While May brought structural adjustments and significant movement, the June 2026 Visa Bulletin remains largely unchanged for most employment-based categories, with the notable exceptions of India EB-2 and EB-3 categories which retrogressed due to surging demand. In contrast, Mexico, the Philippines, China, and all worldwide categories experienced little or no change.
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has mandated the use of the Final Action Dates (FAD) chart for all employment-based adjustment of status filings for June 2026.
The table below provides a comparison between the May 2026 and June 2026 Final Action Dates for the first three employment-based immigrant categories, highlighting the net change in visa availability:
| Category / Region | May 2026 (Final Action Dates) | June 2026 (Final Action Dates) | Status / Net Difference |
| EB-1: All Chargeability (ROW) | Current | Current | No change |
| EB-1: China | 01APR23 | 01APR23 | No change |
| EB-1: India | 01APR23 | 15DEC22 | 3.5-Month Retrogression |
| EB-1: Mexico | Current | Current | No change |
| EB-1: Philippines | Current | Current | No change |
| EB-2: All Chargeability (ROW) | Current | Current | No change |
| EB-2: China | 01SEP21 | 01SEP21 | No change |
| EB-2: India | 15JUL14 | 01SEP13 | 10.5-Month Retrogression |
| EB-2: Mexico | Current | Current | No change |
| EB-2: Philippines | Current | Current | No change |
| EB-3: All Chargeability (ROW) | 01JUN24 | 01JUN24 | No change |
| EB-3: China | 15JUN21 | 01AUG21 | 1.5-Month Advancement |
| EB-3: India | 15NOV13 | 15DEC13 | 1-Month Advancement |
| EB-3: Mexico | 01JUN24 | 01JUN24 | No change |
| EB-3: Philippines | 01AUG23 | 01AUG23 | No change |
Looming Retrogression Risks
The State Department June 2026 Visa Bulletin included specific warnings regarding visa demand and potential future retrogressions across multiple categories:
- National Security Impact on Advancement: Rapid advancements in prior months occurred to offset decreased visa issuance rates stemming from administration policies such as Presidential Proclamations 10949 and 10998, which established restrictions on entry and visa issuance for nationals from thirty-nine countries. When more normal visa demand resumes, retrogression or total category unavailability is likely to occur.
- India EB-1 and EB-2: High demand and heavy number use by applicants from India necessitated the June retrogressions. Further rollbacks could be triggered if India reaches its pro-rated limits before the fiscal year ends.
- China EB-2: Rising number use by applicants chargeable to China means the final action date may be retrogressed or made completely unavailable in upcoming months to keep usage within the annual limit.
- Philippines EB-3: Heavy demand is being closely monitored and may force a retrogression or visa unavailability in the near future.
- India EB-5 Unreserved: Surging demand in the EB-5 unreserved category for India has heightened the risk of a final action date retrogression or visa unavailability as early as July.
Employer Impact
For HR teams and foreign nationals, while the India EB-2 and EB-3 adjustments shrink the pool of individuals eligible to submit green card applications, the June 2026 Visa Bulleting maintains the status quo for most employment-based immigrant visa applicants. Because USCIS requires use of the FAD chart for June, applicants whose priority dates are not current based on the listed dates cannot file for adjustment of status, work authorization (EAD), or travel permits (Advance Parole).
The Meltzer Hellrung Perspective
At Meltzer Hellrung, we actively audit our client priority dates to adapt to these sudden multi-month retrogressions. Our team is currently identifying all clients who are impacted by this shift to ensure every possible adjustment of status application is finalized and filed before May 31st. Should you have any questions about how this change will affect your employees, please contact your Meltzer Hellrung professional.
