Introduction
The U.S. Department of State has released the latest U.S. Visa Bulletin for July 2026, providing updated priority dates for family-sponsored and employment-based green card categories.
This monthly US Visa Bulletin helps applicants determine whether they can move forward with their immigration application based on their priority date.
For July 2026, USCIS instructs applicants to use different Visa Bulletin charts depending on category:
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Family-sponsored preference categories: Use the Dates for Filing chart.
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Employment-based preference categories: Use the Final Action Dates chart.
These charts determine different stages of the process. The Dates for Filing chart shows when eligible applicants may submit their application, while the Final Action Dates chart determines when a green card can be approved and issued.
Before reviewing the tables below, identify your visa category and compare your priority date with the correct chart to answer one important question:
Is my priority date current?
If your date is current, you may be eligible to proceed to the next step in your green card application.
Key Updates in the July 2026 US Visa Bulletin
The July 2026 US Visa Bulletin brings updated priority dates across family-sponsored and employment-based green card categories.
Review the highlights below to see whether your priority date may now qualify to move forward to file your green card application.
Family-Based Green Card Updates
- Family-sponsored applicants should use the Dates for Filing chart to determine July 2026 filing eligibility.
- F2A remains Current (C) across all countries, allowing eligible applicants to file regardless of priority date.
- F1 filing dates remain at January 1, 2019 for most countries, while Mexico and the Philippines continue with earlier cutoff dates.
- F2B remains open for filing, though Mexico and the Philippines continue to face longer waiting periods.
- F3 and F4 categories remain backlogged, with earlier cutoff dates continuing for India, Mexico, and the Philippines.
Overall, family-based filing remains available in selected categories, while oversubscribed categories continue to experience longer wait times.
Employment-Based Green Card Updates
- Employment-based applicants must use the Final Action Dates chart for July 2026.
- EB-1 remains Current for most countries, while China and India continue to face final action limits.
- EB-2 India became Unavailable (U) for July 2026, meaning no immigrant visa numbers remain available for the fiscal year.
- EB-3 continues to move under cutoff-date limits, with India and China remaining significantly backlogged compared with other regions.
- EB-5 Unreserved India became Unavailable (U), while most other EB-5 categories remain Current.
Overall, the July bulletin shows continued availability in many employment categories but tighter limits in oversubscribed countries and preference groups.
Review the detailed July 2026 Visa Bulletin tables below to check category-specific cutoff dates and determine whether your priority date is current.
The tables below show both Final Action Dates and Dates for Filing for July 2026. Compare your priority date with the correct chart to determine whether you may move forward.
Family-Sponsored Preferences
Final Action Dates for Family-Sponsored Applications (July 2026)
| Family-Sponsored Categories | All Other Areas | CHINA (Mainland Born) | INDIA | MEXICO | PHILIPPINES |
| F1 | 01FEB18 | 01FEB18 | 01FEB18 | 08NOV07 | 01MAY13 |
| F2A | 01JAN25 | 01JAN25 | 01JAN25 | 01JAN24 | 01JAN25 |
| F2B | 22NOV17 | 22NOV17 | 22NOV17 | 15FEB09 | 15MAY13 |
| F3 | 15APR12 | 15APR12 | 15APR12 | 01JUN01 | 22FEB06 |
| F4 | 01JAN09 | 01JAN09 | 01NOV06 | 08APR01 | 01AUG07 |
Dates For Filing Family-Sponsored Applications (July 2026)
| Family-Sponsored Categories | All Other Areas | CHINA (Mainland Born) | INDIA | MEXICO | PHILIPPINES |
| F1 | 01JAN19 | 01JAN19 | 01JAN19 | 01OCT08 | 22APR15 |
| F2A | C | C | C | C | C |
| F2B | 08JUN18 | 08JUN18 | 08JUN18 | 15MAY10 | 01OCT13 |
| F3 | 08DEC12 | 08DEC12 | 08DEC12 | 15JUL01 | 08AUG06 |
| F4 | 01MAR10 | 01MAR10 | 15DEC06 | 30APR01 | 22MAR08 |
Employment-Based Preferences
Final Action Dates For Employment-Based Applications
(July 2026)
| Employment-Based Categories | All Other Areas | CHINA (Mainland Born) | INDIA | MEXICO | PHILIPPINES |
| 1st | C | 01JUN23 | 15OCT22 | C | C |
| 2nd | C | 01SEP21 | U | C | C |
| 3rd | 01AUG24 | 22DEC21 | 01JAN14 | 01AUG24 | 01AUG23 |
| Other Workers | 01MAR22 | 01APR19 | 01JAN14 | 01MAR22 | 01DEC21 |
| 4th | 15SEP22 | 15SEP22 | 15SEP22 | 15SEP22 | 15SEP22 |
| Certain Religious Workers | 15SEP22 | 15SEP22 | 15SEP22 | 15SEP22 | 15SEP22 |
| 5th Unreserved (including C5, T5, I5, R5) | C | 01DEC16 | U | C | C |
| 5th Set Aside: Rural (20%) | C | C | C | C | C |
| 5th Set Aside: High Unemployment (10%) | C | C | C | C | C |
| 5th Set Aside: Infrastructure (2%) | C | C | C | C | C |
Dates for Filing Employment-Based Applications (July 2026)
| Employment-Based Categories | All Other Areas | CHINA (Mainland Born) | INDIA | MEXICO | PHILIPPINES |
| 1st | C | 01DEC23 | 01DEC23 | C | C |
| 2nd | C | 01JAN22 | 15JAN15 | C | C |
| 3rd | C | 01JAN22 | 15JAN15 | C | 01JAN24 |
| Other Workers | 01AUG22 | 01OCT19 | 15JAN15 | 01AUG22 | 01AUG22 |
| 4th | 01JAN23 | 01JAN23 | 01JAN23 | 01JAN23 | 01JAN23 |
| Certain Religious Workers | 01JAN23 | 01JAN23 | 01JAN23 | 01JAN23 | 01JAN23 |
| 5th Unreserved (including C5, T5, I5, R5) | C | 01MAR17 | 01MAY24 | C | C |
| 5th Set Aside: Rural (20%) | C | C | C | C | C |
| 5th Set Aside: High Unemployment (10%) | C | C | C | C | C |
| 5th Set Aside: Infrastructure (2%) | C | C | C | C | C |
Diversity Immigrant (DV) Category
The Diversity Immigrant (DV) program provides immigrant visas each fiscal year to applicants from countries with historically low levels of immigration to the United States.
