Employment-based categories see progress, while family-sponsored green card dates remain static
The February 2025 Visa Bulletin from the US Department of State has brought optimism for Indian green card applicants, showcasing advancements in employment-based categories. However, there has been no movement in the family-sponsored visa categories, reported indiatoday.in.
Millions of Indians await green cards, with employment-based categories showing promise
The employment-based visa preference categories have seen slight improvements, providing hope for over a million Indian applicants awaiting green cards. Key highlights include:
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EB-1 Priority Workers: No change in the final action date, which remains at February 1, 2022, with a backlog of 1,43,497 Indians.
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EB-2 Advanced Degrees/Exceptional Ability: The final action date has advanced from October 1, 2012, to October 15, 2012, benefiting 8,38,784 Indians in the backlog.
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EB-3 Skilled Workers/Professionals: A 15-day advancement from December 1, 2012, to December 15, 2012, impacts 2,77,162 Indians (including dependents).
While these updates are a step forward for employment-based categories, the family-sponsored visa categories (F1, F2A, F2B, F3, and F4) remain unchanged, disappointing many applicants.
Overwhelming backlog and long wait times for Indian applicants
According to USCIS, over a million Indians are in line for green cards. The Congressional Research Service predicts that the employment-based backlog for Indians could reach 21.9 lakh by FY 2030, potentially taking 195 years to clear.
Despite these challenges, Indians in the US, now numbering 5 million, remain one of the most influential immigrant communities. The annual cap for family-sponsored immigrants stands at 2,26,000, while employment-based preferences are limited to 1,40,000 globally.
A step closer to addressing the green card backlog
Although incremental, the advancements in the employment-based categories reflect efforts to address the green card backlog, providing a glimmer of hope for Indian applicants navigating the lengthy immigration process.
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