Archive · 21 Jul 2026
August Visa Bulletin Brings Major Relief for Indian Green Card Families
The August Visa Bulletin has brought good news for family members of green card holders, especially those from India.
The F2A category, which includes spouses and unmarried children under 21 of green card holders, has seen a huge jump of nearly 19 months.
This means that many more Indian families can now apply for and receive green cards.
Other family-sponsored categories have also seen some movement, though not as significant.
However, employment-based categories like EB-2 and EB-5 Unreserved remain unavailable for Indian applicants, highlighting the ongoing challenges in the visa process.
The U.S. Department of State has warned that if demand continues to be high, more retrogression or temporary unavailability of visas may occur before the fiscal year ends.
The August Visa Bulletin shows a significant jump of nearly 19 months in the F2A category for Indian applicants.
Other family-sponsored categories like F1, F2B, and F3 have also seen some movement, though not as dramatic.
Employment-based categories like EB-2 and EB-5 Unreserved remain unavailable for Indian applicants.
The U.S. Department of State has warned of potential retrogression or temporary unavailability of visas if demand continues to be high.
The new fiscal year begins October 1, which may bring a fresh allocation of visa numbers and significant forward movement.
- Who
- Family members of green card holders, particularly Indian applicants in the F2A category
- What
- Significant forward movement in the F2A category for Indian applicants in the August Visa Bulletin
- When
- August Visa Bulletin, with the new fiscal year beginning October 1
- Where
- United States
- Why
- Due to the availability of immigrant visa numbers and the ongoing demand for visas
Optimistic View
Cautious View
Visa Availability
Optimistic View
The significant jump in the F2A category is a positive development for Indian families, providing hope for faster processing.
Cautious View
The ongoing demand and potential retrogression in other categories like EB-2 and EB-5 Unreserved highlight the uncertainty and challenges in the visa process.
- F2A Category Jump
- 19 months from January 1, 2025, to July 22, 2026
- F1 Category Movement
- 10.5 months on Final Action Dates, 5.5 months on Dates for Filing
- F2B Category Movement
- 1 month on Final Action Dates, 7 months on Dates for Filing
- F3 Category Movement
- 1 month on Final Action Dates, 3 months on Dates for Filing
- F4 Category Status
- Frozen at November 1, 2006
- EB-2 and EB-5 Unreserved Status
- Unavailable for India
- EB-1 Category Status
- October 15, 2022 with cautionary note
- EB-4 Category Movement
- 1 month on Final Action Dates