2027 numbers open. Away from India, the month is broadly positive: family Final Action dates advanced sharply and EB-3 China, EB-4/SR, and the Rest-of-World family categories all moved forward.
Employment-Based Final Action Dates: Side-by-Side Comparison
The employment-based Final Action chart is where the damage and the gains both land. EB-2 India and EB-5 Unreserved India drop to Unavailable, and EB-1 India retrogresses 61 days. Everything else moves forward or holds: EB-3 China jumps 143 days, EB-4/SR advance 62 days for every country, EB-1 China gains 61 days, EB-5 Unreserved China gains 70 days, and EB-3/OW India each pick up 17 days. EB-2 ROW/Mexico/Philippines stay Current, and all EB-5 set-aside categories remain Current for every country.
| Category | Country | Jun 2026 | Jul 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EB-1 | All Other / Mexico / Phil | Current | Current | – |
| China | Apr 1, 2023 | Jun 1, 2023 | +61d | |
| India | Dec 15, 2022 | Oct 15, 2022 | -61d | |
| EB-2 | All Other / Mexico / Phil | Current | Current | – |
| China | Sep 1, 2021 | Sep 1, 2021 | 0d (flagged) | |
| India | Sep 1, 2013 | Unavailable | Sep 1, 2013 → U | |
| (ROW/Mexico/Phil same as above) | Current | Current | – | |
| EB-3 | All Other / Mexico | Jun 1, 2024 | Aug 1, 2024 | +61d |
| China | Aug 1, 2021 | Dec 22, 2021 | +143d | |
| India | Dec 15, 2013 | Jan 1, 2014 | +17d | |
| Philippines | Aug 1, 2023 | Aug 1, 2023 | 0d (flagged) | |
| Other Workers | All Other / Mexico | Feb 1, 2022 | Mar 1, 2022 | +28d |
| China | Apr 1, 2019 | Apr 1, 2019 | 0 days | |
| India | Dec 15, 2013 | Jan 1, 2014 | +17d | |
| Philippines | Nov 1, 2021 | Dec 1, 2021 | +30d | |
| EB-4 / SR | All Countries | Jul 15, 2022 | Sep 15, 2022 | +62d |
| EB-5 Unreserved | All Other / Mexico / Phil | Current | Current | – |
| China | Sep 22, 2016 | Dec 1, 2016 | +70d | |
| India | May 1, 2022 | Unavailable | May 1, 2022 → U |
EB-5 Set-Aside Categories
| India | China | ROW | |
|---|---|---|---|
| EB-1 | Oct 15, 2022 ▼61d | Jun 01, 2023 ▲61d | Current |
| EB-2 | Unavailable | Sep 01, 2021 | Current |
| EB-3 | Jan 01, 2014 ▲17d | Dec 22, 2021 ▲143d | Aug 01, 2024 ▲61d |
| F-1 | Feb 01, 2018 ▲153d | Feb 01, 2018 ▲153d | Feb 01, 2018 ▲153d |
| F-2A | Jan 01, 2025 | Jan 01, 2025 | Jan 01, 2025 |
All EB-5 Set-Aside categories (Rural 20%, High Unemployment 10%, Infrastructure 2%) remain Current for all countries in both June and July 2026. The Unavailable designation applies only to the EB-5 Unreserved category for India.
Employment-Based Dates for Filing: Side-by-Side Comparison
The employment-based Filing chart is completely frozen from June to July. Every cell holds at its June 2026 value, including EB-2/EB-3/OW India Filing at January 15, 2015 and EB-5 Unreserved India Filing at May 1, 2024. Note the disconnect: EB-2 India and EB-5 Unreserved India Final Action are now Unavailable, yet their Filing dates still display. Confirm on the USCIS visa bulletin page which chart USCIS will accept for I-485 filings this month.
