The EB-1 green card category covers people with extraordinary ability (EB-1A), outstanding professors and researchers (EB-1B), and multinational managers or executives (EB-1C). In 2026, movement in the EB-1 visa bulletin, shifting USCIS processing times, and policy updates can affect your case timeline in ways that are easy to miss if you are not watching closely.
This post is general information only. Always confirm details on uscis.gov and the State Department Visa Bulletin, and consult a licensed immigration attorney for advice on your specific situation.
What Makes EB-1 Different
The EB-1 category sits at the top of the employment-based preference ladder. It gets a larger share of annual green card numbers than most other categories, and it does not require a labor certification (PERM). That makes it faster for many applicants compared to EB-2 or EB-3.
But "faster" does not mean instant. For applicants born in India and China, the EB-1 backlog has grown significantly in recent years. Even people born in other countries have seen occasional retrogression (when a priority date moves backward) after periods of forward movement.
Key Things to Track in 2026
The Monthly Visa Bulletin
The State Department releases a new Visa Bulletin around the middle of each month for the following month. It shows two charts: Dates for Filing and Final Action Dates. USCIS then announces which chart to use for each category.
For EB-1, watch for:
- Final Action Date movement for India and China, which have historically been backlogged
- Whether "Current" status holds for all other countries (meaning no wait)
- Retrogression notices, which can freeze an application unexpectedly
USCIS Processing Times
Even after your priority date is current, USCIS still needs to approve your I-485 (adjustment of status) or issue a visa through a consulate. Processing times for I-140 petitions and I-485 applications shift regularly. Checking the USCIS processing times tool every few weeks is worth doing.
Policy and Fee Updates
USCIS periodically updates filing fees, premium processing availability, and policy guidance. In 2026, any changes to premium processing for I-140 petitions or new policy memos on what qualifies as "extraordinary ability" are worth knowing about quickly.
RFE and NOID Trends
An RFE (Request for Evidence) or NOID (Notice of Intent to Deny) can add months to a case. Immigration forums and attorney blogs sometimes surface patterns in what USCIS is questioning for EB-1A or EB-1B cases. Staying aware of these trends helps you and your attorney prepare.
A Copy-Paste AIDular Prompt
If you want a weekly summary delivered to your inbox without manually checking government sites, you can set this up on aidular.com for free:
Track weekly: USCIS EB-1 visa processing times, the latest State Department Visa Bulletin priority dates for EB-1A, EB-1B, and EB-1C (including India and China charts), any USCIS policy memos or fee changes affecting EB-1 petitions, and notable RFE trends reported by immigration attorneys or legal blogs. Send a short summary with sources.
Set it to weekly, and AIDular will search the web and email you a clean, sourced report. You stop refreshing government pages and attorney blogs manually.
Country-Specific Notes for 2026
- India and China: These two countries share a separate EB-1 backlog. Priority dates for both have trended years behind "current" in recent visa bulletins. Small forward movements matter a lot here.
- All other countries: EB-1 is often current, but retrogression can happen if annual visa numbers run low toward the end of the fiscal year (September is a common crunch point).
- Fiscal year reset: October 1 marks the start of a new fiscal year and a fresh batch of visa numbers. Dates sometimes advance sharply in October after a September retrogression.
How to Stay on Top of It
- Bookmark the Visa Bulletin page and check it monthly.
- Set a USCIS processing time alert for the service center handling your case.
- Follow a few trusted immigration attorneys on social media for real-time policy news.
- Use a tool like AIDular to get a weekly digest instead of doing all that checking yourself.
The EB-1 path can be long, especially for applicants from India and China. Knowing where things stand each month helps you plan, whether that means timing a job change, deciding on premium processing, or just knowing what to tell your family.
Try AIDular free at aidular.com. Set up your EB-1 tracker in about two minutes, and get updates sent straight to your inbox.