EB-3 Visa Bulletin May 2026 Update: USCIS Lifts Processing Holds for Doctors & Key Cases

In this week's immigration news roundup, Manifest Law attorney Ana Gabriela Urizar highlights a significant USCIS policy alert: processing holds have been lifted for doctors, oath ceremony cases, and other categories that had experienced adjudication pauses. This development could indicate a broader shift in USCIS operational priorities and may accelerate case completions for affected applicants. The lifting of holds for physician cases is particularly noteworthy for EB-3 applicants in the healthcare sector, where processing delays have historically compounded an already lengthy visa backlog. Oath ceremony holds being cleared also means that some approved applicants who were awaiting naturalization or final green card steps may now see their cases move forward. For EB-3 applicants, this policy update is a meaningful signal that USCIS may be working to clear a broader backlog of stalled cases. Applicants whose cases were placed on administrative hold should monitor their USCIS online accounts for status changes and consider contacting their attorneys or filing service requests if no movement is observed. The weekly roundup from Manifest Law serves as a consolidated resource for tracking rapidly evolving immigration policy, especially relevant given ongoing legislative discussions around H-1B reform, family visa reductions, and green card retrogression trends heading into mid-2026.