| Category | Country | Jun 2026 | Jul 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EB-1 | All Other / Mexico / Phil | Current | Current | – |
| China / India | Dec 1, 2023 | Dec 1, 2023 | 0 days | |
| EB-2 | All Other / Mexico / Phil | Current | Current | – |
| China | Jan 1, 2022 | Jan 1, 2022 | 0 days | |
| India | Jan 15, 2015 | Jan 15, 2015 | FROZEN | |
| EB-3 | All Other / Mexico | Current | Current | – |
| China | Jan 1, 2022 | Jan 1, 2022 | 0 days | |
| India | Jan 15, 2015 | Jan 15, 2015 | FROZEN | |
| Philippines | Jan 1, 2024 | Jan 1, 2024 | 0 days | |
| Other Workers | All Other / Mexico / Phil | Aug 1, 2022 | Aug 1, 2022 | 0 days |
| China | Oct 1, 2019 | Oct 1, 2019 | 0 days | |
| India | Jan 15, 2015 | Jan 15, 2015 | 0 days | |
| Philippines (same as ROW) | Aug 1, 2022 | Aug 1, 2022 | 0 days | |
| EB-4 / SR | All Countries | Jan 1, 2023 | Jan 1, 2023 | 0 days |
| EB-5 Unreserved | All Other / Mexico / Phil | Current | Current | – |
| China | Mar 1, 2017 | Mar 1, 2017 | 0 days | |
| India | May 1, 2024 | May 1, 2024 | 0 days |
New July Warnings: EB-2 China and EB-3 Philippines
Beyond the India categories that have already gone Unavailable, the July bulletin carries forward two retrogression warnings. Section G flags EB-2 China for possible retrogression or unavailability in the coming months, and Section H flags EB-3 Philippines for the same. Both Final Action cells held flat in July (EB-2 China at Sep 1, 2021; EB-3 Philippines at Aug 1, 2023) but are explicitly at risk.
India & China: Country-Level Comparison
India and China move in opposite directions again this month, more sharply than in June. India loses its two remaining at-risk employment categories to Unavailable and retrogresses EB-1, while still gaining a token 17 days on EB-3 and OW Final Action. China advances across the board: EB-1 +61d, EB-3 +143d, EB-5 Unreserved +70d, and EB-4/SR +62d. All employment Filing dates for both countries are frozen at June values.
🇮🇳 India – What Changed (Jun → Jul)
🇨🇳 China – What Changed (Jun → Jul)
EB-2 vs EB-3 India: EB-3 Is Now the Only Path With a Date
With EB-2 India Final Action now Unavailable, the EB-2/EB-3 comparison is no longer close. EB-3 India advanced to Jan 1, 2014 while EB-2 India has no usable Final Action Date at all for the rest of FY 2026. For Indian applicants whose I-140 is on the EB-2 track, a downgrade to EB-3 is the only employment category currently issuing numbers. The trade-off is real: a downgrade requires an EB-3 I-140 (the labor certification can be reused), and EB-2 is expected to return “in October” to at least its earlier FY 2026 date. Talk to your attorney before filing a downgrade, and read our EB-2 India priority date guide for the mechanics.
Family-Sponsored Final Action Dates: Side-by-Side Comparison
Family-sponsored Final Action dates posted the strongest forward movement of the month. F1 ROW/China/India jumped five months (+153 days), F3 Philippines advanced 92 days, F2B ROW/CN/IN advanced 61 days, F3 ROW/CN/IN gained 60 days, and F4 ROW/CN picked up 54 days. F2A held at June’s January 1, 2025 cutoff after its big June advance, and F4 India, F1 Mexico/Philippines, and the Mexico-specific cells largely stayed put.
