USCIS August 2026 Visa Bulletin Warns of EB-1 India Retrogression

The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has released the August 2026 Visa Bulletin, which confirms that the EB-1 category for India is unavailable for the month. The agency attributes this to high demand that has exhausted the annual numerical limit for the category, leaving no visas for new applicants from India in the immediate term.

For EB-2 India, the category remains unavailable, continuing a pattern that has persisted for several months. The bulletin notes that the backlog is driven by the sheer volume of pending applications, which exceeds the per-country caps set by law. This means that Indian nationals with approved I-140 petitions in the EB-2 category cannot move forward with filing adjustment of status applications in August.

The EB-3 category for India shows no forward movement in the final action dates, with the cutoff date stuck at January 1, 2012. This stagnation reflects the slow pace of visa number allocation, as the demand from earlier priority dates continues to absorb the limited supply. The bulletin advises petitioners and their attorneys to monitor future updates, as any changes will depend on legislative action or shifts in demand.

For employment-based applicants, the bulletin serves as a reminder of the structural challenges facing Indian nationals, who face the longest waits due to per-country caps and high demand. The USCIS has not indicated any immediate relief, and the agency continues to process cases based on the dates set in the bulletin, which are final for filing purposes.