July 2026 Visa Bulletin: Complete Analysis and Forecast

The July 2026 Visa Bulletin is out, and it delivers the retrogression the last two bulletins kept warning about. The State Department has made EB-2 India and EB-5 Unreserved India both Unavailable for the remainder of FY-2026, and it retrogressed EB-1 India a second consecutive month. At the same time, family-sponsored F2A finally stopped its remarkable run and held at January 1, 2025, while EB-1 China, EB-3, EB-4, and most family categories advanced. Below is the full category-by-category breakdown of the official July 2026 numbers, with movement from May and June 2026 for context.

This article reflects the official July 2026 Visa Bulletin (Number 16, Volume XI), published by the U.S. Department of State with a CA/VO date of June 2, 2026. Every Final Action Date and Filing Date here is confirmed against the bulletin itself. These are no longer forecasts.

What Changed from June to July 2026

For two months the State Department telegraphed that India’s pro-rated employment limits were close to exhaustion. In June, it retrogressed EB-1 and EB-2 India and put EB-5 Unreserved India under a sharp “in the next month” warning. July resolved all of it the hard way: EB-2 India and EB-5 Unreserved India both reached their FY-2026 limits and are now Unavailable through September 30, 2026. EB-1 India did not stabilize either, retrogressing another two months. Everywhere else, though, the bulletin used its remaining FY-2026 numbers to advance, including a notable forward move for EB-1 China, EB-3 across all countries, EB-4 worldwide, and several family categories. The single biggest narrative shift outside India is that F2A, which had advanced five to six months per bulletin since spring, finally held.

Employment-Based July 2026: Final Action Dates

The Final Action chart governs visa issuance and, in months when USCIS designates it, adjustment of status filings. Here are the official July 2026 Final Action Dates with May and June for context, plus the movement in days. Two cells, EB-2 India and EB-5 Unreserved India, now read “U” for Unavailable.

What These EB Final Action Movements Mean in Practice

The two “U” listings are the story. EB-2 India reached its pro-rated FY-2026 limit and is unavailable for visa issuance until the fiscal year resets on October 1, 2026. EB-5 Unreserved India did the same, finally acting on the warning that first appeared in the May 2026 bulletin and sharpened in June. For both categories, the State Department gives an unusually specific recovery signal: Section F expects EB-2 India to advance in October “to at least the final action date announced in the May 2026 Visa Bulletin” (July 15, 2014), and Section I expects EB-5 Unreserved India to advance “to at least the final action date announced in the June 2026 Visa Bulletin” (May 1, 2022). Those are floors, not promises, and both depend on FY-2027 demand and annual limits.

EB-1 India retrogressed a second straight month, from December 15, 2022 to October 15, 2022. This continues the pattern flagged in our coverage of how priority dates have been retrogressing for India and China employment cases. Outside India the chart is healthy: EB-1 China advanced 61 days, EB-3 China jumped 143 days to December 22, 2021, EB-3 ROW/Mexico moved up 61 days to August 1, 2024, and EB-4 advanced 62 days for every country. EB-5 Unreserved China also advanced 70 days. The State Department is clearly spending its remaining FY-2026 numbers in the categories that still have room, while holding India’s exhausted cells at “U.”

Employment-Based July 2026: Dates for Filing

USCIS has used the Dates for Filing chart for employment-based adjustment of status several times in FY-2026, so this chart matters for anyone deciding when to submit Form I-485. The crucial nuance this month: even though the Final Action chart shows EB-2 India and EB-5 Unreserved India as Unavailable, both categories’ Filing dates held (January 15, 2015 and May 1, 2024). If you are unsure which chart applies to a category, our explainer on Final Action Dates vs. Dates for Filing breaks down the difference.

Two India Categories Unavailable, Two Still Under Warning

The July bulletin carries six lettered notes (Sections D through I, plus an SIV note in Section J). Two of them announce categories that have already gone Unavailable, two repeat active warnings, and one explains a fresh retrogression. Here is the exact language from the bulletin.

Family-Sponsored July 2026 Final Action Dates

Family-sponsored categories kept moving forward, with one important exception: F2A finally paused after months of large advances. F1, F2B, F3, and F4 all posted gains, showing the State Department is still pushing family-side numbers even as it freezes India’s employment categories.

F2A Finally Pauses at January 1, 2025

After advancing roughly five to six months per bulletin since spring, F2A (spouses and minor children of permanent residents) held flat at January 1, 2025 for ROW, China, India, and the Philippines, with Mexico steady at January 1, 2024. The July bulletin keeps the standard per-country note: “F2A numbers EXEMPT from per-country limit are authorized for issuance to applicants from all countries with priority dates earlier than 01JAN24. F2A numbers SUBJECT to per-country limit are authorized for issuance to applicants chargeable to all countries EXCEPT MEXICO, with priority dates beginning 01JAN24 and earlier than 01JAN25.” F2A remains fully Current on the Filing chart for every country, so eligible applicants can still file if USCIS accepts that chart.

The rest of the family side advanced. F1 ROW/China/India jumped 153 days to February 1, 2018. F2B ROW/China/India moved 61 days to November 22, 2017, and F2B Philippines advanced 37 days. F3 ROW/China/India gained 60 days, F3 Philippines 92 days, and F3 Mexico 31 days. F4 ROW/China advanced 54 days to January 1, 2009, and F4 Philippines moved 17 days. F4 India, F1 Philippines, and the Mexico F4 line held.

Family-Sponsored July 2026 Dates for Filing

DV-2026 July Cut-Offs and the August Advance Notice

The July Diversity Visa numbers match exactly what the June bulletin pre-announced in its Section C: Nepal’s Asia cut-off rose to 13,000, Europe to 23,000, Oceania to 1,700, and South America & Caribbean to 3,300. The July bulletin’s own Section C now publishes the August advance notice, which pushes every region higher and turns North America (Bahamas) Current.

What You Should Do This Month

The action checklist for July 2026, organized by who you are. With two India employment categories now Unavailable and two more under active warning, the right move depends entirely on your category and priority date.

What to Watch in the August 2026 Bulletin

With two India categories already shut for the fiscal year, the August bulletin is mostly about whether the remaining warnings convert to action and how the family side behaves as FY-2026 winds down.

July 2026 Quick Reference Summary

Single-glance summary of the highest-impact movements in the July 2026 Visa Bulletin and the cells with active retrogression warnings.

Disclaimer: This article reflects the official July 2026 Visa Bulletin (Number 16, Volume XI) published by the U.S. Department of State with a CA/VO date of June 2, 2026. All Final Action Dates and Filing Dates above are taken directly from the bulletin. USCIS controls whether the Filing chart or the Final Action chart is accepted for adjustment of status; check uscis.gov/visabulletininfo before filing. Nothing here constitutes legal advice; always verify dates on the official State Department website and consult a licensed immigration attorney regarding your specific case.