May 2026 Visa Bulletin — EB Final Action Dates
The State Department publishes priority date cutoffs monthly. Applicants with a priority date earlier than the cutoff date may file I-485 (or consular process). "Current" (✅) means no backlog — any priority date is eligible.
| EB Category | All Other Countries | China | India | Mexico | Philippines |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EB-1 | ✅ Current | 01APR23 | 01APR23 | ✅ Current | ✅ Current |
| EB-2 | ✅ Current | 01SEP21 | 15JUL14 | ✅ Current | ✅ Current |
| EB-3 | 01JUN24 | 15JUN21 | 15NOV13 | 01JUN24 | 01AUG23 |
| EB-4 | 15JUL22 | 15JUL22 | 15JUL22 | 15JUL22 | 15JUL22 |
[DOS DATA: State Dept Visa Bulletin, May 2026 · Source: travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/legal/visa-law0/visa-bulletin.html]
I-140 and I-485 Processing Times
The EB green card process has two main petition steps. I-140 (employer petition, or self-petition for NIW/EB-1A) is followed by I-485 adjustment of status once a visa number is available.
| Form | Service Center | Processing Window |
|---|---|---|
| I-140 | Texas SC | 28.0–38.0 mo |
| I-140 | Nebraska SC | 26.0–36.0 mo |
| I-140 | Nebraska SC | 9.0–17.0 mo |
| I-140 | Nebraska SC | 9.0–17.0 mo |
| I-140 | Nebraska SC | 9.0–16.0 mo |
| I-140 | Nebraska SC | 9.0–16.0 mo |
| I-140 | Texas SC | 8.0–15.0 mo |
| I-140 | Texas SC | 8.0–15.0 mo |
| I-140 | Nebraska SC | 9.0–15.0 mo |
| I-140 | Texas SC | 8.0–14.0 mo |
| I-140 | Texas SC | 8.0–14.0 mo |
| I-140 | Texas SC | 8.0–14.0 mo |
| I-140 | Texas SC | 5.0–7.0 mo |
| I-140 | Texas SC | 4.0–6.5 mo |
| I-140 | Nebraska SC | 4.0–6.0 mo |
| I-140 | Texas SC | 4.0–6.0 mo |
| I-140 | Texas SC | 4.0–6.0 mo |
| I-140 | Texas SC | 4.0–6.0 mo |
| I-140 | Nebraska SC | 3.0–5.0 mo |
| I-140 | Texas SC | 0.8 mo |
| I-140 | Texas SC | 0.8 mo |
| I-485 | National BC | 12.0–36.0 mo |
| I-485 | National BC | 18.0–33.5 mo |
| I-485 | National BC | 8.0–24.0 mo |
| I-485 | National BC | 10.0–16.0 mo |
| I-485 | National BC | 8.5–14.5 mo |
| I-485 | National BC | 9.0–12.0 mo |
[USCIS DATA: Processing Times Tool, March 2026 · Source: egov.uscis.gov/processing-times]
Understanding the EB Backlog
The EB backlog exists because immigration law caps green cards at approximately 140,000 per year across all EB categories, with no single country receiving more than 7% (about 9,800 per year). India and China have far more applicants than the per-country cap allows, creating multi-decade backlogs for EB-2 and EB-3.
- EB-1A self-petition: Often no backlog for most countries (ROW = Current). Indian and Chinese nationals face 3-year waits.
- EB-2 NIW (National Interest Waiver): No employer sponsor required. India-born applicants face ~12 year backlog as of May 2026.
- EB-1C multinational manager: Requires 1 year abroad at affiliate company. Fastest employer-sponsored path for multinationals.
- O-1 visa: Not a green card, but a nonimmigrant alternative that buys time while EB priority dates advance.
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Get Instant Answers — $19 →- State Dept Visa Bulletin — May 2026 — https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/legal/visa-law0/visa-bulletin/2026/visa-bulletin-for-may-2026.html · Final action dates and dates for filing, EB and FB categories
- USCIS Processing Times Tool — https://egov.uscis.gov/processing-times/ · I-140 and I-485 windows, March 2026
- DHS Immigration Statistics — https://ohss.dhs.gov/topics/immigration/yearbook · Annual EB visa issuance data
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