The U.S. State Department released the June 2026 [1] Visa Bulletin showing retrogression for Indian applicants in two employment-based green-card categories.
This shift affects the EB-1 and EB-2 categories, meaning the cutoff dates for eligibility have moved backward. For thousands of Indian professionals, this change extends the waiting period to obtain permanent residency, potentially delaying legal status and stability in the United States.
According to the U.S. State Department and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), the retrogression occurred after the immigration authority paused processing [1, 2]. This pause, combined with high demand for EB-1 and EB-2 slots, pushed the cutoff dates backward in the June 2026 [1] update.
Retrogression is a mechanism used by the U.S. government to manage the statutory limits on the number of green cards issued per country each year. When the number of approved applications exceeds the available visas for a specific nationality and category, the State Department moves the priority date backward to prevent over-subscription.
While the State Department focuses on the administrative backlog, other legal challenges regarding USCIS pauses have emerged. Some reports indicate a judge found that an indefinite pause on applications from travel-ban countries was unlawful [2]. However, the current retrogression for Indian employment-based visas is primarily attributed to the high volume of applicants and the previous processing pause [1, 2].
Applicants in the EB-1 category, typically reserved for those with extraordinary ability or outstanding achievements, and the EB-2 category, for professionals with advanced degrees or exceptional ability, must now check the updated dates to determine if their priority date is current. If the date has regressed past their filing date, they cannot proceed with their application process until the date moves forward again.
“The June 2026 Visa Bulletin showed retrogression for Indian applicants in the EB-1 and EB-2 employment-based green-card categories.”
The retrogression for Indian nationals highlights the persistent gap between the high volume of skilled labor seeking permanent residency and the rigid annual quotas set by U.S. law. Because the EB-1 and EB-2 categories are heavily utilized by H-1B visa holders, any administrative pause or surge in filings creates a bottleneck that can delay residency for years, increasing reliance on temporary work visas.
