Latest updates on EB-3 immigration policies and processing
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Sign inUSCIS has reinstated neighborhood checks as part of the naturalization process, expanding background investigations for citizenship applicants. Applicants should be aware of these updated vetting procedures and prepare accordingly.
USCIS is sending letters to applicants citing 'FBI Privacy Requirements' as part of background check procedures. The letter is routine and does not indicate a problem with your case.
USCIS has changed how filing deadlines are calculated, affecting employers and foreign workers managing petition timelines. The update impacts how response windows and submission cutoffs are counted, with direct consequences for EB-3 priority date management.
Some applicants are seeing a 'Case Required USCIS To Send A Notice' update after biometrics, followed by an FBI privacy letter. This notice is informational only and requires no immediate action from applicants.
BAL reports the latest PWD and PERM processing times as of October 5, 2026. These DOL timelines are critical for EB-3 applicants planning their green card filing strategy amid ongoing priority date retrogression.
The October 2026 Visa Bulletin retrogresses EB-3 for All Chargeability Areas and Mexico, with USCIS using the Dates for Filing chart. India EB-3 remains stuck at January 15, 2015.
A California federal court blocked enforcement of the proclamation-based $100,000 H-1B payment requirement on Sept 30, 2026. The ruling — the second such block — bars USCIS, CBP, and the State Department from collecting the fee until proper rulemaking occurs.
The American Immigration Council filed a lawsuit challenging Trump-Vance administration policies that put green card applicants at risk of family separation, raising due process concerns for EB-3 and other employment-based applicants.
USCIS rescinded the 2022 public charge rule on September 18, 2026, giving officers broader discretion to consider means-tested benefits like Medicaid, SNAP, and housing assistance when reviewing green card applications filed on or after that date.
The October 2026 Visa Bulletin opened I-485 filing windows for some EB-3 and EB-4 applicants, but filing does not prevent ICE enforcement. BIA precedent in Matter of Ho may require Immigration Judges to hold cases in abeyance when retrogression is the sole barrier to adjustment approval.
The long-delayed October 2026 Visa Bulletin has been released, marking the start of FY2027. While some Indian nationals see modest green card relief from fresh annual quotas, EB-3 and EB-2 India face retrogression, pushing priority dates backward.
USCIS reported 742,138 pending naturalization cases as of June 2026, receiving more than twice as many applications as it completed in Q3 FY2026. The median processing time for regular N-400 applications stands at 9.5 months, with Houston, Dallas, and Chicago carrying the heaviest backlogs.
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