US Green Card: Indian professionals who have been waiting for long to obtain U.S. Green Cards are now presented with a unique chance, considering that the past few years experienced stagnancy, which was attributed, among other things, to the hostile immigration policies employed by the Trump government.
Updates issued by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) have provided employment based applicants with new options, providing a glimmer of hope to those who experienced stagnancy.
Changes in January 2026 Visa Bulletins
The visa bulletin of January 2026 marked considerable strides in employment-based categories for Indians. EB-1 visas moved forward by almost a year, whereas EB-5 visas for investors experienced an advancement of almost two years.
EB-2 and EB-3 categories have also moved forward, providing some respite to applicants belonging to countries facing long backlogs. These developments come largely after several strides made in December 2025, marking a very rare and short window of opportunity for applicants who have long been shut out by limited capacity and quotas.
USCIS Filing Flexibility
USCIS released an important notification that granted flexibility in filing, which enabled applicants to rely on either the Final Action Dates chart or the Dates for Filing chart when applying for residency. This two-way system benefits those professionals whose priority dates are not valid according to the Final Action Dates chart, allowing them to apply for residency much earlier than usual.
Lawyers term this two-way system a unique window, which indicates that these scenarios are usually time-bound, emphasizing the need for preparation.
Applying for an F-1 Visa
Experts in the field warn about the wisdom in this era of progress. According to Michael Valverde, an expert in immigration policies, USCIS may be attempting to make the fullest possible use of visas because of under the use resulting from prolonged processing times and increased denials.
Applicants seeking these visas ought to make their requests as soon as possible because retrogression may occur in the later months of the year, leading to the gains made thus far.
US Green Card: Documentation & Preparation
It is essential for applicants to ensure that they carefully prepare all documentation necessary, including those for medical checks, as this has now become mandatory when filing I-485.
Immigration attorneys, including Sangeetha Mugunthan, state that it is vital to ensure that documentation is accurate and presented as strongly as possible in EB-1A and EB-5 cases to ensure higher possibilities of it being accepted. The period between January 1st and 31st is an optimum period to file.
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Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice; applicants should consult qualified immigration attorneys.