US State Department declares EB-2 ‘unavailable’ for India: What applicants need to know

🇺🇸🇮🇳 The U.S. has officially exhausted all available **EB-2 Green Cards for Indian applicants** for fiscal year 2026, worsening one of America’s largest immigration backlogs for highly skilled professionals in technology, science, healthcare, and engineering. The State Department confirmed that no additional EB-2 immigrant visas can be issued to Indian nationals until the new fiscal year begins in October, after annual country caps were fully reached months ahead of schedule.

The EB-2 category is designed for professionals with advanced degrees and individuals with exceptional ability, but India’s massive demand continues to far exceed the limited number of Green Cards available under U.S. immigration law. Despite hundreds of thousands of Indian professionals contributing to the American economy, federal country caps allow India to receive only a small fraction of the yearly employment-based immigrant visas.

The latest Visa Bulletin currently lists the EB-2 India Final Action Date at **September 1, 2013**, meaning many applicants have already spent over a decade waiting for permanent residency. Immigration attorneys say adjustment-of-status applications may still be processed, but final approvals will remain frozen until new visa numbers are released after **October 1, 2026**.

The development has renewed national debate around outdated immigration quotas, skilled worker retention, and the growing uncertainty facing Indian professionals and families living in the United States on long-term temporary visas. 🌍📄