Author: Hasan Abdullah, Esq.
The June 2026 Visa Bulletin brings mixed news for green card applicants.
Some family-based categories moved forward, especially F2A, which covers spouses and children of lawful permanent residents. On the employment-based side, many categories stayed steady, but India saw important setbacks in EB-1 and EB-2.
For applicants in the United States, the key question is not only what the Visa Bulletin says, but which chart USCIS allows for adjustment of status filings. For June 2026, family-sponsored applicants may use the Dates for Filing chart, while employment-based applicants must use the Final Action Dates chart.
This matters because the filing chart can affect whether someone may be able to file Form I-485, even if a green card is not yet ready for final approval.
Overall, June 2026 is a helpful month for some family-based applicants, but a more cautious month for employment-based applicants, especially those from India. Anyone with a priority date close to the listed dates should review the correct chart carefully before making filing, travel, or immigration planning decisions.
For a quick overview of the June 2026 Visa Bulletin, the video below explains the key family-based and employment-based updates, including F2A movement, India EB-1 and EB-2 retrogression, EB-3 India movement, and the USCIS filing chart for Form I-485.
The visual below gives a quick snapshot of the main June 2026 Visa Bulletin takeaways, including family-based movement, employment-based updates, India EB-1 and EB-2 retrogression, and the USCIS filing chart for Form I-485 applicants.
For June 2026, USCIS is using different filing charts for family-based and employment-based adjustment of status applicants.
Family-sponsored applicants may use the Dates for Filing chart. This may help some applicants file Form I-485 earlier, especially if their priority date is earlier than the date listed on the USCIS chart. For F2A applicants, the June 2026 USCIS chart shows the category as current, which may be helpful for eligible spouses and children of lawful permanent residents.
June 2026 USCIS filing chart guide showing that family-sponsored applicants may use Dates for Filing while employment-based applicants must use Final Action Dates for adjustment of status.
June 2026 Visa Bulletin key takeaways infographic showing F2A movement, employment-based stability, India EB-1 and EB-2 retrogression, and USCIS filing chart guidance.
Employment-based applicants must use the Final Action Dates chart for June 2026. This is more restrictive because the applicant’s priority date generally must be earlier than the final action date listed for the category and country of chargeability.
This distinction is important. A person may see a favorable date in the Department of State Visa Bulletin, but for adjustment of status, the key question is what USCIS allows for that specific month. Before filing Form I-485, applicants should confirm their category, country of chargeability, priority date, and the correct USCIS chart for June 2026.
The family-based side of the June 2026 Visa Bulletin is mostly steady, with some helpful movement in certain categories.
The most important update is in F2A, which covers spouses and children of lawful permanent residents. In the Final Action Dates chart, F2A moved forward from May 2026. On the USCIS filing chart, F2A is also listed as current for all countries, which may help eligible applicants who are preparing to file adjustment of status.
Other family categories saw more limited movement. F1, F3, and F4 stayed the same for many countries, while some categories moved forward only slightly. This is common in the Visa Bulletin. Some months bring major changes, while others mainly confirm that backlogs remain slow.
For applicants from Mexico and the Philippines, many family-based categories remain heavily backlogged. Even when there is some year-over-year improvement, the waiting times can still be long. Applicants should avoid assuming that one month of movement means their case will move quickly.
For family-based applicants, the practical point is this: June 2026 may be helpful if your priority date is close to the listed date, especially in F2A. But before taking action, applicants should check the correct category, country of chargeability, priority date, and USCIS filing chart for June 2026.
The employment-based side of the June 2026 Visa Bulletin is more cautious than the family-based side.
For many countries, several employment-based categories stayed the same from May 2026. EB-1 remains current for most countries, and EB-2 is also current for many chargeability areas. That is good news for applicants outside the most backlogged countries.
The biggest issue is India. EB-1 India and EB-2 India both moved backward in June 2026. This matters because many Indian professionals, including H-1B workers waiting for green cards, often watch these categories closely when planning adjustment of status, job changes, travel, or long-term immigration strategy.
EB-3 India moved forward slightly, but the movement was limited. That small improvement does not erase the larger backlog problem for Indian employment-based applicants.
