🇺🇸 USA Immigration Hub 2026
The US immigration system offers significant opportunity — but green card waits of 50–100+ years for Indian EB-2/EB-3 applicants make alternatives increasingly important. Check your wait time and explore options.
How long is the US EB-2 green card wait for Indians in 2026?
The estimated wait for Indian EB-2 applicants is 40–80 years under current visa bulletin movement rates, due to the 7% per-country annual cap. EB-1 (no per-country quota) is significantly faster. Many Indian professionals pursue Canada PR (6–12 months) as a parallel or alternative strategy.
What happened to H-1B after the $100,000 fee?
A $100,000 per-petition fee was introduced targeting employers who place workers at third-party client sites — primarily IT staffing and outsourcing firms. Standard employers paying H-1B fees directly are charged at the regular rate. The fee significantly increased the cost of outsourcing-based H-1B sponsorship.
Can I get a green card through an EB-1 without a long wait?
EB-1A (extraordinary ability) and EB-1B (outstanding researcher) are not subject to the same per-country backlog as EB-2/EB-3 because they have historically remained current for most nationalities. However, EB-1A self-petition requires demonstrating extraordinary ability — a high evidential bar. EB-2 NIW (National Interest Waiver) also allows self-petition without a job offer.