Visa Bulletin July 2026: India EB-2 Becomes Unavailable as Visa Number Pressure Continues

The U.S. State Department's July 2026 Visa Bulletin brings significant news for Indian nationals in the employment-based immigration queue: the EB-2 category has become unavailable, signaling a sharp increase in demand and depletion of available visa numbers for this fiscal year. This development reflects the ongoing visa number pressure that has characterized the employment-based immigration system in recent years. When a category becomes 'unavailable,' no new adjustment-of-status applications can be filed and previously scheduled immigrant visa interviews may be postponed until numbers become available again. For EB-3 applicants from India and other oversubscribed countries, this bulletin serves as a critical reminder to track priority date movements carefully. Retrogression or unavailability in EB-2 can sometimes trigger movement in EB-3 as applicants downgrade categories, which may tighten EB-3 dates as well. Applicants who have an approved I-140 and are waiting for their priority date to become current should consult with their immigration attorney about the implications of this bulletin on their specific case timeline. Those with pending I-485 applications already in process are generally unaffected by unavailability cutoffs. The July 2026 bulletin underscores the importance of monitoring the Dates for Filing and Final Action Dates charts monthly, especially as fiscal year 2026 draws closer to its September 30 end date when unused visa numbers expire.