India Per-Country Limit Reached in the EB-2 Category for FY 2026

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services announced that the per-country limit for India in the employment-based second preference category has been reached for fiscal year 2026. The agency will no longer accept new adjustment of status applications for Indian nationals in this category until the next fiscal year begins on October 1, 2026.

The EB-2 category covers professionals with advanced degrees or exceptional ability. The per-country cap, set at 7% of the total annual employment-based visa allotment, limits the number of visas available to any single country. India has long faced high demand in this category, leading to recurring backlogs and annual caps being met early.

Applicants affected by the cap may consider alternative visa categories or wait for the new fiscal year. USCIS has not yet announced whether carryover visas from other countries will be available to alleviate the shortage.

The development adds to ongoing challenges for Indian professionals seeking permanent residency in the United States. Advocacy groups have called for legislative reforms to address per-country limits, but no changes have been enacted.