EB-4 and Certain Religious Workers stayed at July 15, 2022, while EB-5 set-aside categories remained current. EB-5 Unreserved stayed current for most countries, but China and India continue to have separate backlog dates.
Overall, June 2026 is not a dramatic month for most employment-based applicants, but it is an important month for India. Applicants with priority dates close to the listed dates should review the chart carefully before making filing or immigration planning decisions.
Compared with the May 2026 Visa Bulletin, the June 2026 update brought both positive and negative movement.
On the family-based side, the strongest improvement was in F2A, which moved forward for spouses and children of lawful permanent residents. F2B also moved forward for All Chargeability Areas, China, and India. F4 saw some limited forward movement for All Chargeability Areas and China, while many other family-based dates stayed the same.
The employment-based side was more mixed. For many countries, EB-1, EB-2, and EB-3 stayed steady. But for India, June 2026 brought a major change: EB-1 India and EB-2 India moved backward. This is one of the most important updates in the June 2026 bulletin because it may affect applicants who were close to filing or expecting movement in those categories.
There was also some limited positive movement for EB-3 India and EB-3 China, but the progress was modest. For many applicants, especially those from backlogged countries, June 2026 is a reminder that Visa Bulletin movement is not always forward. Dates can advance, pause, or retrogress depending on demand and annual visa number limits.
The main takeaway from May to June is simple: family-based applicants saw some helpful movement, while India employment-based applicants need to be more cautious, especially in EB-1 and EB-2.
Compared with the June 2025 Visa Bulletin, the June 2026 bulletin shows improvement in several categories, but not across the board.
On the family-based side, many categories are ahead of where they were one year ago. F2A is one of the clearest examples. In June 2025, F2A was still backlogged in the Final Action Dates chart. By June 2026, the dates moved much closer to the present, and the USCIS filing chart shows F2A as current for filing purposes.
Several other family categories also show year-over-year progress, including F1, F2B, F3, and F4 in certain countries. However, the improvement does not mean the backlog has disappeared. Mexico and the Philippines still have long waits in many family-based categories.
On the employment-based side, June 2026 is also stronger than June 2025 in some areas. EB-2 is current for many countries in June 2026, while it was not current for all chargeability areas in June 2025. EB-4 and Certain Religious Workers were unavailable in June 2025, but they are available again in June 2026 with listed dates.
For India, the year-over-year picture is more complicated. Some employment-based dates are better than they were in June 2025, but the June 2026 retrogression in EB-1 and EB-2 shows that recent movement can still turn negative when demand is high.
The one-year comparison is useful because it shows that Visa Bulletin movement is rarely a straight line. Some categories improved meaningfully over the year, while others remain slow, paused, or vulnerable to retrogression.
The June 2026 Visa Bulletin affects applicants differently depending on their country of chargeability. A category may be current for one country but backlogged for another.
For India, the biggest concern is in the employment-based categories. EB-1 India and EB-2 India moved backward in June 2026, while EB-3 India moved forward only slightly. This is especially important for Indian professionals, H-1B workers, and applicants waiting to file or move forward with adjustment of status.
For China, many dates stayed stable, but some employment-based categories showed modest movement. China remains separately backlogged in several employment-based categories, including EB-1, EB-2, EB-3, and EB-5 Unreserved.
For Mexico, the most difficult delays remain in the family-based categories. Several family preference categories continue to have very old priority dates, which means applicants may still face long waits even when there is small forward movement.
For the Philippines, family-based backlogs also remain significant, especially in categories such as F1, F3, and F4. On the employment-based side, many categories are more favorable than family-based categories, but applicants still need to check the exact chart and category.
For the Rest of World category, many employment-based categories remain more favorable than India or China. However, applicants should still avoid assuming they can file or receive approval without checking the correct USCIS chart, priority date, and category.
The key point is simple: there is no single “June 2026 Visa Bulletin result” for everyone. The practical impact depends on the applicant’s category, country of chargeability, and whether the case is moving through adjustment of status or consular processing.
After reviewing the June 2026 Visa Bulletin, applicants should keep watching the next monthly bulletin closely, especially if their priority date is near the listed date.
The most important thing to track is whether a category continues moving forward, stays the same, or retrogresses. This matters because a priority date that looks close in one month may not stay close if demand increases or visa numbers become limited.
