The August 2026 report, based on May 2026 USCIS data - translated from raw government data into plain language for EB‑1A, EB‑2 NIW, and O‑1 self‑petitioners and everyone tracking their I‑485.
The May 2026 data tells a story of two very different immigration experiences depending on where you were born. For India-born EB-2 applicants, the situation has shifted but not improved: the 2015 cohort has largely cleared, and the queue is now concentrated almost entirely in 2013 and 2014 priority dates, with over 11,400 cases awaiting availability in 2014 alone. That is still a decade-long structural wait, and no petition strategy changes that reality.
What has changed meaningfully is that the India EB-1 queue continues to hold in the 2022 and 2023 vintages, with 7,344 and 1,981 cases respectively. For India-born applicants who can demonstrate extraordinary ability, EB-1A remains the clearest path around the EB-2 backlog. If you are preparing a petition and you are India-born, this data is your strongest argument for why you should be talking to us about EB-1A before you file anything under EB-2.
For Rest of World applicants, the 2024 cohort is now the largest in the EB-2 queue at 17,660 cases, and the 2025 cohort has grown to 5,176. If you filed in 2024 or 2025, you are competing with the largest group of filers in the system right now. That does not mean long waits - ROW dates remain broadly current - but it does mean processing time matters more than ever. China EB-1 filers should pay particular attention: 2024 dates have moved to awaiting availability, which is an early signal of retrogression pressure building in that category.
Explore how many cases are in each priority date vintage for each country of chargeability.
Tailored takeaways by applicant type - your situation may overlap more than one category.
EB‑1 is current for most nationalities - no wait for a visa number once your I‑140 is approved. ROW EB‑1 peaks in 2024–2025, meaning competition is heaviest among recent filers.
India EB‑1 has a notable 2023 cohort (2,743 cases) and 5,478 awaiting availability. For India-born applicants, EB‑1A avoids the EB‑2 backlog entirely.
ROW EB‑2 has a significant 2023 cohort (11,941 cases) and 17,086 with 2024 priority dates in the available queue. If you filed in 2023 or 2024, you are in the most populated vintage.
The 2025 cohort is smaller (2,204 cases) - recent filers may advance more quickly. Processing time, not queue depth, is your main variable.
India EB‑2 has its own USCIS sheet going back to 2006. Cases from 2013–2014 are still pending - a structural, decade-plus wait tied to the per-country cap, not petition quality.
8,954 cases in 2014–2015 are still awaiting availability. Evaluate EB‑1A qualification before filing EB‑2 - it is almost always the faster path.
If your I‑485 has been pending 180+ days, you can change employers under AC21 while preserving your original priority date. For India EB‑2 filers, that priority date is often your most valuable asset.
Use this inventory to quantify what’s ahead of you, then combine it with the Visa Bulletin for the full picture.
China EB‑1’s largest available cohort is 2023 (1,435 cases), with 3,012 awaiting. Dates have stayed relatively current, but the growing 2023 cohort signals retrogression risk ahead.
China EB‑2 cleared through 2021 - a meaningful position advantage for 2021 filers.
Manageable queues in EB‑1 and EB‑2, concentrated in 2024–2025. Mexico EB‑2 has an unusual 2023 spike (575 cases). Philippines EB‑1 is very thin - minimal wait expected.
EB‑3 is more congested in both - Philippines EB‑3 carries 649 cases in 2023 alone.
Raw USCIS data broken out by priority date month and year. Select your country, category, and visa status.
| Month | Prior Yrs | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 | Row Total |
|---|
“D” = suppressed by USCIS (fewer than 10 cases). “-” = zero. Row Total excludes suppressed cells.
The only category with a dedicated USCIS sheet going back to 2006 - a structural backlog built into the per-country annual cap.
India EB‑2 receives the same per-country annual visa allocation as every other country, but generates far more petitions. No amount of preparation or petition strength can overcome a per-country cap. The 2014 cohort is now the largest active backlog with over 11,400 cases awaiting availability. Cases from 2013 are still processing. Some of these applicants filed their I-485 a decade ago.
Precise definitions for the USCIS terminology used throughout this report.
We’ll help you understand your options - EB‑2 NIW, EB‑1A, or building toward either - based on where you actually stand in this data.