The June 2026 visa bulletin released by the U.S. State Department has brought disappointing news for Indian Green Card applicants, as the queue continues to lengthen, leading to increased waiting times. In the EB-1 category, India's Final Action Date has retrogressed by three and a half months to December 15, 2022. For the EB-2 category, the retrogression is even more severe, with the date moving back by over ten months to September 1, 2013.
Understanding EB-1 and EB-2 Categories
EB-1 and EB-2 are employment-based Green Card categories in the U.S. immigration system. These are the most common paths for H-1B visa holders to apply for permanent residency. The EB-1 category is reserved for individuals with extraordinary ability, outstanding researchers, and multinational managers or executives. The EB-2 category is for professionals holding advanced degrees, such as software engineers, data scientists, doctors, and researchers. Typically, EB-1 has a shorter waiting period compared to EB-2 and EB-3.
What is the Final Action Date?
The Final Action Date, as published in the monthly visa bulletin, is a critical marker that determines when an applicant can actually receive a Green Card approval. For June 2026, applicants with a Priority Date earlier than December 15, 2022, for an EB-1 Green Card will be eligible to obtain permanent residence. For EB-2, those with a Priority Date before September 1, 2013, will receive their Green Cards this month. The Priority Date is the date when the employer filed the PERM labor certification or when the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) received the I-140 petition.
Other Developments in the June 2026 Visa Bulletin
- EB-1: China's cutoff date remains unchanged at April 1, 2023. For all other countries, this category is current, meaning no waiting time.
- EB-2: China's cutoff date is set at September 1, 2021. For other countries, the category is current.
- EB-3: India's cutoff date inches forward to December 15, 2023, while China's cutoff date is now August 1, 2021. For other countries, the EB-3 cutoff date is June 1, 2024.
- EB-5: The EB-5 unreserved category for India remains at May 1, 2022, and China's unreserved cutoff date stays at September 22, 2016. The EB-5 category remains current for all other chargeability areas and for the three EB-5 set-aside categories (rural, high unemployment, and infrastructure) across all countries.
Why Retrogression?
Retrogression occurs when visa bulletin dates move backward due to high demand and quota limits. The USCIS explained: "High demand and number use by aliens chargeable to India in the EB-1 and EB-2 visa categories have made it necessary to retrogress the final action dates to hold number use within the FY 2026 annual limit." The agency also warned of further retrogressions or making the categories "unavailable" if India's pro-rated limits in the EB-1 or EB-2 categories are reached before the fiscal year ends. The situation will be continuously monitored, and necessary adjustments will be made accordingly, as stated in the bulletin.
