Visa Bulletin for July 2026

The U.S. Department of State has officially released the July Visa Bulletin, marking an especially favorable period for Vietnamese citizens on the path to U.S. permanent residency. Based on the July 2026 Visa Bulletin, the two programs that the Vietnamese community cares about most — EB-3 Skilled Workers and EB-5 — both maintain a positive standing, while many other heavily populated countries face serious backlogs or temporary Visa number shutoffs. The following article by Newland USA will break down each category in detail, helping you identify and seize opportunities at the right time.

1. What is the Visa Bulletin and why should you follow it regularly?

The Visa Bulletin is a monthly bulletin issued by the U.S. Department of State that indicates which cases with a given priority date are currently eligible to move forward toward Green Card issuance. It serves as a tool for applicants to determine where they stand in the queue and when they can proceed with the next step.

2. Overview of the July 2026 Visa Bulletin for Vietnamese citizens

One key point to remember: Vietnam falls under the “All Chargeability Areas” group — meaning it is among the countries not subject to per-country limits. As a result, according to the July 2026 Visa Bulletin, Vietnamese applicants enjoy much better progress than overloaded markets such as India, China, or the Philippines.

This Visa Bulletin (with demand data cut off as of June 2, 2026) shows that both EB-3 and EB-5 are in a very positive state for Vietnamese citizens. This is a noteworthy signal amid the broader context of fiscal year 2026, when many employment-based categories for other countries are gradually being tightened.

3. EB-3 category in the July 2026 Visa Bulletin

For the EB-3 Skilled Workers category, the July 2026 Visa Bulletin records Vietnam’s Final Action Date as August 1, 2024, advancing roughly two months compared to the June cycle. More importantly, the Dates for Filing for EB-3 Vietnam is currently at Current status.

TABLE A: Final Action Dates

C: Current

TABLE B: Dates for Filing

C: Current

This brings a highly practical advantage. For clients whose cases are being processed in Vietnam through consular processing, a Current status in the Dates for Filing column means the National Visa Center (NVC) can request and process documents without being restricted by the priority date. As soon as the I-140 petition is approved, the applicant can immediately move forward with the next step.

For those currently living in the U.S. who wish to file for Adjustment of Status (I-485), it is important to note that for the July 2026 cycle, USCIS requires applicants to use the Final Action Dates table for employment-based categories. Therefore, I-485 applicants must have a priority date earlier than August 1, 2024. That said, the fact that the Final Action Date has moved forward by two months is still a favorable development, opening up opportunities for more eligible cases. Overall, the July Visa Bulletin confirms that EB-3 Vietnam carries virtually no risk of backlog compared to overloaded countries.

4. EB-5 for Vietnam: All categories are Current

More good news from the July 2026 Visa Bulletin for the investor community: all EB-5 categories for Vietnam are at Current status. Specifically, the EB-5 Unreserved category along with the three reserved categories — Rural, High Unemployment, and Infrastructure — are all clear for Vietnamese applicants.

This is a clear competitive advantage. In the same Visa Bulletin cycle, India’s EB-5 Unreserved category has fallen to Unavailable status through the end of fiscal year 2026, meaning until September 30, 2026. While Indian investors are forced to stop and wait, Vietnamese investors can still move forward with their cases without facing any queue or quota restrictions.

5. Market context: Why July is a favorable time

To fully appreciate the value of the July 2026 Visa Bulletin, it needs to be placed in the broader picture. The U.S. Department of State has issued a series of warnings for major markets:

• EB-2 India: closed (Unavailable) through the end of fiscal year 2026, expected to reopen no earlier than October 2026.
• EB-1 India: the cutoff date has continued to move backward to October 15, 2022, and may retrogress further in the coming months.
• EB-3 Philippines: warned of potential regression due to a sudden spike in demand.

The underlying reason, according to the Visa Bulletin, is that the rate of Visa issuance for certain countries has slowed due to recent executive actions, forcing the Department of State to make adjustments to keep issuance numbers within allowable limits. Amid this volatile landscape, Vietnam remains in the “All Chargeability Areas” group, is not subject to per-country caps, and its quota remains wide open across most employment-based categories. It is precisely this contrast that makes July a valuable window of opportunity.

6. What should Vietnamese applicants do right now?

Given the positive data from the Visa Bulletin, Vietnamese applicants are encouraged to take advantage of this favorable period to advance their cases. Those with an approved I-140 should review their documentation and work with their consulting firm to prepare for consular processing, or file the I-485 in line with USCIS guidelines.

For EB-5 investors, the fact that all categories are Current is a signal to consider starting a case early, because no one can guarantee how long this status will last — the Visa Bulletin itself has emphasized that any category can switch to Unavailable before the fiscal year ends if the quota is reached. For this reason, tracking the Visa Bulletin every month is something that should not be overlooked.

7. Conclusion

In summary, the July 2026 Visa Bulletin shows that Vietnamese citizens are in one of the most favorable moments of fiscal year 2026 to push forward their EB-3 and EB-5 cases: no backlog, no waiting for quota, and processing is moving smoothly. While many other countries are being tightened, Vietnam’s “All Chargeability Areas” standing becomes a significant advantage. Recognizing and acting at the right time, based on accurate information from each Visa Bulletin cycle, is the key to shortening the journey to your U.S. Green Card.

Learn more:

• June 2026 Visa Bulletin
• Visa Bulletin December 2025
• Visa Bulletin November 2025
• US Visa Bulletin August 2025