(Credit - Gulf News)
EB-2 Visa Indians Stopped Cold: US Freezes Processing Until October 1, 2026
If you are an Indian national waiting on an EB-2 employment-based green card, EB-2 visa Indians stopped getting new numbers means your timeline just hit a hard wall, and it will not move until the US fiscal year resets on October 1, 2026.
What Just Changed, and Why It Happened Now
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) have exhausted the entire 2026 annual EB-2 visa allocation for Indian nationals. Once that annual cap is used up, US immigration law requires a full stop on issuing new visa numbers in that category for that country, no exceptions, no queue-jumping.
This is not a policy change or a political decision. It is a mechanical outcome of how the US employment-based immigration system works: each fiscal year carries a fixed number of visas per category per country, and India‘s EB-2 share ran out before the fiscal year ended on September 30, 2026. The next batch of numbers only unlocks when the new fiscal year opens on October 1, 2026.
Before vs. After: What the Cap Means in Practice
| Status | Before Cap Was Hit | After Cap Hit (Now) |
|---|---|---|
| Visa number availability | Available for qualifying Indian EB-2 applicants | Unavailable, fully exhausted for FY2026 |
| New case processing | USCIS could schedule and approve visa issuance | Frozen; no new EB-2 numbers issued to Indian nationals |
| Earliest resumption | Ongoing | October 1, 2026 (FY2027 allocation opens) |
| Applicants affected | Those awaiting visa number availability | Indian nationals in the EB-2 pipeline at any stage |
Who Feels This Most, Broken Down by Situation
If you’re an Indian professional with an approved EB-2 petition waiting for a visa number: Your paperwork is complete, but you cannot move forward. USCIS cannot assign you a visa number until October 1, 2026 at the earliest. Use this window to ensure your supporting documents, medical exams, and employer sponsorship letters are current and ready to file the moment numbers open.If you’re an Indian applicant mid-process, I-140 filed but not yet approved: Your petition can still be adjudicated, but the final step of receiving a visa number is blocked. The freeze does not cancel your place in line; it simply pauses forward movement on visa issuance.If you’re a UAE-based employer or HR team managing Indian talent on US assignments: Relocation timelines tied to EB-2 approvals will extend by at least four months from today. Contingency planning, including bridge visa options or adjusted start dates, should begin immediately.Key Facts at a Glance
- Authority responsible: U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS)
- Category affected: EB-2 employment-based immigrant visa, Indian nationals only
- Freeze start: June 2, 2026 (2026 annual cap exhausted)
- Earliest resumption: October 1, 2026, when FY2027 visa numbers become available
Your Next Steps Right Now
1. Check your priority date against the USCIS Visa Bulletin at travel.state.gov, this tells you exactly where you stand in the queue when numbers reopen. 2. Contact your immigration attorney or employer’s HR team to confirm your I-140 petition status and whether any interim visa options (such as H-1B extensions) apply to your situation. 3. Prepare your adjustment of status documents now so you can file without delay the moment October 1, 2026 arrives and new EB-2 numbers become available. 4. Monitor the USCIS website (uscis.gov) and the monthly Visa Bulletin for any early movement signals ahead of the October 1 reset.The EB-2 freeze for Indian nationals is a predictable outcome of a capped system, not a new restriction, but the practical impact on job mobility, family timelines, and relocation plans is immediate and real. The four-month window until October 1, 2026 is best spent getting every document in order so there is zero delay when numbers open. Watch the USCIS Visa Bulletin monthly; priority date movements can signal early opportunity.
