June 2026 Visa Bulletin: EB-2 India Retrogresses 10+ Months — Full Priority Dates & Filing Charts

The June 2026 Visa Bulletin, released by the U.S. Department of State on May 13, 2026, delivers a major shock for Indian employment-based green card applicants: EB-2 India retrogresses by more than 10 months, and EB-1 India pulls back by 3.5 months. The State Department also issued a stark warning that further retrogressions — or making categories entirely unavailable — may be necessary before the fiscal year ends on September 30, 2026. If you are an Indian national waiting in the EB-1 or EB-2 queue, this bulletin demands immediate attention.

USCIS Filing Chart for June 2026

As in May, USCIS will continue to use Final Action Dates (Chart A) only for all employment-based categories in June 2026. The more favorable Dates for Filing (Chart B) remains suspended for EB applicants — meaning you must be current under Final Action Dates to file your I-485.

For family-based categories, USCIS will continue accepting filings based on Dates for Filing (Chart B). Verify the exact USCIS announcement on USCIS.gov before filing

, as this determination is confirmed within days of the bulletin’s release.

Employment-Based Final Action Dates — June 2026

EB-1 (Priority Workers)

EB-1 remains current for most countries — applicants from countries other than India and China with an approved I-140 can file immediately. However:

• EB-1 India: RETROGRESSES by approximately 3.5 months → December 15, 2022 (down from approximately April 2023 in May)
• EB-1 China: Holds at April 1, 2023 — no movement
• All other countries: Current (no backlog)

The EB-1 India retrogression is significant because many Indian professionals had been counting on EB-1 as a faster path to their green card. The pullback — combined with the warning of possible further retrogression — makes it critical to file as soon as your priority date becomes current, without delay.

EB-2 (Advanced Degree / Exceptional Ability)

This is the major headline of the June 2026 bulletin:

• EB-2 India: MAJOR RETROGRESSION of more than 10 months → September 1, 2013. This is a devastating pullback that pushes the India EB-2 date back to territory not seen in years, effectively locking out thousands of applicants who were close to filing.
• EB-2 China: Holds at September 1, 2021 — no movement
• All other countries: Current (no backlog)

To put the EB-2 India retrogression in context: applicants who had a priority date of, say, July 2014 — and were either already eligible or approaching eligibility under May’s date — are now pushed back and cannot file their I-485 in June. The 10-month retrogression in a single bulletin is among the most dramatic single-month moves in recent years.

EB-3 (Skilled Workers / Professionals)

EB-3 offers rare positive news in an otherwise difficult bulletin for India and China:

• EB-3 India: Advances by approximately 1 month — modest but welcome progress
• EB-3 China: Advances by approximately 6 weeks
• All other countries: Current (no backlog)

EB-4 and EB-5

EB-4 Special Immigrants and EB-5 Investor categories show no significant movement from May for most countries. Monitor the official bulletin for specific EB-5 China and EB-5 Regional Center dates, which can fluctuate based on investor demand patterns.

Why Is EB-2 India Retrogrressing So Sharply?

The State Department does not typically explain the exact mechanics behind each month’s date movement, but the pattern is clear: visa number demand for India EB-2 is outpacing supply. Several factors drive this:

• Fiscal year end pressure: The U.S. fiscal year ends September 30, 2026. As the year draws to a close, the State Department monitors how many visa numbers have been used versus the annual cap (140,000 for all EB categories combined). When it projects that demand will exhaust the supply before year-end, it pulls dates back to slow the flow.
• Chart B suspension effect: When USCIS suspended Dates for Filing for EB categories in May, it triggered a rush of applicants who needed to file before April 30 under the old Chart B. This surge likely consumed a significant block of visa numbers, accelerating the retrogression in June.
• India EB-2 demand concentration: India EB-2 is disproportionately affected because the vast majority of H-1B workers — who are the primary feeder population for EB-2 — are from India. The per-country cap (7% of total EB numbers) means India competes for the same number of visas as every other country, despite representing a far larger share of demand.

State Department Warning: Further Retrogression Possible

The June 2026 bulletin includes an explicit warning from the State Department that further retrogression in EB-1 India, EB-2 India, and EB-2 China — or making these categories entirely unavailable — may be necessary before September 30, 2026. This is the clearest signal the State Department can send that the situation is serious.

“Making a category unavailable” means setting the Final Action Date to a date so far in the past that virtually no one can file — or marking the category “U” (Unavailable). This effectively freezes all movement until the next fiscal year begins October 1, 2026, when the annual visa numbers reset.

