Special Offer: Coming Soon!
Xender Facebook logo Linkedin logo Instagram logo Youtube logo
  (+1) 469 463 5461
WhatsApp
WhatsApp Message

The Status of Employment-Based Visas for India in the January 2026 Visa Bulletin

The Status of Employment-Based Visas for India in the January 2026 Visa Bulletin

As the U.S. Department of State released the January 2026 Visa Bulletin, Indian professionals tracking their employment-based (EB) immigrant visa progress saw notable priority date movements in the Employment-Based categories. This month’s bulletin is crucial for immigrant workers from India because it determines when their green card applications (I-485 or consular processing) become current.

As always, we have discussed January’s EB-1 bulletin in detail.

Key priority date movement in January 2026

The January 2026 Visa Bulletin brought modest but meaningful changes for Indian applicants across employment-based categories:

EB-1: A four-month-long advance provides relief

The EB-1 category, reserved for extraordinary professionals, researchers, executives, and managers, showed the most positive shift for India. The cut-off date has advanced to 15 Aug 2023, roughly four months ahead of December.This is significant because EB-1 has historically been the fastest employment-based path to a green card for Indian applicants. The broader improvement suggests a reduction in wait times and improved visa availability.

EB-2 and EB-3: Continued backlogs

EB-2 (advanced degrees/professionals) saw no priority date movement for India, staying stuck at 1 Dec 2013.EB-3 Skilled/Professional Workers advanced only by one month, which is a modest but notable improvement in a long backlog.These slow movements reflect sustained high demand and limited per-country allocations, i.e., many Indian EB-2 applicants for the EB-2 and EB-3 categories would still remain stuck in extended queues.

EB-5 Investors: Significant jump

The EB-5 category, for immigrant investors, shows one of the largest priority date advancements: Priority date moved to 1 May 2024, indicating renewed visa number availability after years of backlog. While EB-5 is relevant to a smaller segment of applicants, this shift still signals positive visa flows and renewed hope for Indian investors.

What this means for Indian applicants

Faster progress for high-skill professionals

The EB-1 movement suggests that applicants in this category may see earlier adjustment of status or consular processing opportunities.

EB-2 and EB-3 still slow

These remain heavily backlogged: continuing a trend of constrained visa availability due to high application volumes from India.

Strategic planning matters

Applicants should review their priority dates regularly and stay prepared for filing when dates become current.

The January 2026 Visa Bulletin offers a mixed but optimistic outlook for Indian employment-based green card seekers. It is particularly hopeful for the extraordinary-ability applicants. Now is a great time to prepare in order to become EB-1A ready.

At GCEB1, we dedicatedly mentor extraordinary-ability applicants to strengthen their EB-1A profile. If you are feeling stuck in your quest for U.S. permanent residency, feel free to reach out to us. We wish you a stress-free immigration journey.

Sources & Further Readings

  1. U.S. Department of State.“Visa Bulletin for January 2026.” Washington, D.C.:U.S. Department of State, January 2026.
  2. Boundless Immigration, Inc. “January 2026 Visa Bulletin – Latest Updates.”Boundless. December 2025
  3. American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA). “Visa Bulletin for January 2026” December 2025.
Recent Post
Top Benefits of the EB-1 Visa Compared to Other U.S. Green Card Options

Learn the differences between EB-1 , EB-2 and EB3 Employment-based visa, including their eligibility criteria.
US Visa Efforts Ramp Up in The Light of the 2026 FIFA World Cup

With the pomp of the FIFA World Cup on the horizon, the U.S. Government is also ramping up screening and vetting, along with introducing some brave new measures. One such remarkable measure includes President Trump and the White House Task Force announcing a plan to deploy more than 400 additional consular officers, along with increased staffing at the high-demand agencies.
The Pulse of Employment-based Visa Categories in August 2025 Visa Bulletin

A brief overview of employment-based visa categories in the August 2025 visa bulletin.
F-1 Visa Students in The U.S. Are Now Barred From Changing Courses

The F-1 visa students are set to face yet another new restriction, as the freshly admitted students will no longer have the privilege of transferring universities or changing courses immediately. They can only indulge in the changes after completing one year of study.
Trump Releases Immigration Welfare Data: India Missing from The List

In early January 2026, U.S. President Donald Trump shared a chart on his Truth Social platform revealing “Immigrant Welfare Recipient Rates by Country of Origin”. The graphic lists welfare participation rates for immigrant households from about 120 countries and territories in the United States. The surprising absence of India from the list became a focal point of analysis in both U.S. and international news.

‘Ending visa lottery is not about racism’: Republican Senator Comments

A prominent republican senator justified suspending the US Diversity Visa Lottery, commenting that it is not about racism but the security of the entire nation.

U.S. Has Revoked 80000 Non-Immigrant Visas: Know If You Are Safe

According to several official reports and the Press Accounts, like the Washington Examiner, the U.S. administration has revoked more than 80,000 non-immigrant visas
Lawsuit Surfaces Against $100,000 H-1B Visa Hike: What You Need to Know

Last Friday, a coalition of unions, employers, and religious groups filed a lawsuit with the objective of stopping U.S.
Several Research Data Indicates Reducing Immigration Can Harm America’s Own Workers

According to Forbes and several other outlets, new researches are indicating a damaging trend to the U.S. economy. Within the last few weeks, studies have hinted that the United States is more likely to prosper by welcoming more immigrants instead of barring or prohibiting them. Contrary to what one may assume, the U.S.-born native workers are not benefiting from stricter immigration policies, the research suggests.

Everything You Need to Know About USCIS Policy on Public Charge

If you are a visa aspirant, it is always best to have a clear grasp of the U.S. immigration requirements and laws. One such important legal formulation is the policy on public change.