U.S. Halts EB-2 Green Cards Until September 30

The U.S. State Department has temporarily halted the issuance of EB-2 employment-based green cards until September 30, 2025. This move comes after the agency announced that annual visa numbers for the EB-2 category have already been fully allocated for fiscal year 2025.

The pause is expected to hit Indian applicants the hardest, given the long-standing backlog and country-specific visa caps that already stretch wait times for highly skilled professionals.

🔑 What’s Changing?

EB-2 Approvals Paused: No EB-2 immigrant visas (for advanced degree professionals or those with exceptional ability) will be issued until the new fiscal year begins on October 1, 2025.
Impact on India: Indian nationals face the steepest backlog due to the 7% per-country limit, with wait times for some applicants exceeding a decade.
Processing Timeline: Cases can still be filed and reviewed, but final green card approvals will not be granted until after October 1.

🧾 What Are the Options Now?

Applicants in the pipeline: You can still submit EB-2 applications (Form I-140, Adjustment of Status), but approvals will remain pending.
Work Authorization: Those already in the U.S. with pending Adjustment of Status may continue to renew their Employment Authorization Documents (EADs) and travel permits.
Consider EB-1 or EB-3: Applicants eligible for EB-1 (extraordinary ability or multinational managers) or EB-3 (skilled/professional workers) categories may explore porting options through qualified attorneys.

⚠️ Important Reminders

This is a temporary halt — EB-2 green card issuance should resume October 1, 2025, when the FY-2026 quota opens.
Backlog persists: Even after October, applicants from high-demand countries like India will continue to face long delays.
No impact on H-1B/EAD renewals: Employment authorization linked to pending green card cases remains valid if properly renewed.