The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has announced a significant policy shift regarding employment-based green card applications, effective May 2026. The agency will now accept adjustment-of-status applications only when applicants’ priority dates are current under the Department of State’s Final Action Dates chart, moving away from the previously utilized “Dates for Filing” framework.
Key Details:
- New filing requirement: Adjustment-of-status applications must align with the Final Action Dates chart starting May 2026.
- Impacted categories: EB-1, EB-2, and EB-3 categories will remain frozen under the new rules.
- Specific challenges: Indian applicants face cut-off dates of July 15, 2014, for EB-2 and November 15, 2013, for EB-3.
- Employers may need to reconsider their strategies for pending cases and H-1B costs due to narrowed eligibility.
This policy change is expected to complicate the immigration process for many applicants and employers, emphasizing the need for strategic planning in employment-based immigration matters. Need help with your immigration case? Visit QuickFiling.us for professional immigration services.