June 2026 VISA Bulletin
The State Department’s June 2026 Visa Bulletin (Volume XI, Number 15) includes updates affecting employers sponsoring foreign-national employees in employment-based (EB) green card categories. Four categories reflect either confirmed retrogressions or forward movement that warrants monitoring. HR teams and immigration managers should review these changes to assess any impact on pending cases.
Retrogressions and Warnings Across Multiple Employment-Based Categories
Background: Why Dates Have Been Moving
Before examining the specific categories, the bulletin’s Section D provides important context. The State Department notes that immigrant visa issuance rates for nationals of certain countries have decreased due to administration actions, including Presidential Proclamations 10949 and 10998 and related Immigrant Visa Processing Updates. To allocate visa numbers that would otherwise go unused, the State Department advanced filing and final action dates across multiple immigrant visa categories in prior months. The bulletin warns that as demand from affected countries increases or as administration actions change, we may need to reduce issuances to stay within annual limits. Categories may also become “Unavailable” before September 30, 2026, if annual, category, or per-country limits are reached.
India EB-1 and EB-2: Retrogression Confirmed
The most consequential development in the June bulletin is the confirmation of a retrogression in the EB-1 and EB-2 final action dates for India.
The State Department cites high demand and accelerated use of numbers by India-chargeability applicants as the cause. Current final action dates are:
- EB-1 (India): December 15, 2022
- EB-2 (India): September 1, 2013
The bulletin explicitly states that further retrogressions — or making one or both categories “Unavailable” — may be necessary before the fiscal year ends on September 30, 2026, if India’s prorated per-country limits are reached.
Practical impact: Indian nationals with priority dates beyond these cutoffs cannot have their I-485 adjudicated or receive an immigrant visa at this time. Employers with India-born employees in active green card pipelines should consult with immigration counsel to assess case status and any protective filings that may apply.
India EB-5 Unreserved: Retrogression Warning for Next Month
The bulletin separately flags the EB-5 Unreserved category for India, noting that sufficient demand and increased number use may require retrogression or a category-unavailable determination “in the next month.” The current final action date for India in this category is May 1, 2022.
This is the most time-sensitive warning in the bulletin, as the language indicates a potential change could come as early as the July 2026 bulletin.
China EB-2: Retrogression Warning
The EB-2 category for China-mainland-born applicants also carries a retrogression warning. The State Department states that sufficient demand and an increased number of users “may make it necessary to retrogress the final action date or make the category unavailable in the coming months.” The current final action date is September 1, 2021.
Philippines EB-3: Retrogression Warning
The bulletin similarly warns that the EB-3 category for the Philippines may require retrogression or become unavailable in the coming months. The current final action date is August 1, 2023.
June 2026 VISA Bulletin Key Takeaways
- India EB-1 and EB-2 retrogressions are active now. Employers should review affected employees’ priority dates against current cutoffs.
- India EB-5 Unreserved faces the most urgent near-term risk, with potential action as early as July 2026.
- China EB-2 and the Philippines EB-3 are on the State Department’s watch list for retrogression in the coming months.
- Annual limits may cause categories to become “Unavailable” before the fiscal year-end. Waiting is not a neutral option.
- The July 2026 Visa Bulletin cutoff dates for DV categories have already been published; EB adjustments will follow in that bulletin.
Next Steps
Companies sponsoring employees in any of these categories should review their affected employees’ priority dates against current final action dates and filing dates. The State Department is actively monitoring the situation, and changes may come with little advance notice.
If your company has employees affected by the India, China, or Philippines employment-based retrogressions, contact Gunn-Menefee Immigration Lawyers to discuss your options and next steps. Reach us at (502) 236-9900.