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Effective month: 2026-05 · Live from travel.state.gov
India Visa Bulletin — Current Final Action & Filing Dates
India-chargeable employment-based green card applicants face the longest backlogs of any chargeability area. Per-country limits in INA §202(a) cap each country at 7% of annual immigrant visas, but India produces vastly more than 7% of EB-2/EB-3 demand. The Visa Bulletin's monthly cadence makes incremental progress visible, but cumulative wait times for current India-born EB-2/EB-3 filers commonly exceed a decade.
Final Action Dates — India
The date at which final approval (green card) is possible. Your priority date must be EARLIER than this date.
| Category | Cutoff | Behind today |
|---|---|---|
| EB-1 | Apr 1, 2023 | 3.1 yr |
| EB-2 | Jul 15, 2014 | 11.9 yr |
| EB-3 | Nov 15, 2013 | 12.5 yr |
| EB-3-Other | Nov 15, 2013 | 12.5 yr |
| EB-5 | May 1, 2022 | 4.1 yr |
Dates for Filing — India
The earlier cutoff that USCIS sometimes adopts for accepting I-485 filings. Check the USCIS monthly “which chart applies” notice.
| Category | Cutoff | Behind today |
|---|---|---|
| EB-1 | Dec 1, 2023 | 2.5 yr |
| EB-2 | Jan 15, 2015 | 11.4 yr |
| EB-3 | Jan 15, 2015 | 11.4 yr |
| EB-3-Other | Jan 15, 2015 | 11.4 yr |
| EB-5 | May 1, 2024 | 2.1 yr |
Run your priority-date lookup
Enter your exact priority date on the main Visa Bulletin tracker to see months/years behind cutoff for every category at once.
Backlog context for India
EB-2 India and EB-3 India have moved in opposite directions in 2025-2026. EB-2 advanced more slowly than expected after USCIS used roughly 33,000 employment-based visas to clear EB-1 backlogs in FY2025. EB-3 retrogressed in mid-2025 after DOS observed unusually high I-485 filing volume from EB-3 downgrades. The Visa Bulletin's Final Action Dates (FAD) drive green-card issuance; the separate Dates for Filing (DFF) chart governs when you can submit I-485, and USCIS only follows the DFF when it deems supply favorable.
What this means for your case
If you're India-born EB-2 with a 2014+ priority date: budget for 5-10+ years on the H-1B (max-out at year 6 with AC21 §104(c) 3-year extensions while I-140 is approved). If you're India-born EB-3 considering an EB-2 upgrade via job change: the EB-2 FAD India has been roughly 18 months ahead of EB-3 India in 2025-2026 — meaningful but not life-changing at current advancement rates. Most India-born applicants with strong credentials should evaluate the EB-1A/EB-2-NIW pathway as their primary green-card route, not their backup.
Category reference
EB-1
EB-1 (Extraordinary ability, outstanding researchers, multinational execs)
EB-2
EB-2 (Advanced degree / exceptional ability)
EB-3
EB-3 (Skilled workers, professionals)
EB-3-Other
EB-3 Other Workers (Unskilled)
EB-5
EB-5 (Investors)
Frequently asked questions
What does "Final Action Date" mean for India EB-2?
The Final Action Date is the cutoff priority date at which USCIS or DOS can actually issue the green card. If your priority date is BEFORE the Final Action Date listed for India EB-2 this month, your case is eligible for final approval. The separate "Dates for Filing" chart governs when you can submit the I-485 application — but only when USCIS announces it will follow that chart instead of the FAD chart for filing.
Can I file I-485 if India EB-2 has a Date for Filing earlier than my priority date?
Only when USCIS announces "Dates for Filing" is the filing chart for that month and category. USCIS publishes that announcement on its website around the same time the State Department publishes the bulletin. When DFF is the controlling chart and your priority date is earlier than the listed DFF, you can submit I-485 concurrently. When FAD is the controlling chart for filing, you must wait until your priority date is earlier than the FAD.
Will India backlogs move faster in FY2027?
Movement depends on three things: (1) how DOS allocates the ~140,000 employment-based visas across categories, (2) per-country 7% caps and the spillover rules, and (3) actual demand. India backlogs have moved unevenly in 2025-2026 because DOS used roughly 33,000 visas on EB-1 in FY2025. Projections from CATO Institute, IPI, and DOL data suggest the structural India EB-2/EB-3 wait will not materially shorten without legislation. Smaller chargeability areas can move faster within a fiscal year if demand drops below the per-country allocation.
Should I pursue EB-1A/NIW instead of waiting in EB-2 India?
If you have publications, citations, awards, or proprietary work that maps to the Kazarian / Dhanasar criteria, yes — the EB-1A and EB-2 NIW pathways skip PERM entirely and (for India) often have shorter or no priority-date wait than the standard EB-2 backlog. See /eb1a-niw-scorer and /eb2-niw-evidence-builder for self-assessment tools.
What happens to my priority date if I change employers?
Under AC21 §106(d) (now codified at INA §204(j)), your I-140 priority date "ports" to a same-or-similar position with a new employer as long as the underlying I-140 was approved and has not been revoked for fraud or material misrepresentation. The priority date stays with you; you do NOT restart the line. The new employer must file a new I-140 (the role/title/duties may differ) — but your place in the India backlog is preserved.
Other chargeability areas
China
China-mainland born EB-2 and EB-3 are backlogged but materially shorter than India. EB-5 has its own long wait under the per-country investor cap.
Mexico
Mexico EB-2 and EB-3 are mostly current. EB-3 Other Workers and EB-4 have backlogs that affect specific categories.
Philippines
Philippines EB-2 and EB-3 Skilled are mostly current. EB-3 Other Workers and family-based categories have material backlogs.
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