World · India Bureau
Family-based Green Card applicants from India get visa bulletin relief
The September 2026 Visa Bulletin brings positive movement for Indian nationals seeking family-sponsored permanent residency in the United States. Employment-based visa categories, however, continue to face processing delays.
LSN India ·
Indian applicants pursuing family-based green cards have received encouraging news in the latest monthly visa bulletin, with movement reported across several preference categories. The September 2026 bulletin shows progress in family sponsorship cases, offering relief to thousands of Indian nationals awaiting permanent residency decisions through spousal and immediate relative petitions.
The advancement in family-based visa numbers represents a shift in priority processing, allowing more applicants to move forward in the immigration queue. This development is particularly significant for India, which maintains one of the largest backlogs of green card applicants in the U.S. immigration system.
In contrast, employment-based visa categories show no comparable advancement in the latest bulletin. Applicants seeking green cards through employer sponsorship continue to face extended wait times, with processing timelines remaining stalled across most occupational preference categories. The disparity highlights ongoing challenges in the employment-based immigration pathway.
The visa bulletin is updated monthly by the U.S. Department of State and determines which applicants become eligible to apply for green card interviews or adjustment of status. Movement in the bulletin directly impacts how quickly pending cases progress through the immigration system.