Green card backlog: approved petitions waiting for a visa
Data as of · Source: USCIS quarterly reports
Employment-based
856,662
approved petitions waiting, June 2026
Family-based
947,865
approved petitions waiting, June 2026
EB-2, born in India
356,360
approved petitions waiting, June 2026
Every quarter USCIS counts petitions it has already approved but that cannot move forward yet because the priority date is not current in the Visa Bulletin. The counts are principal beneficiaries only: spouses and children are not included. Employment-based petitions waiting went from 736,634 in December 2023 to 856,662 in June 2026; family-based from 1,456,836 to 947,865. Open a number for that category's priority date history.
Employment-based, as of June 2026
Approved Form I-140, I-360 and I-526/E petitions awaiting a visa, by preference and country of birth.
| Country of birth | EB-1 | EB-2 | EB-3 | EB-3 Other | EB-4 | Religious | EB-5 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| India | 17,861 | 356,360 | 106,214 | 228 | 10,870 | 236 | 4 | 491,773 |
| China | 14,101 | 34,936 | 11,070 | 916 | 1,093 | 114 | 9,549 | 71,779 |
| Mexico | 0 | 0 | 757 | 7,283 | 15,959 | 131 | 0 | 24,130 |
| Philippines | 0 | 0 | 19,147 | 5,627 | 189 | 63 | 0 | 25,026 |
| Rest of world | 0 | 0 | 10,304 | 43,689 | 188,567 | 1,394 | 0 | 243,954 |
| Total | 31,962 | 391,296 | 147,492 | 57,743 | 216,678 | 1,938 | 9,553 | 856,662 |
Family-based, as of June 2026
Approved Form I-130 petitions awaiting a visa, by preference and country of birth.
Employment-based backlog by quarter
Family-based backlog by quarter
FAQ
How many people are waiting for an employment-based green card?
USCIS counted 856,662 approved I-140, I-360 and I-526 petitions waiting for a visa number as of June 2026. These are principal beneficiaries only; spouses and children are not included, so the number of people is higher.
How big is the EB-2 India backlog?
356,360 approved EB-2 petitions for people born in India were waiting for a visa as of June 2026, plus 106,214 in EB-3 and 17,861 in EB-1.
What does "waiting for a visa" mean here?
USCIS counts approved petitions whose priority date was not yet current in the Visa Bulletin at the time of the report. It is a count of approved petitions, not of pending applications.
Related
Sources: USCIS, Approved EB Petitions Awaiting Visa Final Priority Dates; USCIS, Form I-130 Awaiting Visa Availability. Quarter-end counts as published; USCIS may revise them later.