US Department of State Releases July 2026 Visa Bulletin

The US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will use the Final Action Dates Chart for Employment-Based Adjustment of Status Applications in July 2026. The China EB-3 category shows moderate advancement, the India EB-1 category faces slight retrogression, the India EB-2 category is unavailable, and other categories show slight advancement.

The US Department of State has released its July 2026 Visa Bulletin outlining per-country priority date cutoffs that regulate immigrant visa availability and the flow of adjustment of status application and consular immigrant visa application filings and approvals.

WHAT DOES THE JULY 2026 VISA BULLETIN SAY?

The bulletin includes both a Dates for Filing Visa Applications chart and an Application Final Action Dates chart. The former indicates when intending immigrants may file their applications for adjustments of status or immigrant visas, and the latter indicates when adjustment of status applications or immigrant visa applications may be approved and permanent residence granted.

Each month, the USCIS chooses which chart it will follow. For July 2026, the USCIS will follow the Final Action Dates chart for employment-based (EB) filings for adjustment of status. This means that individuals seeking to file applications for adjustment of status with the USCIS in July 2026 must use the Final Actions Dates chart below.

FINAL ACTION CUTOFF DATES

To be eligible to file an EB adjustment application in July 2026, a foreign national must have a priority date that is earlier than the date listed below for their preference category and country. The “C” listing indicates that the category is current and applications may be filed regardless of the applicant’s priority date. The listing of a date for any category indicates that only applicants with a priority date that is earlier than the listed date may file their applications.

EMPLOYMENT-BASED FIRST PREFERENCE (EB-1)

The EB-1 cutoff date for All Chargeability Areas, Mexico, and the Philippines will be current. This means that all applicants chargeable to these areas whose I-485 applications have not yet been filed can file their I-485 applications with the USCIS.

The EB-1 cutoff date for China will advance two months to June 1, 2023. This means that China EB-1 applicants whose I-485 applications have not yet been filed and have a priority date before June 1, 2023 can file their I-485 applications with the USCIS.

The EB-1 cutoff date for India will retrogress two months to October 15, 2022. This means that India EB-1 applicants whose I-485 applications have not yet been filed and have a priority date before October 15, 2022 can file their I-485 applications with the USCIS.

EMPLOYMENT-BASED SECOND PREFERENCE (EB-2)

The EB-2 cutoff date for All Chargeability Areas, Mexico, and the Philippines will be current. This means that all applicants who are chargeable to these areas whose I-485 applications have not yet been filed can file their I-485 applications with the USCIS.

The EB-2 cutoff date for China will remain September 1, 2021. This means that China EB-2 applicants whose I-485 applications have not yet been filed and have a priority date before September 1, 2021 can file their I-485 applications with the USCIS.

Annual limits for the India EB-2 category were reached, and the category is now “unavailable,” meaning no further requests for visa numbers will be honored until the next fiscal year.

EMPLOYMENT-BASED THIRD PREFERENCE (EB-3)

The EB-3 cutoff date for All Chargeability Areas and Mexico will advance two months to August 1, 2024. This means that all applicants who are chargeable to these areas whose I-485 applications have not yet been filed and have a priority date before August 1, 2024 can file their I-485 applications with the USCIS.

The EB-3 cutoff date for China will advance four months and three weeks to December 22, 2021. This means that China EB-3 applicants whose I-485 applications have not yet been filed and have a priority date before December 22, 2021 can file their I-485 applications with the USCIS.

The EB-3 cutoff date for India will advance two weeks to January 1, 2014. This means that India EB-3 applicants whose I-485 applications have not yet been filed and have a priority date before January 1, 2014 can file their I-485 applications with the USCIS.

The EB-3 cutoff date for the Philippines will remain August 1, 2023. This means that Philippines EB-3 applicants whose I-485 applications have not yet been filed and have a priority date before August 1, 2023 can file their I-485 applications with the USCIS.

OTHER WORKERS

The Other Workers cutoff date for All Chargeability Areas and Mexico will advance one month to March 1, 2022. This means that Other Worker applicants from these areas whose I-485 applications have not yet been filed and have a priority date before March 1, 2022 can file their I-485 applications with the USCIS.

The Other Workers cutoff date for China will remain April 1, 2019. This means that Other Worker applicants from China whose I-485 applications have not yet been filed and have a priority date before April 1, 2019 can file their I-485 applications with the USCIS.

The Other Workers cutoff date for India will advance two weeks to January 1, 2014. This means that Other Worker applicants from India whose I-485 applications have not yet been filed and have a priority date before January 1, 2014 can file their I-485 applications with the USCIS.

The Other Workers cutoff date for the Philippines will advance one month to December 1, 2021. This means that Other Worker applicants from the Philippines whose I-485 applications have not yet been filed and have a priority date before December 1, 2021 can file their I-485 applications with the USCIS.

SIGNIFICANT DEVELOPMENTS

Due to high demand and number use within the India EB-1 category, the final action dates for India EB-1 retrogressed to maintain visa number usage within the annual limit for FY2026. The Department of State reported that further retrogressions in these categories may occur. In addition, the EB-2 annual limit for India was reached. As a result, the EB-2 category for India will remain unavailable for the rest of FY2026.

The Department of State also explained that due to sufficient demand and increased number of applications in China EB-2 and Philippines EB-3 visa categories, retrogression may occur in the final action dates for China EB-2 and Philippines EB-3. The Department of State anticipates that immigrant visas within these categories will also become unavailable in the upcoming months based on annual per-country limits.