There is good news for Indian workers waiting for a green card in the US.
The U.S. State Department has released the April 2026 Visa Bulletin, and it shows some positive movement.
For the first time in a while, filing dates in key categories have been pushed forward.
This gives hope to thousands of Indians stuck in long waiting lines.
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Big Update in Filing Dates for Indians
The biggest relief is in the EB-2 and EB-3 categories.
Filing date extended to January 15, 2015
Earlier it was around November 2014
This means a progress of about 2 months
Even though the wait is still long, experts say such movement has not been seen in recent years.
It shows that the backlog is slowly moving.
What is Visa Bulletin and Why It Matters?
The Visa Bulletin is like a guide for green card applicants.
It has two important parts:
Dates for Filing
Tells you when you can apply for a green card
If your date is before this, you can file Form I-485
This allows you to stay in the US and apply for work and travel permits
Final Action Date
Tells you when your green card will be approved
If your date is earlier than this, you can get permanent residency
Understanding these two dates is very important for every applicant.
EB-1 Category: Limited Relief
The EB-1 category includes top professionals like:
Researchers
Professors
Senior managers
Updates:
Filing date: December 1, 2023 (no change)
Final action date: moved slightly to April 1, 2023
This category has seen only a small improvement.
EB-2 Category: Some Positive Movement
EB-2 includes highly skilled professionals like:
Engineers
Doctors
Data scientists
Updates:
Filing date: January 15, 2015
Final action date: July 15, 2014
This category has shown noticeable progress, giving hope to many applicants.
EB-3 Category: Major Relief for IT Workers
EB-3 is the most common category for:
IT professionals
H-1B visa holders
Skilled and unskilled workers
Updates:
Filing date: January 15, 2015
Final action date: November 15, 2013
This category has seen one of the biggest improvements, making the path to permanent residency slightly easier.
What Experts Are Saying
According to immigration expert Rahul Reddy, this update is a positive sign.
People with priority dates before January 15, 2015 can now apply
They can get benefits like work permits and travel documents
It shows that old cases are slowly being cleared
However, experts also say that this does not mean quick approvals.
The process will still take time, but the movement is encouraging.
Final Takeaway
The April 2026 Visa Bulletin brings a much-needed boost for Indian green card applicants.
While the wait is still long, the forward movement in dates shows progress.
For many workers, this could be the right time to prepare documents and move one step closer to getting a green card.