The wait for Green Cards is long for Indian workers; the visa bulletin has not brought any relief. Learn about the latest updates..

Green Card Waiting Times: There's good news for Indian workers waiting for Green Cards in the US. The dates for employment-based Green Cards have been updated. The US State Department has released the Visa Bulletin for February 2026, which indicates when foreign workers will receive their Green Cards. The ministry issues a visa bulletin every month so that people know when they can apply for a Green Card and when they can expect to receive it.

What is a Green Card?
Foreign workers are given a 'Permanent Residency Card' to settle permanently in the United States. This is also known as a Green Card because of its green color. Receiving a Green Card means you can now live permanently in the US. You will no longer need a visa to enter the country. Green Card holders can work for any company and live anywhere they want in the US. The best part is that Green Card holders can also obtain US citizenship in 3 to 5 years. (Freepik)

How to understand the Visa Bulletin?
Understanding the Visa Bulletin is crucial for those wishing to obtain a Green Card. It shows when a foreign worker can change their legal status in the US. Changing legal status means, for example, if a student came to study on an F-1 visa and has now completed their degree and received an H-1B visa for a job, they must change their legal status to that of a work visa holder. This means they have transitioned from a foreign student to a foreign worker.

To understand the Visa Bulletin, you first need to understand three things. The first is the 'Priority Date'. You will find this date on your I-797 (Notice of Action) form. You receive this form when you first apply. The 'Priority Date' is the official date when USCIS receives your initial application. For example, Form I-140, is filed by a company to sponsor a foreign worker for a green card.

The Visa Bulletin contains two more things: the first is 'Dates for Filing' and the second is 'Final Action Date'. If your 'Priority Date' is earlier than the date given in 'Dates for Filing', then you can start your paperwork. You can submit your application to USCIS and obtain a work permit and travel document. This means that your application is now in the processing category. However, you will not be given a green card yet.

The dates given in the 'Final Action Date' are much older. If your 'Priority Date' is earlier than the date given in the 'Final Action Date', it means that you will now be given a green card. Your application has been approved. With the green card, you become a permanent resident. In this news report, we will learn about the waiting time for workers in the three main categories of employment-based green cards. EB-1, EB-2, and EB-3 are the categories of employment-based green cards. (Freepik)

When will EB-1 workers get their green cards?
The EB-1 category includes priority workers. This includes foreign workers with extraordinary abilities in their field, outstanding professors and researchers, and executives or managers of multinational companies. The 'Final Action Date' for EB-1 category workers remains February 1, 2023, with no change. Similarly, the 'Dates for Filing' also remains August 1, 2023, with no change. (Freepik)

When will EB-2 workers get their green cards?
The EB-2 category includes foreign workers who have exceptional abilities in their field or who hold advanced degrees. Professors in certain categories, researchers working in companies, etc., are part of this category. The 'Final Action Date' for workers in this category remains July 15, 2013. Similarly, the 'Dates for Filing' is also December 1, 2013. (Freepik)

When will EB-3 workers receive their Green Cards?
The EB-3 category includes skilled workers, professionals, and other workers. This includes tech workers, doctors, nurses, accountants, chefs, etc., working on H-1B visas. In addition, unskilled foreign workers are also part of this category. The 'Final Action Date' for this category is November 15, 2013, which remains unchanged. Similarly, the 'Dates for Filing' is August 15, 2014. (Freepik)

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