When the latest visa bulletin comes out, you might see dates move backward for categories like EB-2 and EB-3 from India and China. This shift, called a retrogressed visa bulletin, stops some green card approvals in their tracks. It leaves many applicants wondering what comes next.
A retrogressed visa bulletin happens when cutoff dates go earlier than before. Your priority date needs to be before that cutoff to stay current. If it is not, your case pauses until things move forward again.
What Retrogressed Means in Visa Bulletins
The U.S. Department of State releases a visa bulletin each month. It sets cutoff dates for immigrant visas by category and country. A retrogressed visa bulletin means those dates slide back in time.
This change limits how many cases can proceed. For example, if a cutoff was May 1, 2023 last month, it might drop to January 1, 2023 now. People with dates after the new cutoff wait longer.
The bulletin covers employment-based (EB) and family-based categories. You can find it on the State Department’s site at travel.state.gov. Checking it monthly helps you track your status.
How Retrogression Affects Your Case
Retrogression pauses approvals but does not cancel your case. A pending I-485 adjustment of status stays in the system. Final steps wait until your priority date becomes current.
If you have not filed yet, you might delay submission. This impacts job plans, travel, and family moves. Your place in line holds steady, though.
Here is the June 2026 data for key categories:
| Category | India | China | Rest of World |
|---|---|---|---|
| EB-1 | Dec 15, 2022 ▼ | Apr 01, 2023 | Current |
| EB-2 | Sep 01, 2013 ▼ | Sep 01, 2021 | Current |
| EB-3 | Dec 15, 2013 ▲ | Aug 01, 2021 ▲ | Jun 01, 2024 |
| F-1 | Sep 01, 2017 | Sep 01, 2017 | Sep 01, 2017 |
| F-2A | Jan 01, 2025 ▲ | Jan 01, 2025 ▲ | Jan 01, 2025 ▲ |
Arrows show movement: ▼ for retrogression, ▲ for advance.
A Simple Example of Retrogression
Suppose last month’s EB-2 India cutoff was September 1, 2013. This month, it retrogresses 317 days to an earlier date. If your priority date is October 2013, you were close but now wait.
That person checks the bulletin each month. When it advances past October 2013, their case resumes. Thousands face this shift at once.
Why Retrogression Happens
High demand exceeds the yearly visa limit. Law sets caps per category and country. To stay under those caps, dates move back.
This controls the flow. It affects oversubscribed groups like EB-2 India most. Demand spikes from skilled workers cause it.
How to Read the Visa Bulletin
Find your category and country chargeability. Compare your priority date to the cutoff.
- Earlier than cutoff: Current, ready for action.
- Later: Retrogressed, on hold.
Pending cases keep their queue spot. Track changes month to month.
Effects on H-1B, EB-2, EB-3, and Family Cases
EB-2 and EB-3 for India and China often retrogress. H-1B holders wait longer for green cards but keep work status.
Family categories like F-1 or F-2A can shift too. Everyone waits the same way: until current again.
Why the Term Causes Confusion
“Retrogressed” sounds like a problem with your file. It is not. It just means visa numbers ran short.
Focus on patience and monitoring. No need to refile or panic.
Plain-English Takeaway
A retrogressed visa bulletin moves the line back. Check your dates, stay informed, and wait for forward progress. That keeps you on track.
Conclusion
Visa bulletin retrogression pauses green card waits for many from India and China. Understand the cutoffs, track monthly updates, and know your case stays active. With time, dates advance, and approvals resume.
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