July 2026 Visa Bulletin Shows India EB-2 Visas Unavailable
The July 2026 visa bulletin marks India EB-2 final action dates as unavailable for the fiscal year.
Why it matters: This impacts immigration attorneys and their Indian clients seeking employment-based permanent residency, requiring adjustments to case planning and client expectations.
- The U.S. State Department's July 2026 Visa Bulletin shows India EB-2 category unavailable through September 30, 2026.
- Per-country limits for India in EB-2 were reached for FY 2026, halting visa issuance.
- June 2026 final action date for India EB-2 was September 1, 2013; July 2026 changed to unavailable.
- Visa availability will reset with the new fiscal year starting October 1, 2026.
The July 2026 Visa Bulletin from the U.S. Department of State reveals that the Employment-Based Second Preference (EB-2) visa category for applicants from India is unavailable for final action dates for the remainder of fiscal year 2026. This means no EB-2 visas will be issued to Indian nationals until the new fiscal year begins.
The unavailability resulted from the per-country limit for India in the EB-2 category being reached earlier than expected. According to the State Department's announcement, "High demand and number use by aliens chargeable to India in the EB-1 and EB-2 visa categories have made it necessary to retrogress the final action dates to hold number use within the FY 2026 annual limit."
Previously, June 2026's final action date for India EB-2 was September 1, 2013, but as of July 2026, the category is unavailable and is expected to remain so through September 30, 2026, the close of fiscal year 2026.
The per-country limits for EB-2 visas will reset on October 1, 2026, the start of fiscal year 2027. At that point, U.S. embassies and consulates may begin issuing EB-2 visas again for qualified Indian applicants. Immigration attorneys and their clients should adjust their case timelines accordingly, as this pause directly affects employment-based permanent residency pathways from India.
By the numbers:
- September 1, 2013 — India EB-2 final action date in June 2026
- September 30, 2026 — End of fiscal year 2026, EB-2 India category unavailable until then
- October 1, 2026 — Start of fiscal year 2027 when EB-2 visa availability resets
What's next: Immigration attorneys should watch for the October 2026 Visa Bulletin for updated final action dates and visa availability for India EB-2 applicants.