For the majority of other countries, the EB-3 date progressed to June 15, 2024. India's EB-1 date held steady at February 1, 2023, while the EB-5 unreserved category remained at December 1, 2023.Indian applicants in both the EB-2 and EB-3 categories saw their filing dates stay the same at January 15, 2015.

According to the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), those seeking employment-based adjustment of status need to reference the Dates for Filing chart released in November. This gives qualified Indian EB-2 applicants currently residing in the US who have priority dates before January 15, 2015, the opportunity to file adjustment applications, though their green cards can only be granted once their priority dates fall before the final action date.Also Read: H-1B woes: Over 12,000 Indian tech workers return from US amid visa uncertainty and layoffs - Key details hereOIRA reviews premium processing changes as Indian Green Card backlogs persistAs of now, the White House Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA) is looking over a proposal to update premium processing deadlines.

The Department of Homeland Security submitted this proposed rule on October 13, and it could potentially change how quickly applications get processed. However, the actual details of the proposal haven't been shared with the public yet.Meanwhile, there's another proposal focused on making changes to the H-1B visa program that's been sitting with OIRA since August 24.

This one is considered economically significant, which means it could have a real impact. On the bright side, Indian applicants sponsoring family members have seen some positive movement in the F1, F2B, and F3 visa categories.

Unfortunately, the F4 category hasn't budged and is still stuck at the December 15, 2006 date.These updates are happening as there's growing momentum behind efforts to do away with the per-country caps that currently restrict employment-based green cards.New Jersey's Democratic representative Josh Gottheimer brought attention to the frustrating delays experienced by applicants from India, pointing out that some face an estimated wait time stretching to 179 years. “Imagine waiting 179 years for a green card. That’s the projected wait for Indian green card applicants,” Gottheimer wrote on X.Shweta Kukreti has over 8 years of experience in covering Indian and world politics.

She joined the Hindustan Times in 2024 and is primarily assigned to the US desk. She currently works as Deputy Chief Content Producer and reports on a wide range of topics, including US politics, immigration issues (especially H-1B visa) and major global events.

Shweta strongly emphasizes team operations, which encompasses monitoring news, delegating tasks, editing, developing comprehensive coverage strategies, and crafting engaging, and data-informed narratives. She received the Digi Star Award at the Hindustan Times within a year of joining for her broad coverage of US politics.

In 2025, she earned both a promotion and a redesignation, a significant achievement recognising her contributions and the strong value she brings to the team. She has previously worked with the Indian Express, HTDS, ANI and Republic World.

Seniors in all the media organisations recognised her work. Regarding education, she earned a BA (Hons.) in Political Science and a master's degree from Delhi University, and she pursued a PG Diploma in English Journalism from the Indian Institution of Mass Communication (IIMC).

She also holds a diploma in Women's Empowerment and Development from IGNOU University and a French certification course from Alliance Française de Delhi. If not working, you can find her exploring the hills and engaging in adventurous activities in Rishikesh and Himachal Pradesh.

She loves to play badminton, volleyball, and chess, and spend time with her friends and family. She also enjoys spiritual activities.Read More