| Category | Country | Jun 2026 | Jul 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| F1 | All Other / China / India | Sep 1, 2017 | Feb 1, 2018 | +153d |
| Mexico | Nov 8, 2007 | Nov 8, 2007 | 0 days | |
| Philippines | May 1, 2013 | May 1, 2013 | 0 days | |
| F2A | All Other / CN / IN / PH | Jan 1, 2025 | Jan 1, 2025 | 0 days |
| Mexico | Jan 1, 2024 | Jan 1, 2024 | 0 days | |
| F2B | All Other / China / India | Sep 22, 2017 | Nov 22, 2017 | +61d |
| Mexico | Feb 15, 2009 | Feb 15, 2009 | 0 days | |
| Philippines | Apr 8, 2013 | May 15, 2013 | +37d | |
| F3 | All Other / China / India | Feb 15, 2012 | Apr 15, 2012 | +60d |
| Mexico | May 1, 2001 | Jun 1, 2001 | +31d | |
| Philippines | Nov 22, 2005 | Feb 22, 2006 | +92d | |
| F4 | All Other / China | Nov 8, 2008 | Jan 1, 2009 | +54d |
| India | Nov 1, 2006 | Nov 1, 2006 | 0 days | |
| Mexico | Apr 8, 2001 | Apr 8, 2001 | 0 days | |
| Philippines | Jul 15, 2007 | Aug 1, 2007 | +17d |
F2A Exempt/Subject Structure for July
For July, F2A numbers exempt from the per-country limit are authorized for priority dates earlier than Jan 1, 2024. F2A numbers subject to the per-country limit are authorized for all countries except Mexico with priority dates between Jan 1, 2024 and Jan 1, 2025. All F2A numbers provided for Mexico remain exempt from the per-country limit. This structure is unchanged from June.
Family-Sponsored Dates for Filing: Side-by-Side Comparison
The family Filing chart moved less than the Final Action chart but still posted three advances: F1 ROW/CN/IN gained 92 days (Oct 1, 2018 → Jan 1, 2019), F2B ROW/CN/IN gained 78 days (Mar 22, 2018 → Jun 8, 2018), and F4 ROW/CN gained 69 days (Dec 22, 2009 → Mar 1, 2010). F2A remains fully Current for all countries, and F3 (all regions) stayed frozen.
| Category | Country | Jun 2026 | Jul 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| F1 | All Other / China / India | Oct 1, 2018 | Jan 1, 2019 | +92d |
| Mexico | Oct 1, 2008 | Oct 1, 2008 | 0 days | |
| Philippines | Apr 22, 2015 | Apr 22, 2015 | 0 days | |
| F2A | All Countries | Current | Current | – |
| F2B | All Other / China / India | Mar 22, 2018 | Jun 8, 2018 | +78d |
| Mexico | May 15, 2010 | May 15, 2010 | 0 days | |
| Philippines | Oct 1, 2013 | Oct 1, 2013 | 0 days | |
| F3 | All Other / China / India | Dec 8, 2012 | Dec 8, 2012 | 0 days |
| Mexico | Jul 15, 2001 | Jul 15, 2001 | 0 days | |
| Philippines | Aug 8, 2006 | Aug 8, 2006 | 0 days | |
| F4 | All Other / China | Dec 22, 2009 | Mar 1, 2010 | +69d |
| India | Dec 15, 2006 | Dec 15, 2006 | 0 days | |
| Mexico | Apr 30, 2001 | Apr 30, 2001 | 0 days | |
| Philippines | Mar 22, 2008 | Mar 22, 2008 | 0 days |
Diversity Visa (DV-2026): June vs July Cut-Offs
DV-2026 cut-offs advanced from June to July across most regions, exactly as June’s advance notice had previewed. Europe rose 3,000 (20,000 → 23,000), the Asia Nepal cap rose 2,000 (11,000 → 13,000), Oceania gained 200, and South America & Caribbean gained 300. The Africa regional cap held at 55,000, but its Algeria and Egypt sub-caps climbed. The July bulletin’s August advance notice signals even larger jumps ahead as the State Department races the September 30, 2026 deadline.
| Region | Jun 2026 | Jul 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| AFRICA | 55,000 | 55,000 | 0 |
| – Algeria (except) | 37,000 | 40,000 | +3,000 |
| – Egypt (except) | 30,000 | 31,000 | +1,000 |
| ASIA | 35,000 | 35,000 | 0 |
| – Nepal (except) | 11,000 | 13,000 | +2,000 |
| EUROPE | 20,000 | 23,000 | +3,000 |
| NORTH AMERICA (Bahamas) | 50 | 50 | 0 |
| OCEANIA | 1,500 | 1,700 | +200 |
| SOUTH AMERICA & CARIBBEAN | 3,000 | 3,300 | +300 |
August 2026 DV Advance Notice (from July Bulletin)
The July bulletin’s August advance notice signals the largest DV jumps of the year as remaining allocations clear before the cutoff: Africa 55,000 → 60,000 (Algeria → 51,250, Egypt → 36,000), Asia 35,000 → 40,000 (Nepal → 13,500), Europe 23,000 → 29,000, North America → Current, Oceania 1,700 → 2,050, and South America & Caribbean 3,300 → 4,000. The DV-2026 annual limit remains approximately 52,000 visas after NACARA and NDAA deductions. DV-2026 entitlement ends September 30, 2026 – numbers can be exhausted earlier.