What this means for you: If you have a priority date that is current right now

and you have not yet filed your I-485, file immediately. Do not wait. Every month carries the risk that the date will retrogress further or the category will become unavailable entirely before the fiscal year resets.

Family-Based Final Action Dates — June 2026

Family-based categories continue to use Chart B (Dates for Filing) in June 2026, with modest advances across most categories. Here are the key Final Action Dates:

• F1 (Unmarried sons/daughters of U.S. citizens): 01 September 2017 (most countries) | Mexico: 15 August 2007 | Philippines: 01 May 2013
• F2A (Spouses/minor children of LPRs): 01 August 2024 (most countries) | Mexico: 01 August 2023
• F2B (Unmarried adult sons/daughters of LPRs): 22 May 2017 (most) | Mexico: 15 February 2009 | Philippines: 08 April 2013
• F3 (Married sons/daughters of U.S. citizens): 15 February 2012 (most) | Mexico: 01 May 2001 | Philippines: 22 November 2005
• F4 (Siblings of adult U.S. citizens): 15 September 2008 (most) | India: 01 November 2006 | Mexico: 08 April 2001 | Philippines: 15 July 2007

Family-Based Dates for Filing — June 2026

The major highlight in the family-based section is F2A listed as “Current” (C) in the Dates for Filing chart for all countries. This means spouses and minor children of LPRs can file their I-485 adjustment of status applications immediately — even before the Final Action Date becomes current — as long as USCIS confirms use of Chart B for June.

• F1: 01 October 2018 (most) | Mexico: 01 October 2008 | Philippines: 22 April 2015
• F2A: CURRENT (C) for all countries — file now if USCIS confirms Chart B
• F2B: 01 January 2018 (most) | Mexico: 15 May 2010 | Philippines: 01 October 2013
• F3: 08 December 2012 (most) | Mexico: 15 July 2001 | Philippines: 08 August 2006
• F4: 01 September 2009 (most) | India: 15 December 2006 | Mexico: 30 April 2001 | Philippines: 22 March 2008

What Should You Do Right Now?

• EB-2 India applicants with priority dates before September 1, 2013: Your date is current under June Final Action Dates. File your I-485 immediately — do not wait for July’s bulletin given the risk of further retrogression or unavailability.
• EB-2 India applicants with priority dates between September 2013 and July 2014: You were potentially current in May but are now locked out in June. Monitor July’s bulletin closely. Consider whether EB-3 downgrade (if your employer can support it) makes sense

  given EB-3 India’s slow but forward movement.

• EB-1 India applicants: If your priority date is before December 15, 2022, you remain current. File now given the risk of further retrogression.
• F2A applicants: If USCIS confirms Chart B for June, this is an excellent opportunity to file I-485 concurrently. Confirm on USCIS.gov and file promptly.
• All applicants: Consult with your immigration attorney before making any filing decisions based on this bulletin. Priority dates can change between the bulletin release and when you actually file.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why did EB-2 India retrogress so much in a single month?
The State Department projects visa number consumption against the annual cap. A surge in I-485 filings from April’s Chart B deadline, combined with ongoing high demand for India EB-2, caused the department to pull the date back sharply to prevent the annual quota from being exhausted too early.

Can the EB-2 India date become “unavailable” before October 2026?
Yes. The State Department explicitly warned this is possible. If demand continues to outpace supply, they may set the category to “U” (Unavailable), freezing all I-485 filings until October 1 when the FY2027 visa numbers reset.

Should I downgrade from EB-2 to EB-3 to get a better date?
In some cases, yes — EB-3 India is moving forward while EB-2 India is retrogrressing. However, EB-3 downgrades require employer cooperation and have their own complexities. Consult your immigration attorney before making this decision.

I’m in F2A and the Dates for Filing chart shows “Current.” Can I file my I-485 now?
You can file if USCIS confirms it will use Chart B (Dates for Filing) for June. USCIS makes this announcement within a few days of the bulletin’s release. Check USCIS.gov for the official confirmation before filing.

When will the July 2026 Visa Bulletin be released?
The State Department typically releases the following month’s bulletin in mid-month — usually around the 8th to 15th. Expect the July 2026 bulletin in mid-June 2026.

Related Immigration Guides

• Visa Bulletin: Priority Dates Explained
• May 2026 Visa Bulletin: USCIS Switches to Final Action Dates
• Green Card (Form I-485) Guide
• Form I-140 Immigrant Petition Guide
• Consular Processing Guide
• EB-1A & EB-2 NIW Self-Petition Guide

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