US Priority Dates

For Indian Nationals

Track employment-based and family-based green card priority dates from the US Department of State Visa Bulletin. Updated monthly.

EB Priority Dates for India

February 2026 Visa Bulletin - Employment-Based Categories

Category	Final Action Date	Dates for Filing	Movement	Est. Wait Time
EB-1 (Priority Workers)	`February 1, 2023`	`August 1, 2023`	No Change	3 years
EB-2 (Advanced Degree)	`July 15, 2013`	`December 1, 2013`	No Change	12 years 7 months
EB-3 (Skilled Workers)	`November 15, 2013`	`August 15, 2014`	No Change	12 years 3 months
EB-4 (Special Immigrants)	`Current`	`Current`	No Change	Current
EB-5 (Investors - Unreserved)	`Current`	`Current`	No Change	Current
EB-5 (Investors - Rural)	`Current`	`Current`	No Change	Current

Understanding Priority Dates

Final Action Date: Your priority date must be before this date for visa issuance.
Dates for Filing: You can file adjustment of status if your date is before this.
Priority Date: Usually the date your PERM or I-140 was filed.

Understanding the EB Backlog

Indian nationals face some of the longest wait times in the US immigration system due to the per-country cap of 7% on employment-based green cards. This cap, combined with high demand from Indian applicants, has created a significant backlog.

EB-2 Wait Time

Currently over 12 years for Indian nationals with priority dates from 2013 still waiting.

EB-3 Wait Time

Similar to EB-2, with priority dates from late 2013 being processed.

EB-1 Wait Time

Relatively shorter at around 3 years, but still subject to backlogs. Consider if you qualify for extraordinary ability or multinational manager categories.

What Can You Do?

•Keep your immigration status valid while waiting
•Consider EB-1 if you qualify for extraordinary ability or multinational manager categories
•Monitor legislative efforts to eliminate per-country caps (EAGLE Act, etc.)
•Consider EB-5 investment visa (currently no backlog)
•Consult with an immigration attorney for personalized advice

Quick Reference

EB-1:Priority workers, extraordinary ability, multinational managers
EB-2:Advanced degree professionals, NIW
EB-3:Skilled workers, professionals
EB-4:Special immigrants
EB-5:Immigrant investors ($800K-$1.05M)

Official Resources

Important Notice

Priority dates can change monthly and may retrogress. Always check the official Visa Bulletin before making any immigration decisions.

Glossary

Priority Date: The date your PERM or I-140 was filed
Final Action Date: Date when visa can be issued
Dates for Filing: Date when you can file I-485
Retrogression: When dates move backward
Per-Country Cap: 7% limit on green cards per country per year

Source: US Department of State Visa Bulletin (February 2026). These dates are for Indian nationals only and are subject to change each month. Always verify with official sources before making immigration decisions.