Indian families waiting for U.S. Green Cards through family-sponsored categories received some relief in the September 2026 Visa Bulletin, while Indian professionals in employment-based categories saw little change as the fiscal year nears its end.
The U.S. Department of State’s September bulletin, the final one for fiscal year 2026, shows significant movement in several family-sponsored categories. The fiscal year ends September 30, with new annual visa numbers becoming available October 1.
For Indian applicants in the family-sponsored F1 category, the Final Action Date advanced to January 22, 2020, from December 15, 2018. The F1 category covers unmarried sons and daughters age 21 or older of U.S. citizens.
The F2A category, covering spouses and unmarried children under 21 of lawful permanent residents, also saw movement. For India, the September Final Action Date is Aug. 22, 2026. The Dates for Filing chart lists F2A as current, allowing eligible applicants to proceed with the filing process subject to applicable U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services rules.
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Other family-sponsored categories also moved, although Indian applicants continue to face lengthy waits in categories such as F3 and F4. The F4 category for India, for example, has a Final Action Date of December 22, 2010.
Employment-based categories remain challenging
The picture is considerably less favorable for Indian professionals seeking employment-based Green Cards.
The September bulletin places India’s EB-1 Final Action Date at October 15, 2022. EB-2 remains unavailable, while EB-3 is set at January 1, 2014. EB-5, the employment-based immigrant investor category, also remains unavailable for India.
The State Department warned that EB-1 for India could become unavailable before the end of fiscal year 2026 if India’s prorated annual limit is reached. It also warned that EB-2 could face retrogression or become unavailable as demand rises. Similar concerns were raised for the EB-5 unreserved category.
For many Indian H-1B holders pursuing permanent residency, the lack of movement in EB-2 and EB-3 remains a major concern. The EB-3 India Final Action Date has remained in 2014, reflecting the long-running backlog confronting Indian employment-based applicants.
October could bring fresh numbers
The September bulletin also highlights the importance of the October 1 start of fiscal year 2027. New annual visa numbers will become available at the beginning of the new fiscal year, potentially allowing movement in categories that are currently unavailable.
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However, the State Department cautioned that visa availability remains dependent on demand and annual numerical limits. Dates can advance, remain unchanged or retrogress depending on how quickly visa numbers are used.
For Indian Green Card applicants, the September bulletin therefore presents a split picture: family-sponsored applicants see meaningful progress in several categories, while employment-based applicants continue to face significant backlogs and uncertainty.