Family-based applicants should continue watching F2A, especially because it remains important for spouses and children of lawful permanent residents. Employment-based applicants should pay close attention to India EB-1 and EB-2, since those categories moved backward in June 2026.
Applicants should also check the USCIS adjustment of status filing chart every month. The Department of State Visa Bulletin shows the dates, but USCIS decides which chart can be used for Form I-485 filings. That monthly decision can affect whether someone may file adjustment of status in the United States.
The safest approach is to review the Visa Bulletin every month, compare it with your priority date, and avoid making major immigration decisions based on assumptions. For applicants close to filing, timing can matter.
Not every Visa Bulletin update requires an attorney. Many applicants can review their category, country of chargeability, and priority date on their own.
However, legal guidance can be helpful when the timing is close or the case involves risk. This is especially true if your priority date is near the June 2026 chart date, your category retrogressed, or you are unsure whether you can file Form I-485.
Applicants may also want legal advice before making major decisions, such as changing jobs, traveling internationally, relying on advance parole, responding to an RFE, or choosing between adjustment of status and consular processing.
For June 2026, this is especially important for Indian employment-based applicants in EB-1 and EB-2, where retrogression may affect filing strategy and expectations.
The Visa Bulletin is a timing tool, not a full case strategy. If the dates are close or the consequences are significant, it may be worth reviewing the situation before taking action.
The Department of State also warned that further retrogression, or even making certain categories unavailable, may become necessary if annual limits or country limits are reached before the end of the fiscal year. This warning is especially important for India EB-1 and EB-2, China EB-2, Philippines EB-3, and India EB-5 Unreserved.
The June 2026 Visa Bulletin shows when immigrant visa numbers may be available for family-based and employment-based green card applicants. It includes Final Action Dates and Dates for Filing, which help applicants understand where their priority date stands.
For June 2026, family-sponsored adjustment applicants may use the Dates for Filing chart. Employment-based adjustment applicants must use the Final Action Dates chart.
This matters because the chart USCIS allows can affect whether someone may file Form I-485 in the United States.
Yes. F2A moved forward in the Final Action Dates chart compared with May 2026. F2A is also current on the USCIS filing chart for June 2026, which may help eligible spouses and children of lawful permanent residents who are preparing to file adjustment of status.
Yes. EB-1 India moved backward in the June 2026 Visa Bulletin compared with May 2026. This is one of the most important employment-based changes in the June 2026 bulletin.
Yes. EB-2 India also retrogressed in June 2026. This may affect Indian applicants waiting under EB-2 PERM, EB-2 NIW, or other advanced degree or exceptional ability categories.
Yes, but only slightly. EB-3 India moved forward by a limited amount compared with May 2026. The category remains heavily backlogged.
“Current” means immigrant visa numbers are available for all qualified applicants in that category and country, regardless of priority date. In the Visa Bulletin, this is usually shown with the letter “C.”
Applicants should compare their priority date with the correct category, country of chargeability, and USCIS-approved filing chart for June 2026. If the priority date is close to the listed date, or if the category recently retrogressed, it may be wise to review the case carefully before making filing, travel, or job-related decisions.
The June 2026 Visa Bulletin is helpful for some applicants, but it is not equally favorable across all categories.
Family-based applicants, especially in F2A, may see useful opportunities this month. Employment-based applicants should be more cautious, particularly applicants from India in EB-1 and EB-2, where retrogression may affect timing and planning.
The most important step is to compare your priority date with the correct category, country of chargeability, and USCIS filing chart for June 2026. If your date is close, your category moved backward, or you are unsure whether you can file Form I-485, it may be worth getting case-specific immigration guidance before taking action.
Hasan Abdullah is the Founder and Managing Attorney of American Visa Law Group, a U.S. immigration law firm focused on helping individuals, families, professionals, entrepreneurs, and employers navigate complex immigration matters. He has extensive experience in employment-based and family-based immigration, including H-1B, PERM, NIW, EB1, O-1, adjustment of status, waivers, consular processing, and complex USCIS strategy matters.
Through AVLG, Hasan focuses on practical immigration strategy, nuanced legal analysis, and realistic guidance grounded in real immigration practice. His writing combines operational insight, legal sophistication, and practical understanding of USCIS adjudication trends to help readers make more informed immigration decisions.
