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July 2026 Visa Bulletin: F1 Leaps 153 Days; EB-2 India Goes Unavailable

The July 2026 Visa Bulletin brings a landmark 153-day advance for F1 family immigrants, broad employment-based gains, and a stark warning for Indian nationals as EB-2 India becomes unavailable and EB-1 India retrogresses.

Published June 23rd, 2026

The State Department's July 2026 Visa Bulletin delivers a mixed picture: broad gains across family-based categories and most employment-based backlogs, offset by significant negative movement for Indian nationals in key employment preferences.

Family-Based: Strong Advances Across Most Categories

The standout family-based movement this month is F1 (unmarried adult children of U.S. citizens), which advances 153 days for most countries on the Final Action Dates chart (2017-09-01 → 2018-02-01). Mexico (frozen at 2007-11-08) and Philippines (frozen at 2013-05-01) remain unchanged, reflecting their chronically oversubscribed queues.

Other family categories also moved forward:

  • F2B (unmarried adult children of LPRs): +61 days for most countries (2017-09-22 → 2017-11-22); Philippines gained a smaller +37 days (2013-04-08 → 2013-05-15); Mexico unchanged
  • F3 (married children of U.S. citizens): +60 days for most (2012-02-15 → 2012-04-15); Mexico +31 days (2001-05-01 → 2001-06-01); Philippines +92 days (2005-11-22 → 2006-02-22)
  • F4 (siblings of U.S. citizens): +54 days for most (2008-11-08 → 2009-01-01); Philippines +17 days; India and Mexico unchanged
  • F2A (spouses and minor children of LPRs): unchanged for all countries

On the Dates for Filing chart, F1 (most countries) gained 92 days (2018-10-01 → 2019-01-01) and F4 gained 69 days for most countries.

Employment-Based: Broad Gains, But Sharp Hits for India

EB-3 Skilled Workers and Professionals advanced broadly:

  • Most countries: +61 days (2024-06-01 → 2024-08-01)
  • China: a significant +143 days (2021-08-01 → 2021-12-22)
  • India: a modest +17 days (2013-12-15 → 2014-01-01)
  • Philippines: unchanged at 2023-08-01

EB-4 (special immigrants, including religious workers) advanced approximately 62 days across all countries (2022-07-15 → 2022-09-15).

EB-3 Other Workers (unskilled): +28 days for most countries and Mexico (2022-02-01 → 2022-03-01); India +17 days; Philippines +30 days (2021-11-01 → 2021-12-01).

EB-5 Unreserved for China advanced ~70 days (2016-09-22 → 2016-12-01). India EB-5 is listed as Unavailable this month.

EB-1 China advanced ~61 days (2023-04-01 → 2023-06-01). However, EB-1 India retrogresses approximately 61 days (2022-12-15 → 2022-10-15), and EB-2 India becomes Unavailable, meaning no immigrant visas can be issued in that category for July regardless of priority date. These are the most consequential changes in this month's bulletin for Indian-born applicants with pending or planned employment-based cases.

For most other countries, EB-1, EB-2, and EB-5 remain Current (no backlog).

Note for I-485 Applicants

USCIS determines each month whether adjustment-of-status applicants may use the Final Action Dates or the Dates for Filing chart. Always check the USCIS website for its monthly designation before filing or planning your timeline. This article is general information only and does not constitute legal advice.

Final Action Date — month-over-month
July 2026 vs June 2026
F1 · All other
▲ +5 months
F1 · China
▲ +5 months
F1 · India
▲ +5 months
EB-3 Skilled · China
▲ +5 months
F3 · Philippines
▲ +3 months
EB-5 · China
▲ +2 months
EB-4 · All other
▲ +2 months
EB-4 · China
▲ +2 months
EB-4 · India
▲ +2 months
EB-4 · Mexico
▲ +2 months
EB-4 · Philippines
▲ +2 months
F2B · All other
▲ +2 months
F2B · China
▲ +2 months
F2B · India
▲ +2 months
EB-1 · China
▲ +2 months
EB-3 Skilled · All other
▲ +2 months
EB-3 Skilled · Mexico
▲ +2 months
F3 · All other
▲ +2 months
F3 · China
▲ +2 months
F3 · India
▲ +2 months
F4 · All other
▲ +2 months
F4 · China
▲ +2 months
F2B · Philippines
▲ +1 months
F3 · Mexico
▲ +1 months
F4 · Philippines
▲ +1 months
EB-3 Skilled · India
▲ +1 months
EB-3 Other Workers · All other
▲ +1 months
EB-3 Other Workers · India
▲ +1 months
EB-3 Other Workers · Mexico
▲ +1 months
EB-3 Other Workers · Philippines
▲ +1 months
F1 · Mexico
— no change
F1 · Philippines
— no change
F2A · All other
— no change
F2A · China
— no change
F2A · India
— no change
F2A · Mexico
— no change
F2A · Philippines
— no change
F2B · Mexico
— no change
F4 · India
— no change
F4 · Mexico
— no change
EB-1 · All other
— no change
EB-1 · Mexico
— no change
EB-1 · Philippines
— no change
EB-2 · All other
— no change
EB-2 · China
— no change
EB-2 · Mexico
— no change
EB-2 · Philippines
— no change
EB-3 Skilled · Philippines
— no change
EB-3 Other Workers · China
— no change
EB-5 · All other
— no change
EB-5 · Mexico
— no change
EB-5 · Philippines
— no change
EB-1 · India
▼ −2 months
Δ from previous bulletin
Dates for Filing — month-over-month
July 2026 vs June 2026
F1 · All other
▲ +3 months
F1 · China
▲ +3 months
F1 · India
▲ +3 months
F2B · All other
▲ +3 months
F2B · China
▲ +3 months
F2B · India
▲ +3 months
F4 · All other
▲ +2 months
F4 · China
▲ +2 months
F1 · Mexico
— no change
F1 · Philippines
— no change
F2A · All other
— no change
F2A · China
— no change
F2A · India
— no change
F2A · Mexico
— no change
F2A · Philippines
— no change
F2B · Mexico
— no change
F2B · Philippines
— no change
F3 · All other
— no change
F3 · China
— no change
F3 · India
— no change
F3 · Mexico
— no change
F3 · Philippines
— no change
F4 · India
— no change
F4 · Mexico
— no change
F4 · Philippines
— no change
EB-1 · All other
— no change
EB-1 · China
— no change
EB-1 · India
— no change
EB-1 · Mexico
— no change
EB-1 · Philippines
— no change
EB-2 · All other
— no change
EB-2 · China
— no change
EB-2 · India
— no change
EB-2 · Mexico
— no change
EB-2 · Philippines
— no change
EB-3 Skilled · All other
— no change
EB-3 Skilled · China
— no change
EB-3 Skilled · India
— no change
EB-3 Skilled · Mexico
— no change
EB-3 Skilled · Philippines
— no change
EB-3 Other Workers · All other
— no change
EB-3 Other Workers · China
— no change
EB-3 Other Workers · India
— no change
EB-3 Other Workers · Mexico
— no change
EB-3 Other Workers · Philippines
— no change
EB-4 · All other
— no change
EB-4 · China
— no change
EB-4 · India
— no change
EB-4 · Mexico
— no change
EB-4 · Philippines
— no change
EB-5 · All other
— no change
EB-5 · China
— no change
EB-5 · India
— no change
EB-5 · Mexico
— no change
EB-5 · Philippines
— no change
Δ from previous bulletin

Source

Department of State — July 2026 Visa Bulletin

This article is not legal advice. Always confirm details with the official source below.