August Visa Bulletin 2026 brings good news for many family-sponsored immigrant visa applicants. Several family visa categories have moved forward, allowing more people to continue their immigration process. Employment-based applicants, however, saw only limited progress. Indian professionals continue to face long waits, with EB-2 and EB-5 remaining unavailable.

If you are waiting for your priority date to become current, here are the most important updates from the August Visa Bulletin 2026.

August Visa Bulletin 2026: Key Highlights

• Family-sponsored visa categories recorded the biggest advances.
• F2A posted the largest jump this month.
• F1, F2B, F3, and F4 also moved forward for most countries.
• EB-2 remains unavailable for India.
• EB-5 Unreserved continues to remain unavailable for Indian applicants.
• The U.S. Department of State warned that the EB-1 category for India could become unavailable before the fiscal year ends if demand remains high.

Family Visa Categories See Strong Progress

The biggest winner in the August Visa Bulletin 2026 is the F2A category, which covers spouses and unmarried children of lawful permanent residents.

For most countries, the final action date advanced from January 1, 2025, to July 22, 2026. Mexico also saw significant progress, moving from January 1, 2024, to July 22, 2025.

Other family-sponsored categories also moved forward:

• F1: Advanced to December 15, 2018 for most countries.
• F2B: Moved to January 1, 2018 for most countries.
• F3: Advanced by one month for most countries.
• F4: Final action date moved to September 1, 2009 for most countries. India, Mexico, and the Philippines saw no change.

Another positive update is that the F2A Dates for Filing Chart remains current worldwide, allowing eligible applicants to continue submitting their applications without waiting for a priority date.

Also Read: U.S. Immigration Updates for July 2026

Employment-Based Green Cards Show Limited Movement

Employment-based categories experienced only limited changes in the August Visa Bulletin 2026.

EB-1

China’s final action date advanced to July 1, 2023. India remained at October 15, 2022. The U.S. Department of State also warned that the category could become unavailable before September 30 if annual visa numbers are exhausted.

EB-2

There was no movement in the EB-2 category. The category remains current for most countries but continues to be unavailable for India. Officials also cautioned that rising demand could lead to future retrogression.

EB-3

EB-3 skilled worker and professional visas advanced by one month for most countries. India remained unchanged at January 1, 2014, highlighting the ongoing backlog for Indian professionals.

EB-5

The EB-5 Unreserved category remains unavailable for India. However, EB-5 set-aside categories, including rural, high-unemployment, and infrastructure projects, continue to remain current worldwide.

Also Read: New US Immigration Rules

What Applicants Should Know

The U.S. Department of State noted that visa demand remains high as fiscal year 2026 approaches its end on September 30. Because of this, visa categories could:

• Move backward (retrogress)
• Become temporarily unavailable
• Receive revised cut-off dates before the new fiscal year begins

Applicants are advised to monitor upcoming Visa Bulletin updates closely.

The August Visa Bulletin 2026 offers fresh hope for many green card applicants. Check your priority date to see if you’re closer to permanent residency.

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