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

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 Dates
July 2026 vs June 2026
Family-Based
All other
China
India
Mexico
Philippines
F1
Feb 1, 2018
Feb 1, 2018
Feb 1, 2018
Nov 8, 2007
May 1, 2013
F2A
Jan 1, 2025
Jan 1, 2025
Jan 1, 2025
Jan 1, 2024
Jan 1, 2025
F2B
Nov 22, 2017
Nov 22, 2017
Nov 22, 2017
Feb 15, 2009
May 15, 2013
F3
Apr 15, 2012
Apr 15, 2012
Apr 15, 2012
Jun 1, 2001
Feb 22, 2006
F4
Jan 1, 2009
Jan 1, 2009
Nov 1, 2006
Apr 8, 2001
Aug 1, 2007
Employment-Based
All other
China
India
Mexico
Philippines
EB-1
Current
Jun 1, 2023
Oct 15, 2022
Current
Current
EB-2
Current
Sep 1, 2021
Unavailable
Current
Current
EB-3 Skilled
Aug 1, 2024
Dec 22, 2021
Jan 1, 2014
Aug 1, 2024
Aug 1, 2023
EB-3 Other Workers
Mar 1, 2022
Apr 1, 2019
Jan 1, 2014
Mar 1, 2022
Dec 1, 2021
EB-4
Sep 15, 2022
Sep 15, 2022
Sep 15, 2022
Sep 15, 2022
Sep 15, 2022
EB-5
Current
Dec 1, 2016
Unavailable
Current
Current
Dates for Filing
July 2026 vs June 2026
Family-Based
All other
China
India
Mexico
Philippines
F1
Jan 1, 2019
Jan 1, 2019
Jan 1, 2019
Oct 1, 2008
Apr 22, 2015
F2A
Current
Current
Current
Current
Current
F2B
Jun 8, 2018
Jun 8, 2018
Jun 8, 2018
May 15, 2010
Oct 1, 2013
F3
Dec 8, 2012
Dec 8, 2012
Dec 8, 2012
Jul 15, 2001
Aug 8, 2006
F4
Mar 1, 2010
Mar 1, 2010
Dec 15, 2006
Apr 30, 2001
Mar 22, 2008
Employment-Based
All other
China
India
Mexico
Philippines
EB-1
Current
Dec 1, 2023
Dec 1, 2023
Current
Current
EB-2
Current
Jan 1, 2022
Jan 15, 2015
Current
Current
EB-3 Skilled
Current
Jan 1, 2022
Jan 15, 2015
Current
Jan 1, 2024
EB-3 Other Workers
Aug 1, 2022
Oct 1, 2019
Jan 15, 2015
Aug 1, 2022
Aug 1, 2022
EB-4
Jan 1, 2023
Jan 1, 2023
Jan 1, 2023
Jan 1, 2023
Jan 1, 2023
EB-5
Current
Mar 1, 2017
May 1, 2024
Current
Current
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.