For FY 2026, up to 55,000 diversity visas are allocated annually under U.S. immigration law. Adjustments under NACARA and additional statutory provisions reduce the DV-2026 annual visa limit to approximately 52,000 visas. Diversity visas are distributed across six geographic regions, and no single country may receive more than 7% of available visas in a fiscal year.
Eligibility under the DV-2026 program ends on September 30, 2026. Diversity visas cannot be issued after that date, including for accompanying spouses and children. Because visa numbers are limited, availability may end before the fiscal year closes.
July 2026 Immigrant Numbers in the DV Category
For July 2026, immigrant visa numbers remain available to qualified DV-2026 applicants based on regional allocation limits and rank cutoffs.
Applicants may move forward only if their DV regional lottery rank number is lower than the applicable cutoff number shown in the table below.
Review the July 2026 DV cutoff table and compare your regional rank number to determine whether your case may continue processing this month.
| Region | All DV Chargeability Areas Except Those Listed Separately | |
| AFRICA | 55,000 | Except: 1. Algeria: 40,000 2. Egypt: 31,000 |
| ASIA | 35,000 | Except: 1. Nepal: 13,000 |
| EUROPE | 23,000 | |
| NORTH AMERICA (BAHAMAS) | 50 | |
| OCEANIA | 1,700 | |
| SOUTH AMERICA, and the CARIBBEAN | 3,300 |
August 2026 Diversity Visa (DV) Advance Cutoff Numbers
The July 2026 Visa Bulletin also includes advance Diversity Visa (DV) rank cutoff numbers that will apply in August 2026. These cutoff numbers help DV-2026 selectees anticipate whether their case may become eligible in the following month.
Applicants can move forward only if their regional lottery rank number is lower than the published cutoff number for their region.
| Region | All DV Chargeability Areas Except Those Listed Separately | |
| AFRICA | 60,000 | Except: 1. Algeria: 51,250 2. Egypt: 36,000 |
| ASIA | 40,000 | Except: 1. Nepal: 13,500 |
| EUROPE | 29,000 | |
| NORTH AMERICA (BAHAMAS) | CURRENT | |
| OCEANIA | 2,050 | |
| SOUTH AMERICA, and the CARIBBEAN | 4,000 |
These numbers are intended for DV-2026 applicants only and indicate projected visa availability for August. Review your regional rank number carefully to determine whether your case may become eligible next month.
July 2026 Visa Bulletin: Who’s Eligible to File AOS Right Now
If you are applying for a green card from inside the United States through Adjustment of Status (Form I-485), USCIS determines which Visa Bulletin chart you must use each month.
To determine eligibility:
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Identify your visa category
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Select your country of chargeability
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Find the correct July 2026 chart
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Compare your priority date with the listed cutoff date
If your priority date is earlier than the listed cutoff date (or the category is marked Current (C)), you may be eligible to move forward with filing or approval.
Understanding Chart Notations
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C (Current): Visa numbers are immediately available
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U (Unavailable): Visa numbers are not available for processing
Need help understanding cutoff dates and chart selection? Read our complete guide: How to Read the U.S. Visa Bulletin.
Want to estimate next steps after your date becomes current? See our guide to green card processing times.
When and How to Check the Visa Bulletin
The U.S. Department of State publishes a new Visa Bulletin each month to show whether green card applicants can move forward based on visa availability and priority dates. To avoid missing filing opportunities, review the latest bulletin monthly and compare your priority date using the correct USCIS filing chart for that month.
If you’re unsure how to read cutoff dates, determine whether your priority date is current, or understand the difference between Final Action Dates and Dates for Filing, read our detailed guide:
Related: How to Read the U.S. Visa Bulletin (2026 Guide)
Once you understand how to read the bulletin, return to the July 2026 tables above and check whether your case can move forward.
Need Help With Your Green Card Application?
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