December Relaunch: Opening on 1st December
Xender Facebook logo Linkedin logo Instagram logo Youtube logo
  (+1) 413 400 3003
WhatsApp
WhatsApp Message
Perplexity ChatGPT Claude Gemini

USCIS Reports Drop in Pending Employment-Based Green Card Applications

Perplexity ChatGPT Claude Gemini
USCIS Reports Drop in Pending Employment-Based Green Card Applications

The latest USCIS inventory of pending employment-based green card applications, dated October 5, lists about 225,000 cases, down from roughly 266,000 in early September. The count covers adjustment-of-status applications filed inside the United States and leaves out applicants waiting for consular processing abroad. It also breaks the backlog down by category, country and priority date. USCIS describes the report as a way for applicants to gauge their place in line. It covers principal and dependent applications at service centers and field offices, and not cases pending at overseas posts. Our EB-1A consultants have presented a critical analysis of this drop.

What the Report suggests

Every dependent files an individual I-485, so a family of three appears as three entries. The tally covers EB-1, EB-2, EB-3 including Other Workers, and EB-5, but excludes EB-4 and religious workers. The reason for the queue is simple. A visa must be available before anyone can obtain an employment-based green card, and more people want one than there are visas.

USCIS also labels each case “available” or “awaiting availability.” Available means the priority date is earlier than the final action date in that month’s visa bulletin. It does not mean a visa number has been reserved for the applicant.

Who is in the line

EB-2 is the largest category at 83,380 pending cases, followed by EB-1 at 60,414, EB-3 at 51,529, EB-5 at 24,906 and Other Workers at 6,677. By country, India holds 72,000, China 24,174, Mexico 8,894, the Philippines 3,115 and Rest of World 118,723. India’s EB-2 line stands at 27,508, with roughly 20,600 of those applicants holding 2014 priority dates.

What October changed

The new fiscal year reshuffled who counts as “current.” On October 5, 134,648 people had a current date, down from 153,779 a month earlier. The number waiting for a date rose from 69,000 to 92,258, or 40.7 percent of the queue. That swing came from the new bulletin’s dates rather than approvals. Rest of World EB-2 went from current to a final action date of January 1, 2025. The State Department called such retrogression “necessary to keep visa issuances within FY 2027 quarterly and annual limits.”

India fared differently. India EB-2 returned at November 1, 2013, making 3,544 people current, and India EB-1 moved to February 1, 2023, making 8,008 current.

A longer view

Monthly counts have wobbled all year. India EB-2 pending fell for a seventh straight month to 25,780 in April. It then rose by 2,664 to 28,444 in May, and it stood at 27,508 on October 5.

Newsweek reported 1,560,290 Form I-485 applications of all types pending as of June 30. Another 203,204 Form I-140 petitions were pending at the end of June. A 2026 American Immigration Council report found that demand for immigrant workers keeps rising while USCIS processing capacity has not kept pace. Employment-based I-485 cases averaged about 14.1 months to process at the end of fiscal 2025.

Policy headwinds

On May 21, 2026, USCIS issued Policy Memorandum PM-602-0199, recasting adjustment of status as a discretionary act of “administrative grace” rather than a routine pathway. The denial rate for work permit applications filed by green card applicants rose to 44 percent between April and June 2026, while employment-based I-485 denials held steady at 7 percent.

The State Department reports 46,000 additional employment-based green cards for fiscal 2026. Since about August 24, it has also rescheduled immigrant visa interviews worldwide. That could raise FY2027 employment numbers, though no one can yet measure by how much.

What applicants should take away

The pending count shows the line’s length, not its speed. GreenCardClock’s estimator puts a June 2014 India EB-2 priority date at about 2028 Q3 in its base case, and it stresses these are estimates. Applicants should read the monthly Visa Bulletin alongside the inventory and consult an immigration attorney.

At GCEB1, our EB-1A experts are outlining and presenting detailed analysis of all policy changes and insights into the US immigration landscape. Get in touch with us to get the latest insights and analysis. We wish you a safe and stress free immigration journey ahead.

Frequently asked questions

1. What does the USCIS pending inventory measure?

It counts pending employment-based I-485 applications at USCIS, including dependents. It excludes consular cases.

2. Did the backlog really fall by about 41,000?

Not by an independent tally of the same data, which shows about 222,800 on September 3 and 226,900 on October 5. Verify the baseline in the USCIS file.

3. Does “available” mean my green card is approved?

No. It only means your priority date is earlier than the bulletin’s final action date.

4. Why did so many people suddenly “wait” in October?

The October bulletin retrogressed some Rest of World categories, so people with newer dates lost “current” status.

5. Where does India stand?

India has about 72,000 pending cases, including 27,508 in EB-2 and 15,485 in EB-3.

6. Does the report include everyone waiting for a green card?

No. It omits EB-4, religious workers and people processing abroad. Applicants who cannot yet file are also absent.

