June 2026 Visa Bulletin: EB-1 and EB-2 NIW Current, But Retrogression Is Coming

The U.S. Department of State has published the June 2026 Visa Bulletin, the monthly document that determines who can move forward on a Green Card petition, at what point, and from which priority date. For most applicants outside India, China, Mexico, and the Philippines, the headline remains favorable: EB-1 and EB-2 NIW are still Current. But within the same bulletin there is an official notice that few are reading carefully, and it determines whether your petition moves forward now or waits another year.

What Is Current in June 2026

For applicants from virtually every country, falling under the All Chargeability Areas Except Those Listed category, this month’s picture is as follows: EB-1 (Extraordinary Ability) Current, EB-2 NIW (National Interest Waiver) Current, EB-3 (Skilled Workers) with a final action date of June 1, 2024, EB-5 Unreserved Current, and EB-5 Set Aside (Rural, High Unemployment, Infrastructure) Current.

Current means there is no backlog. Applicants with an approved I-140 can immediately file the I-485 (adjustment of status) if they are inside the United States, or proceed with consular processing if they are abroad.

This situation is not the norm. Historically, EB-1 and EB-2 remain Current only in short windows. When the window closes, it can take months or years to reopen.

The Warning Being Ignored

In Section D of the June bulletin, the Department of State is explicit: as additional immigrant visa demand materializes, or as administrative actions are changed, retrogression may be necessary in the coming months to keep issuances within annual limits. Categories could become Unavailable before the close of the fiscal year if the annual limits, per-category limits, or pro-rated per-country limits are reached.

Translated into strategic terms: the U.S. government has officially confirmed that the window may close before September 30, 2026.

The logic is straightforward. When a category goes Current, filing volume surges. When volume surges, the annual cap is reached faster. When the annual cap approaches, the only way to keep issuances within the ceiling is to retrogress priority dates or suspend the category entirely.

The Lesson India Is Teaching

Section E of the bulletin is the part no one shares on social media, but it should be required reading for any international professional considering a U.S. Green Card.

India retrogressed in both EB-1 and EB-2 this month. EB-1 for India is now at December 15, 2022. EB-2 is at September 1, 2013, a backlog of over 12 years. The bulletin explicitly warns that additional retrogressions or total unavailability may follow if India’s pro-rated per-country limit is reached before the end of the fiscal year.

This is what happens when demand outstrips supply in a category. It is also why Indian professionals who historically filed under EB-2 are migrating en masse to EB-1A, because for them, the EB-2 window has ceased to exist in practice.

The message for the rest of the world is clear: your window exists. But it exists right now.

Other Warnings Worth Noting

The document includes three additional signals pointing to where the system is headed. EB-2 for China (Section F) shows demand high enough to force retrogression or unavailability in the coming months. EB-3 for the Philippines (Section G) is in the same position, with retrogression likely. EB-5 Unreserved for India (Section H) may retrogress as early as next month.

When three different categories receive the same warning in the same bulletin, the pattern is clear. The system is contracting, not expanding.

What This Means for Applicants Abroad

For applicants outside the United States, the path requires strategy, not delay. The I-140 can and should be filed now. Locking in a priority date while the category is Current means securing your place in line before any future retrogression.

If your situation allows entry into the United States under any nonimmigrant status, adjustment of status through the I-485 inside the country remains available. Recent restrictions affect consular processing, not the internal adjustment of status.

Full petition preparation, including gathering documentation, obtaining recommendation letters from independent experts, and building the legal argument, typically takes one to three months. That is the timeframe that may not exist if the category retrogresses in July or August.

What This Means for Applicants in the U.S.

If you are in the United States in valid status with an approved I-140 and EB-1 or EB-2 is Current, you can file the I-485 immediately. While the I-485 is pending, you can apply for the Employment Authorization Document (EAD) and Advance Parole, typically issued within 6 to 12 months, granting work authorization independent of any employer and the right to international travel even before the Green Card is approved.

This is the part that changes lives for professionals tied to employer-sponsored visas. The EAD removes dependence on a single company sponsoring your status. The Green Card comes later. Freedom comes first.

But this entire path assumes the category is Current at the time of filing. If retrogression arrives before you submit, the window closes for an indefinite period.

The Decision This Week

The June bulletin is a favorable snapshot. The July bulletin may look different. The August bulletin, depending on filing volume in June, may look very different.

The difference between filing now and filing in three months can be a priority date that carries years of value.

The explicit signals sent by the Department of State point to a window closing, not opening. For applicants from India, Brazil, Mexico, the Philippines, and other nationalities that qualify under EB-1A or EB-2 NIW, the calculation has shifted from when to start to whether you can get in line before the line closes.

Frequently Asked Questions About the June 2026 Visa Bulletin

Is EB-2 NIW Current in June?

Yes. EB-2 NIW is Current for All Chargeability Areas Except Those Listed, a category that includes most countries in the world, excluding India, China, Mexico, and the Philippines.

What is the difference between Current and a final action date?

Current means there is no backlog and visa numbers are immediately available. A final action date means that only applicants with a priority date before that date can have their visa issued.

What does retrogression mean in the Visa Bulletin?

Retrogression occurs when a previously Current or recent priority date moves backward, restricting visa issuances. It happens when demand exceeds the annual numbers available for a category.

When is the next Visa Bulletin released?

The Department of State typically publishes each Visa Bulletin in the second or third week of the preceding month. The July 2026 bulletin is expected in mid-June.

Can the I-140 be filed while outside the U.S.?

Yes. The I-140 petition can be filed regardless of the applicant’s physical location. Filing locks in the priority date, that is, the position in line, regardless of when consular processing proceeds.

Victoria Harper

Editor-in-Chief

Meet the author

Leading journalism and editorial content at Visto n’ Visa, Victoria helps make immigration topics clear, trustworthy, and easy to understand. Her focus is on delivering useful, human, and relevant content for people exploring new paths abroad.