Green Card Update for August

The US Department of State has already notified the changes that are going to happen to Green Card applicants this month as the fiscal year enters its final two months. The department also warned they might have to retrogress some dates and some Green Card categories may become unavailable because of the year-end adjustments. FY 2026 ends on September 30. If allotted number of Green Cards are exhausted before that, the department will make those visas unavailable until September 30.

EB-1: The EB1 category remained current for all countries except China and India. China advanced to July 1, 2023, while India remained at October 15, 2022.

EB-2: The EB2 category for India remains unavailable because all available visa numbers for FY2026 have been allocated. China remained at September 1, 2021, while the category remained current for all other countries.

EB-3: The EB3 category advanced by one month to Sep 1 2024, for all chargeability areas except those specifically listed. The category for Mexico likewise advanced one month to September 1, 2024. China advanced from December 22, 2021 to January 1, 2022. India and the Philippines remained unchanged at Jan 1, 2014, and August 1, 2023, respectively.

EB-4: The EB4 and Certain Religious Worker categories advanced by one month to October 15, 2022, for all countries.

EB-5: The EB5 Unreserved category remained current for most countries. However, the category continues to be unavailable for India and remains at December 1, 2016, for China. The EB5 set-aside categories (Rural, High Unemployment, and Infrastructure) remained current for all countries. "High demand and number use by aliens chargeable to India in the EB-1 visa category may necessitate making 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. This situation will be continually monitored, and any necessary adjustments will be made accordingly," the latest update said. "Sufficient demand and increased number use in the EB-2 visa category may make it necessary to retrogress the final action date or make the category unavailable in the coming months to hold number use within the maximum allowed under the FY 2026 annual limit," it said.

Family-sponsored Green Card

In the F2A category, the final action date advanced to Jul 22, 2026, for all countries except Mexico, which advanced to Jul 22, 2025. In the F2B category, the final action date advanced to January 1, 2018, for all countries except Mexico and the Philippines. Mexico remained unchanged at Feb 15, 2009, while the Philippines advanced to Jun 1, 2013.