US Green Card September bulletin: Indian family categories jump; EB visas stuck

The timeline mentioned is a cut-off date that signifies when an immigrant visa number is finally available so that a Green Card can be approved or issued. Notably, if an applicant’s priority date is earlier than the final action date listed in the monthly visa bulletin released by the US State Department for the specific country and category, it indicates that a visa number is available, reports stated.

State Department issues warning for Employment-Based (EB) visa

EB-1 (India): In the August visa bulletin, the US State Department issued warnings for the EB-1 and EB-2 visa categories, stating that high demand and the number used by applicants chargeable to India may make the category unavailable in the coming weeks if India’s pro-rated limit in the EB-1 category is reached before the fiscal year ends. The department has reiterated the caution, adding that the situation will be monitored continuously.

EB-2 and EB-5: The State Department has said in its September bulletin that EB-2 and EB-5 visas may also see retrogression in the final action date, or the category may become “unavailable before the end of the fiscal year to hold number use within the maximum allowed under the FY 2026 annual limit.”

Final action dates for Employment-Based visa category

“The National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2024, signed into law on December 22, 2023, may affect certain current and former employees of the US Government abroad, as well as certain surviving spouses and children of deceased employees of the US government abroad, applying for SIVs or adjustment of status, as described in section 101(a)(27)(D) of the INA,” the State Department said for US government’s Employee Special Immigrant Visas.