Major Setbacks for Indian Employment-Based Visa Applicants
The US State Department's July 2026 Visa Bulletin has delivered significant setbacks for Indian applicants seeking employment-based green cards. Both the EB-2 category, for professionals with advanced degrees, and the unreserved EB-5 investor visa category have been marked 'U' (unavailable) for the remainder of fiscal year 2026. This means no new immigrant visa numbers can be issued in these categories to Indian applicants until the annual limits reset on October 1, 2026.
Adding to the challenges, the EB-1 Final Action Date for priority workers from India has retrogressed by two months, moving from December 15, 2022, to October 15, 2022. Applicants must now have a priority date earlier than October 15, 2022, to proceed with final approval. The State Department cited high demand and number use, warning of potential further retrogression.
Limited Relief in Other Employment Categories
While EB-2 and unreserved EB-5 face closure, and EB-1 moves backward, some employment-based categories offered minor advancements:
- EB-3 (Skilled Workers & Professionals): The Final Action Date moved slightly from December 15, 2013, to January 1, 2014.
- EB-4 (Special Immigrants): This category advanced by two months, from July 15, 2022, to September 15, 2022.
Despite these small movements, the EB-3 India category remains backlogged by over 12 years, highlighting the extensive waiting periods faced by many Indian professionals.
Dates for Filing Remain Unchanged; Reserved EB-5 Categories Current
The 'Dates for Filing' chart for Indian employment-based categories saw no changes in July. However, the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has directed adjustment-of-status applicants to use the Final Action Dates chart this month. This means Indian applicants in EB-2 and unreserved EB-5 cannot file new adjustment applications in July due to their 'unavailable' status.
In contrast, the three reserved EB-5 categories—investments in rural projects, high-unemployment areas, and infrastructure projects—remain 'current' for all countries, including India. This offers a rare path without a priority-date cutoff for eligible Indian applicants, allowing concurrent filing of immigrant petitions and adjustment-of-status applications.
Selective Forward Movement for Family-Sponsored Visas
Indian family-sponsored visa categories present a more favorable picture, with several recording forward movement in their Final Action Dates:
- F1 (Unmarried adult sons/daughters of US citizens): Advanced five months, from September 1, 2017, to February 1, 2018.
- F2B (Unmarried adult sons/daughters of lawful permanent residents): Moved from September 22, 2017, to November 22, 2017.
- F3 (Married sons/daughters of US citizens): Advanced two months, from February 15, 2012, to April 15, 2012.
The F2A category (spouses and minor children of permanent residents) and F4 (siblings of adult US citizens) Final Action Dates remained unchanged. Similarly, the family-sponsored filing chart showed selective advancements for F1 and F2B, while F2A remained current.
As the fiscal year 2026 nears its end, the July bulletin underscores mounting pressure for Indian professionals, with key categories closed or retrogressing. Further restrictions are possible before new visa allocations begin on October 1.