Visa Bulletin July 2026: India Faces New Headwinds as EB-5 Set-Asides Stay Open

The July 2026 Visa Bulletin has been released, revealing continued retrogression pressure for India-chargeability applicants in the employment-based preference categories. India-born petitioners in the EB-3 skilled worker and professional categories face additional headwinds, meaning priority dates may stagnate or move backward compared to prior months, extending already lengthy wait times for this oversubscribed nationality. In contrast, the EB-5 immigrant investor program continues to show availability in its set-aside categories — specifically the Rural, High Unemployment, and Infrastructure project designations. These set-asides were established under the EB-5 Reform and Integrity Act of 2022 and currently benefit from separate annual allocation pools, making them more accessible than the general EB-5 category. For EB-3 applicants from less-backlogged countries, the July bulletin may offer continued forward movement, though the pace of advancement depends on USCIS demand and DOS projections for the remainder of fiscal year 2026. Applicants should consult the Dates for Filing and Final Action Date charts to determine eligibility for concurrent filing or adjustment of status. Immigration practitioners advise India-born EB-3 petitioners to monitor each monthly bulletin closely and work with counsel to assess whether porting to EB-2 under AC21 portability provisions could shorten overall wait times. Those with approved I-140 petitions should also ensure job continuity and employer sponsorship remain intact given extended processing horizons.