7. How long does employment-based adjustment take?

Late-2025 data averaged about 14.1 months. Visa availability can make the real wait much longer.

8. Could consular delays help applicants?

Possibly. Unused family visas can raise future employment limits, but the effect is not yet measurable.

9. What should I do now?

Track the Visa Bulletin and the monthly inventory, keep documents current, and consult an immigration attorney.

Sources & further readings

 

Recent Post
USCIS Raises Asylum, Parole and TPS Fees for FY 2027: What Changes on October 16
USCIS Raises Asylum, Parole and TPS Fees for FY 2027: What Changes on October 16

Some U.S. immigration fees are rising again, though only by small amounts. On September 30, 2026, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced inflation adjustments to certain fees created by the 2025 budget law known as H.R. 1. The agency describes the adjustments as "minor." The new amounts take effect on October 16, 2026. Here, our EB-1A consultants have presented a clear summary of the change in prices and highlighted who will have to comply with the changed prices.
USCIS Issues New Guidance on Family-Based Immigration: What You Need to Know
USCIS Issues New Guidance on Family-Based Immigration: What You Need to Know

On August 1, 2025, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) introduced a series of sweeping updates to its family-based immigration policy manual.
JD Vance Stands By Trump’s Decision to Overhaul H-1B
JD Vance Stands By Trump’s Decision to Overhaul H-1B

In a recent resounding comment, US Vice President JD Vance has defended the Trump administration’s decision to reform and overhaul the H-1B visa program.
Why Was This EB-1A Appeal Denied? And What Every Petitioner Must Learn From It
Why Was This EB-1A Appeal Denied? And What Every Petitioner Must Learn From It

On March 9, 2026, the USCIS Administrative Appeals Office (AAO) issued Non-Precedent Decision MAR092026_02B2203, dismissing an appeal in an EB-1A Alien of Extraordinary Ability petition. The decision, publicly available through the USCIS Error and Appeals Records repository, is a textbook example of why self-filed and inadequately prepared EB-1A petitions collapse, even when the underlying professional credentials seem strong on paper.
October 2026 Visa Bulletin: What Changed for EB-1A Applicants
October 2026 Visa Bulletin: What Changed for EB-1A Applicants

The State Department’s October 2026 Visa Bulletin is the first of fiscal year 2027, and it brings mixed news for green card seekers. For EB-1A “extraordinary ability” applicants, it is mostly reassuring. Rest-of-World applicants stay current, China holds its position, and India moves forward. The biggest change may be an administrative one at USCIS.
Upcoming Immigration Restrictions on H-1B Visas and Students’ Visas You Need to Know About
Upcoming Immigration Restrictions on H-1B Visas and Students’ Visas You Need to Know About

According to several outlets and press reports, there may be a rising apprehension of more H-1B visa restrictions and likewise shrinking of student visa opportunities. In other words, the Trump administration is going to enact more immigration restrictions. Several news outlets have observed that many of the proposed rules can materialize eventually. It is highly likely that the administration is going to restrict employers, visa holders and students alike to engage in commercial activity and the marketplace. Here, our EB-1A experts have precisely highlighted what proposed rules can materialize and become real over time.

How to Get Legitimate Media Coverage for Your EB-1A Application?
How to Get Legitimate Media Coverage for Your EB-1A Application?

Media coverage can be one of the most persuasive pieces of evidence in an EB-1A Extraordinary Ability petition but only if it is obtained the right way. USCIS adjudicators have grown increasingly skilled at spotting paid placements, and press releases dressed up as journalism. If you are building a case around the "published material about you" criterion, understanding how to secure legitimate press coverage is essential to a successful filing.
May 2025 Visa Bulletin: Key Updates for India’s EB-1, EB-2 & EB-3 Applicants
May 2025 Visa Bulletin: Key Updates for India’s EB-1, EB-2 & EB-3 Applicants

The May 2025 visa bulletin reveals some important projections for India’s EB-1, EB-2 & EB-3 applicants. Know more about these projections here.
Your I-140 Filing Address & Service Center Choice Matters in Your EB-1A Processing Duration: Here’s How
Your I-140 Filing Address & Service Center Choice Matters in Your EB-1A Processing Duration: Here’s How

The EB-1A extraordinary ability category is unanimously the dream route for extraordinary achievers. It remains the most comprehensive and direct path to permanent residency without the need for employer sponsorship or PERM labor certification. But here is a truth that often gets buried beneath evidence portfolios and recommendation letters: the way you file your I-140 petition, specifically your filing address and how USCIS routes your case to a service center, can significantly impact how long your petition takes to process.
H-1B Visa Filings See a Staggering 50% Drop Compared to Previous Year
H-1B Visa Filings See a Staggering 50% Drop Compared to Previous Year

Immigration experts are highlighting a steep drop in H-1B visa filings in the current fiscal year. According to their analysis and projections, the visa filing rate may have plummeted as low as by a staggering 50%.