The February 2026 US Visa Bulletin has brought a standstill for Indian green card applicants after the employment-based progress witnessed in late 2025 and January 2026. Released by the US Department of State, the bulletin shows no advancement in either employment-based or family-sponsored categories for India, with both Final Action Dates and Dates for Filing remaining unchanged from January.
Employment-Based Green Cards: No New Movement
Indian professionals seeking employment-based green cards face another month without progress. All categories maintain their January 2026 cut-off dates, preserving recent gains but offering no additional relief to applicants in the backlog.
Employment-Based Final Action Dates for India (February 2026):
- EB-1: February 1, 2023 (no change)
- EB-2: July 15, 2013 (no change)
- EB-3: November 15, 2013 (no change)
- EB-3 Other Workers: November 15, 2013 (no change)
- EB-4: January 1, 2021 (no change)
- EB-4 Certain Religious Workers: Unavailable
- EB-5 Unreserved: May 1, 2022 (no change)
After several months of forward movement through late 2025 and January 2026, February represents a consolidation period with no retrogression but zero advancement.
Employment-Based Dates for Filing for India (February 2026):
The filing dates also remain static, continuing to provide procedural advantages without accelerating final approvals:
- EB-1: August 1, 2023
- EB-2: December 1, 2013
- EB-3 / Other Workers: August 15, 2014
- EB-4: March 15, 2021
- EB-5 Unreserved: May 1, 2024
For applicants, the strategy remains consistent: file applications as soon as eligible to secure work authorization, advance parole, and protection against child age-out while waiting for Final Action Dates to advance.
Family-Sponsored Green Cards: Complete Standstill Continues
Family-sponsored categories show no movement in February 2026, mirroring January’s dates exactly. Indian families continue facing extended wait times across all preference categories.
Family-Sponsored Final Action Dates for India (February 2026):
- F1 (unmarried adult children of US citizens): November 8, 2016
- F2A (spouses and children of permanent residents): February 1, 2024
- F2B (unmarried adult children of permanent residents): December 1, 2016
- F3 (married children of US citizens): September 8, 2011
- F4 (siblings of US citizens): November 1, 2006
With Final Action Dates frozen, February brings no additional green card approvals for Indian families already enduring waits exceeding a decade in multiple categories.
Family-Sponsored Dates for Filing for India (February 2026):
- F1: September 1, 2017 (no change)
- F2A: January 22, 2026 (unchanged from January)
- F2B: March 15, 2017 (no change)
- F3: July 22, 2012 (no change)
- F4: December 15, 2006 (no change)
The F2A category continues to offer the only procedural flexibility, with filing dates significantly ahead of Final Action Dates, allowing eligible families to submit applications while approvals remain capped at February 2024.
What February 2026 Means for Indian Applicants
The February 2026 Visa Bulletin highlights two distinct realities for Indian green card seekers:
Employment-based applicants are experiencing a holding pattern, maintaining recent progress without rollbacks but receiving no forward movement.
Family-based applicants remain trapped in structural backlogs, with filing date advantages providing access to preliminary benefits rather than accelerated green card approvals.
For both categories, February serves as a reminder of the persistent challenges Indian applicants face in the US immigration system, where annual per-country caps continue to create years-long waiting periods despite strong demand and professional qualifications.
