For now, Indian applicants face a mixed situation: higher visa costs but small signs of movement in the green card queue
Indian travellers and professionals hoping to move to the United States may soon face higher costs. A proposed policy called the Visa Integrity Fee could significantly increase the price of several American visas.
If implemented, the fee would push the cost of many visas for Indian applicants to over ₹40,000 from 2026 onwards. Critics argue that the change could make travel and education in the United States more difficult for middle-class families and students.
The United States remains one of the most popular destinations for Indians seeking higher education and technology jobs. Each year, tens of thousands apply for student and employment visas.
While the rising cost is causing concern, there is also a small sign of progress on another long-standing issue: green card waiting times
In the March 2026 visa bulletin, several employment-based categories for Indians showed slight forward movement. For many skilled workers who have been waiting for years, this small shift has brought cautious optimism.
Indian professionals — particularly those in engineering and technology — often face some of the longest green card backlogs in the world. In many cases, workers must wait more than a decade for permanent residency due to annual country limits in the US immigration system.
Even a small change in the priority dates can therefore generate excitement within the community. Social media discussions among Indian professionals have been filled with updates and analysis of the latest visa bulletin.
Still, experts warn that progress is likely to remain slow. The backlog is extremely large, and meaningful reductions will take time.
