August 2026 visa bulletin: Big family Green Card jump
The August 2026 visa bulletin from the U.S. State Department advances family-sponsored Green Card dates—especially F2A for spouses and children of permanent residents—while employment-based applicants face little progress. EB-2 remains unavailable for India, and officials warn EB-1 may also become unavailable before the fiscal year ends on September 30.
Key Takeaways
- F2A final action dates jumped from January 1, 2025, to July 22, 2026, for most countries.
- F1, F2B, F3, and F4 also moved forward for many family-sponsored applicants.
- India's EB-2 and EB-5 unreserved categories stay unavailable; EB-1 may follow soon.
- EB-3 for India remains stuck at January 1, 2014, with no August movement.
- Further retrogression is possible before fiscal year 2026 ends on September 30.
What changed in the August 2026 visa bulletin?
According to Newsweek, the State Department's August bulletin delivered some of the biggest family-sponsored advances of the year. Final action dates decide when a Green Card can actually be approved and issued.
Dates for filing, listed on a separate chart, show when applicants may submit paperwork even if a visa number is not yet available. Both charts matter for planning as fiscal year 2026 winds down.
For more policy explainers, browse our Future Tech & AI Wonders category hub as new bulletin updates land each month.
Why are family applicants the biggest winners?
F2A—spouses and unmarried children under 21 of lawful permanent residents—saw the largest leap. The final action date moved to July 22, 2026, for most countries; Mexico advanced to July 22, 2025.
F1 final action dates for most countries moved from February 1, 2018, to December 15, 2018. F2B advanced from November 22, 2017, to January 1, 2018, for most countries.
F3 edged from April 15, 2012, to May 15, 2012, for most countries. F4 moved from January 1, 2009, to September 1, 2009, for most countries, though India, Mexico, and the Philippines did not change. The F2A filing chart remained current worldwide.
What does the bulletin mean for employment-based candidates?
Employment categories saw limited movement. India's EB-1 final action date stayed at October 15, 2022, while EB-2 remained unavailable. EB-3 for India held at January 1, 2014.
The State Department warned that high demand from India in EB-1 may necessitate making the category unavailable in the coming weeks if the country's pro-rated limit is reached. It also said rising EB-2 demand worldwide could force retrogression or unavailability.
EB-5 unreserved visas stayed unavailable for India, though EB-5 set-aside categories remained current worldwide. EB-4 advanced slightly to October 15, 2022. With only weeks left before October's new fiscal-year numbers, applicants should watch for mid-month adjustments.