June 2026 Visa Bulletin: EB-3 Final Action Date Advances & Family Categories Surge

The State Department has officially released the June 2026 Visa Bulletin, bringing significant movement to family-based preference categories while delivering mixed news for employment-based applicants. USCIS has not yet announced whether it will accept filings based on the Dates for Filing chart or the Final Action Dates chart for adjustment of status purposes, a determination that typically follows within days of the bulletin's release. For employment-based applicants, the bulletin contains notable setbacks for certain categories. India EB-1 experienced a retrogression, with the final action date moving backward from April 1, 2023 (May 2026) to December 15, 2022 (June 2026). This retrograde affects Indian nationals who had recently become eligible to file and may delay their ability to submit I-485 adjustment of status applications. EB-3 applicants should monitor the USCIS announcement closely, as the choice between Dates for Filing and Final Action Dates can significantly impact filing eligibility windows. The June bulletin's family-based surges suggest the State Department is consuming unused visa numbers from prior fiscal year allocations, a pattern that sometimes precedes employment-based movement in subsequent months. Applicants are advised to consult with an immigration attorney before submitting any filings, particularly given the India EB-1 retrogression and the pending USCIS chart selection announcement. Checking the USCIS website daily in the days following the bulletin release is the most reliable way to confirm which chart will govern adjustment of status filings for June 2026.