The September 2026 US Visa Bulletin has brought mixed news for Indian applicants waiting for a Green Card.
While India’s major employment-based categories have largely remained unchanged, several family-sponsored categories have moved forward significantly.
For Indians waiting in the Green Card queue, the biggest takeaway is simple: employment-based applicants are still facing long waits, while some family-based applicants have seen major progress.
EB-1, EB-2 and EB-3 Dates Remain Stuck
For Indian applicants, there was almost no movement in the three major employment-based categories.
The September bulletin keeps the EB-1 final action date at October 15, 2022.
The EB-2 category remains unavailable for Indian applicants, while EB-3 stays at January 1, 2014.
This means applicants in these major employment-based categories did not gain any meaningful ground in September.
The only notable movement came in EB-4, where the final action date moved forward by two months, from October 15, 2022, to December 15, 2022.
The filing dates for India’s employment-based categories also remained unchanged from the August bulletin.
Fresh Warning for EB-5 Investors
The September bulletin has also added a new warning for EB-5 unreserved applicants from India.
The State Department said rising demand and visa number usage could force the category to be retrogressed or made unavailable before September 30, 2026.
This is important because the category was already listed as unavailable for India in the final action dates.
In simple terms, Indian EB-5 applicants could face even tighter availability before the current fiscal year ends.
Family-Sponsored Green Card Categories See Major Movement
The biggest positive development in the September bulletin came from the family-sponsored categories.
The F1 category, covering unmarried sons and daughters of US citizens, moved from December 15, 2018, to January 22, 2020.
The F2A category also moved forward by about a month.
But the biggest jumps were seen in F2B and F3.
F2B Moves Ahead by More Than a Year
The F2B category is for unmarried adult sons and daughters of lawful permanent residents.
Its final action date moved from January 1, 2018, to August 22, 2019.
That is a move of more than a year and a half in just one monthly bulletin.
The filing date also improved, moving from January 1, 2019, to September 1, 2019.
F3 Jumps by More Than Two Years
The F3 category, which covers married sons and daughters of US citizens, saw an even bigger improvement.
Its final action date moved from May 15, 2012, to October 22, 2014.
That is a jump of more than two years in a single monthly update.
The F3 filing date also moved significantly, from March 1, 2013, to November 1, 2014.
For families that have been waiting for years, such movement could be significant. However, applicants will need to watch future bulletins to see whether this pace continues.
F4 Category Sees No Change
Not every family-sponsored category moved ahead.
The F4 category, which covers siblings of adult US citizens, remained unchanged at November 1, 2006.
So, while some family categories made major progress, others continued to remain stuck.
US Raises FY 2026 Employment-Based Visa Numbers
The September bulletin also contains an important update to the overall employment-based visa numbers.
The worldwide employment-based preference level has been revised from the earlier at least 140,000 figure to 186,317.
The change follows data submitted by USCIS to the State Department in late July.
The revision also increased the FY 2026 per-country limit from 25,620 to 28,862.
The dependent-area limit was raised from 7,320 to 8,247.
These are administrative changes rather than a direct improvement for a specific Indian visa category, but they affect how available visa numbers are distributed during the rest of the fiscal year.
What Does September Bulletin Mean for Indians?
The September Visa Bulletin presents a two-speed picture for Indian applicants.
Those waiting through EB-1, EB-2 and EB-3 have little reason to celebrate because the dates have barely moved, with EB-2 still unavailable.
The EB-5 unreserved category also faces a fresh warning that availability could become even tighter before the fiscal year closes.
On the other hand, family-sponsored applicants have seen some unusually large advances, particularly in F2B and F3.
The timing is also important because the current US fiscal year ends on September 30, 2026. After that, the visa bulletin will move into fiscal year 2027, and applicants will need to track the new cut-off dates carefully.
What Indian Green Card Applicants Should Do
Applicants should check both the Final Action Dates and Dates for Filing tables in the September 2026 Visa Bulletin to determine whether they can move ahead with the next stage of their case.
Visa dates can change from month to month, and a major movement in one bulletin does not guarantee similar progress in the next.
Those with pending or upcoming immigration steps should therefore monitor the official bulletin and seek professional immigration advice for their individual circumstances.
Note: This article is for general information only and does not constitute legal or immigration advice.:::
