India EB-2 Priority Dates Advance in Latest Visa Bulletin
The U.S. State Department has updated the visa bulletin, showing a six-week advancement for India's EB-2 employment-based green card category to July 15, 2014. This update provides a clearer timeline for Indian professionals and remote workers currently in the U.S. or planning long-term residency.
India EB-2 Priority Dates Advance in Latest Visa Bulletin
The US Department of State has released the visa bulletin for April 2026, showing notable forward movement for Indian nationals in the EB-2 category. This category, reserved for professionals with advanced degrees or exceptional ability, is seeing the Final Action Date advance to July 15, 2014. This signifies a ten-month jump from previous bulletins, allowing more long-term residents to finally cross the finish line for their green cards.
For those earlier in the process, the Dates for Filing have progressed to January 15, 2015. USCIS has confirmed it will honor these filing dates for the month of April. This allows eligible applicants to submit their I-485 adjustment of status applications and apply for work and travel authorization while their residency remains pending.
Who is affected
This update primarily impacts Indian expats currently working in the US on H-1B or L-1 visas. While digital nomads on short-term tourist visas aren't affected by these residency quotas, remote workers who have transitioned into US-based employment-based sponsorship should pay close attention. Spouses and children of primary applicants are also eligible to file as derivatives, providing more stability for families living abroad.
What to do
If your priority date is now current according to the Dates for Filing chart, you should prepare your adjustment of status package immediately.
- Ensure your I-140 petition is approved.
- Prepare the I-485 filing fee, which currently sits at $1,440.
- Schedule your medical exam with a USCIS-authorized civil surgeon.
- Gather biometrics and supporting documents for your spouse and dependents.
The recent progress is largely attributed to lower demand in other regions, allowing "spillover" visas to be allocated to the Indian backlogs. However, these dates can retrogress if demand spikes, so filing quickly during this window is a smart move for any professional tracking visa updates for their long-term stay.
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