What Stayed Frozen and What Retrogressed: July Movement at a Glance
The July 2026 bulletin sorts cleanly into three buckets: retrogressions (EB-2 India and EB-5 Unreserved India to Unavailable, plus EB-1 India back 61 days), forward movement (most family Final Action categories plus EB-3/EB-1/EB-5 China and EB-4/SR), and frozen (every employment Filing cell, F2A, and the Mexico-specific family cells).
🔻 Retrogressions (Jun → Jul 2026)
✅ Forward Movement (Jun → Jul 2026)
❄️ Frozen (Jun → Jul 2026)
Key Takeaways: What the Changes Mean
Action Items Based on These Changes
1. EB-2 India applicants: The Final Action category is Unavailable for the rest of FY 2026 – no EB-2 India green cards will be issued or approved through September 30, regardless of priority date. The bulletin expects the date to return “in October” to at least its earlier FY 2026 level once FY 2027 numbers open. If your I-485 is pending, it simply waits; no action is possible now.
2. EB-5 Unreserved India applicants: Same situation – Unavailable for the remainder of FY 2026 under Section I. The EB-5 set-aside categories (Rural, High Unemployment, Infrastructure) remain Current, so newer set-aside investors are unaffected.
3. EB-1 India applicants (PD between Oct 15 and Dec 15, 2022): A second straight retrogression puts your case behind the cut-off. Speak with your attorney about what happens to an approved I-485 not yet adjudicated.
4. EB-2 India applicants weighing a downgrade: EB-3 India advanced to Jan 1, 2014 and is now the only India employment path issuing numbers. A downgrade is worth discussing with counsel, balanced against EB-2’s expected October return.
5. EB-3 China applicants (PD before Dec 22, 2021): A 143-day jump opens substantial new eligibility. File promptly.
6. EB-1 China (PD before Jun 1, 2023) and EB-5 Unreserved China (PD before Dec 1, 2016): Both advanced 61 and 70 days respectively – new windows are open.
7. EB-4 / SR applicants (PD before Sep 15, 2022): A 62-day advance applies to every country.
8. F1 family applicants (ROW/China/India, PD before Feb 1, 2018): The biggest single advance of the month (+153 days). File the I-485 promptly if your date is current.
9. F2B, F3, and F4 family applicants: Multiple categories advanced one to three months on Final Action and Filing. Check the official chart against your priority date.
10. EB-2 China / EB-3 Philippines: Retrogression warnings remain in effect (Sections G and H). Both held flat in July but could move backward in coming months.
📋 Official Sources
- June 2026 Visa Bulletin: Number 15, Volume XI (CA/VO: May 4, 2026) – VisaVerge Analysis
- July 2026 Visa Bulletin: Number 16, Volume XI (CA/VO: June 2, 2026) – VisaVerge Analysis
- VisaVerge: May vs April 2026 Key Differences
- VisaVerge: EB-2 India Priority Date Explained
- U.S. Department of State Visa Bulletin (Official)
- USCIS Visa Bulletin Information & Adjustment of Status Filing Charts
Disclaimer: This comparison is based on the official June 2026 Visa Bulletin (Number 15, Volume XI, CA/VO: May 4, 2026) and July 2026 Visa Bulletin (Number 16, Volume XI, CA/VO: June 2, 2026). Day-count movements are approximate calculations between date values. The July 2026 bulletin makes EB-2 India and EB-5 Unreserved India Final Action Dates Unavailable for the remainder of FY 2026, retrogresses EB-1 India, and warns of possible additional retrogression or unavailability for EB-2 China and EB-3 Philippines. This analysis is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Always verify dates on the official State Department website.
