E-Paper
US Green Card September visa bulletin: Relief for Indian families, but employment-based categories remain stalled
Indian families see advancements in family-sponsored categories in the September 2026 Visa Bulletin, especially F1 and F2A.
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Indian families anticipating U.S. Green Cards via family-sponsored categories experienced some relief in the September 2026 Visa Bulletin, whereas Indian professionals in employment-based categories noted minimal changes as the fiscal year approaches its conclusion.
The September bulletin from the U.S. Department of State, which is the last for fiscal year 2026, indicates considerable progress in various family-sponsored categories. The fiscal year concludes on September 30, with fresh annual visa allocations set to be accessible on October 1.
For Indian applicants in the family-sponsored F1 category, the Final Action Date progressed to January 22, 2020, up from December 15, 2018. The F1 category pertains to unmarried sons and daughters aged 21 or older of U.S. citizens.
The F2A category, which includes spouses and unmarried children under 21 of lawful permanent residents, also exhibited progress. For India, the September Final Action Date is set for August 22, 2026. The Dates for Filing chart indicates that F2A is current, enabling eligible applicants to move forward with the filing process in accordance with the relevant U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services regulations.
While there has been movement in other family-sponsored categories, Indian applicants continue to experience significant delays in categories like F3 and F4. Notably, the F4 category for India has a Final Action Date of December 22, 2010.
Employment-based categories continue to face difficulties
The situation is significantly less advantageous for Indian professionals pursuing employment-based Green Cards.
According to the September bulletin, India's EB-1 Final Action Date is established at October 15, 2022. The EB-2 category remains inaccessible, while EB-3 is designated at January 1, 2014. Additionally, the EB-5 category, which pertains to employment-based immigrant investors, is also unavailable for India.
The State Department has issued a warning that the EB-1 category for India may become inaccessible prior to the conclusion of fiscal year 2026 if the prorated annual limit for India is reached. Additionally, it cautioned that the EB-2 category might experience retrogression or could become unavailable as demand increases. Similar apprehensions have been expressed regarding the EB-5 unreserved category.
For several Indian H-1B visa holders seeking permanent residency, the stagnation in EB-2 and EB-3 categories continues to be a significant issue. The EB-3 India Final Action Date has remained unchanged since 2014, highlighting the persistent backlog faced by Indian employment-based applicants.
October may introduce new figures
The bulletin from September emphasizes the significance of the commencement of fiscal year 2027 on October 1. At the start of this new fiscal year, new annual visa numbers will be accessible, which could enable progress in categories that are presently not available.
However, the State Department warned that the availability of visas is contingent upon demand and the annual numerical caps. The dates may progress, stay the same, or regress based on the rate at which visa numbers are utilized.
Similarly, for Indian Green Card applicants, the September bulletin reveals a mixed scenario: family-sponsored applicants experience substantial advancements in various categories, whereas employment-based applicants still encounter considerable backlogs and uncertainty.
