U.S. Visa Bulletin Brings Relief for Some, Prolonged Waits for Others as USCIS Opens June Filings

By Xavi Visasupdate May 14, 2026

WASHINGTON — Foreign professionals hoping to secure permanent residency in the United States received a mixed signal on Thursday with the release of the June 2026 Visa Bulletin. While the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will allow certain employment-based green card applicants to file adjustment of status applications next month, severe backlogs persist for applicants from India and China.

For June 2026, USCIS has announced it will honor the Final Action Dates chart in the State Department’s Visa Bulletin for all employment-based categories. This means applicants can submit their adjustment of status (Form I-485) if their priority date is earlier than the cutoff listed for their category and country of birth.

USCIS opens June filings using Final Action Dates – backlogs persist for India and China.

Key Cutoffs for June 2026

EB-1 (Extraordinary Ability, Outstanding Professors, Multinational Executives)

• China: April 1, 2023

• India: December 15, 2022

• All other countries: Current (no backlog)

EB-2 (Advanced Degrees / Exceptional Talent)

• China: September 1, 2021

• India: September 1, 2013

• All other countries: Current

EB-3 (Skilled Workers, Professionals)

• China: August 1, 2021

• India: December 15, 2013

• Philippines: August 1, 2023

• All other countries: June 1, 2024

EB-5 (Investors)

• China: September 22, 2016

• India: May 1, 2022

• All other countries: Current

• Categories for set-asides (Rural, High Unemployment, Infrastructure): Applicable to all countries at present

The full details are outlined in the official June 2026 Visa Bulletin published by the Department of State.

A System Under Strain

The employment-based green card system, which allocates a limited number of visas each year, has long been plagued by per-country caps that create dramatically different wait times depending on an applicant’s nationality. Applicants from India and China — the two largest sources of skilled professionals in fields such as technology, engineering, medicine, and research — continue to face waits stretching many years.

“These backlogs are not just numbers on a chart,” said Priya Sharma, an immigration attorney in Silicon Valley. "They are skilled engineers, doctors, and researchers who find themselves in limbo, often for more than ten years, with their careers and life plans on pause."

For most of the rest of the world, many employment-based categories remain “Current,” allowing eligible applicants to file immediately and move forward with their green card applications without waiting for a visa number to become available.

What “Current” and Filing Dates Mean

When a category is listed as “Current,” it indicates that visas are available for all qualified applicants in that group. When a specific date appears, only those with priority dates earlier than the listed cutoff can proceed. The June decision to use Final Action Dates (rather than the more generous Dates for Filing) means the window for filing is narrower this month for oversubscribed categories.

Broader Implications

Immigration experts say the persistent backlogs continue to undermine America’s ability to attract and retain global talent at a time when competition from countries like Canada, Germany, and Australia is intensifying. Tech companies and universities have repeatedly warned that long green card waits discourage top international graduates and professionals from building their careers in the United States.

Meanwhile, the EB-5 investor visa program shows signs of recovery, with set-aside categories remaining current and offering faster pathways for those investing in rural areas or high-unemployment regions.

USCIS typically updates its policy on which chart to use on a monthly basis. Applicants are strongly advised to consult the latest Visa Bulletin and work with qualified immigration counsel, as even small movements in cutoff dates can significantly affect eligibility.

For full details and future projections, the Department of State Visa Bulletin is available on the official State Department website.

For the latest immigration news, Visa Bulletin analysis, and expert guides on U.S. green cards and work visas, visit: visasupdate.com/blog/categories/usa