Indian professionals, who have been stuck in long backlogs for US Green Cards, have been given a fortunate chance after years of stagnation amid Trump's crackdown on illegal immigration.
The pathway has been expanded for several employment-based applicants with two successive acts from the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). These include a key notification addressing filing flexibility and a substantially expedited January 2026 visa bulletin.
January 2026 visa bulletin
The January 2026 visa bulletin showed significant gains in a number of employment-based categories, with Indian applicants' EB-1 and EB-5 visas seeing the biggest improvements.
This update came after the December 2025 bulletin, which had already made incremental progress for several EB categories. Shortly thereafter, USCIS confirmed that applicants would be permitted to submit permanent residency applications using either the Final Action Dates chart or the Dates for Filing chart.
Immigration attorneys offer crucial advise
{{/usCountry}}Immigration attorneys offer crucial advise
{{/usCountry}}Immigration attorneys assert that this combination has generated a unique opportunity for filing. Professionals whose priority dates are not yet current according to the Final Action Dates are now more eligible to apply under either chart. However, experts warn that such opportunities are often fleeting.
The January bulletin reflects advancements across nearly all employment-based categories. EB-1 progressed by almost a year for Indian applicants, while EB-5 advanced by nearly two years. Additionally, EB-2 and EB-3 categories experienced forward movement, providing some relief to applicants from countries with significant backlogs, such as India and China.
Meanwhile, Immigration Policy/Procedure Expert Michael Valverde stated the extent of the progress was unexpected. Valverde informed the American Bazaar that USCIS might be trying to increase applications due to worries that the available visas might remain unutilized. He pointed out that extended processing times and increased denial rates have impacted the overall utilization of visas.
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“I would advise anyone who is now able to file their green card application to take advantage of the moment. Historically, big steps forward like this have often come with retrogression later in the year. You don’t want to miss the opportunity,” the expert told the American Bazaar.
Documents required
January is especially crucial as the filing period is from January 1 to January 31. Applicants must verify that all necessary documentation is prepared, including medical examinations, which USCIS now mandates to be submitted with the I-485, or Application to Register Permanent Residence.
Speaking to the American Bazaar, Sangeetha Mugunthan of Somireddy Law Group PLLC asserted that preparation is essential due to the increased activity in the EB-1 and investor visa EB-5 categories. “It is also extremely important to carefully document everything and strongly develop their EB-1A case.”