Are you applying for an immigrant visa and want to know when your priority date will become current? Then you won’t want to miss our analysis of the May 2026 Visa Bulletin.
In this video, attorney Jacob Sapochnick explains what you can expect to see in terms of the movement of the family-sponsored and employment-based visa categories next month.
Highlights of the May 2026 Visa Bulletin
At a Glance
What can we expect to see in the month of May?
Employment-Based Categories
Final Action Advancements
EB-3 Other Workers
Worldwide and Mexico will advance 3 months to February 1, 2022
EB-5 Unreserved Categories (C5, T5, I5, and R5)
EB-5 China will advance 3 weeks to September 22, 2016
Are you applying for an immigrant visa and want to know when your priority date will become current? Then you won’t want to miss our analysis of the April 2026 Visa Bulletin.
In this video, attorney Jacob Sapochnick explains what you can expect to see in terms of the movement of the family-sponsored and employment-based visa categories next month.
USCIS Adjustment of Status
For adjustment of status filings to permanent residence in the month of April, USCIS will continue using the Dates for Filing Chart for the employment-based and family-sponsored categories.
Highlights of the April 2026 Visa Bulletin
At a Glance
What can we expect to see in the month of April?
Employment-Based Categories
Final Action Advancements
EB-1 Aliens of extraordinary ability, Outstanding Professors and Researchers, and Certain Multinational Managers or Executives
EB-1 India and China will advance one month to April 1, 2023
All other countries will remain current
EB-2 Members of the Professions and Aliens of Exceptional Ability
EB-2 India will advance 10 months to July 15, 2014
Except China, all other countries (Worldwide, Mexico, Philippines) will become current
*Note, there is an immigrant visa freeze for all countries subject to the 75-country ban on immigrant visa issuance. Lawsuits opposing the freeze are currently pending.
If you’re a U.S. citizen hoping to sponsor your brother or sister for a green card in 2026, patience is essential. Unlike spouses or parents, siblings fall into a backlogged family preference category that can take many years (sometimes decades) to move forward.
Here’s what actually controls the timeline, how long you should realistically expect to wait, what you can do to speed up the process, and other alternatives.
The Harsh Reality
As of 2026, the reality for U.S. citizens sponsoring a sibling is that processing times move very slowly. After you file Form I-130 to establish your sibling relationship, it can take years for USCIS to approve the petition, but the longest delay comes after approval.
Because siblings fall under the Family Fourth Preference (F4) category with strict annual limits, most applicants face backlogs that push total wait times from 8 to 14 years, before a visa becomes available. For countries with especially high demand, such as Mexico and the Philippines, the wait can approach or exceed two decades.
The harsh reality is that major life milestones for both you and your sibling may pass before they are finally able to immigrate to the United States.
Are you applying for an immigrant visa and want to know when your priority date will become current? Then you won’t want to miss our analysis of the February 2026 Visa Bulletin.
In this video, attorney Jacob Sapochnick explains what you can expect to see in terms of the movement of the family-sponsored and employment-based visa categories in the new year.
USCIS Adjustment of Status
For adjustment of status filings to permanent residence in the month of February, USCIS will be using the Dates for Filing Chart for the employment-based and family-sponsored categories.
Highlights of the February 2026 Visa Bulletin
At a Glance
What can we expect to see in the month of February?
Employment-Based Categories
Final Action Advancements
EB-3 Professionals and Skilled Workers
Except India and China, all countries will advance by 5.7 weeks to June 1, 2023
Dates for Filing Advancements
EB-3 Professionals and Skilled Workers
Except India and China, all other countries will advance by 3 months to October 1, 2023
Are you applying for an immigrant visa and want to know when your priority date will become current? Then you won’t want to miss our analysis of the January 2026 Visa Bulletin.
In this video, attorney Jacob Sapochnick explains what you can expect to see in terms of the movement of the family-sponsored and employment-based visa categories in the new year.
USCIS Adjustment of Status
For adjustment of status filings to permanent residence in the month of January, USCIS will be using the Dates for Filing Chart for the employment-based and family-sponsored categories.
Highlights of the January 2026 Visa Bulletin
At a Glance
What can we expect to see in the month of January?
Employment-Based Categories
Final Action Advancements
EB-1 Aliens of extraordinary ability, Outstanding Professors and Researchers, and Certain Multinational Managers or Executives
EB-1 India will advance by 10 months to February 1, 2023
EB-1 China will advance by 10 days to February 1, 2023
EB-2 Members of the Professions and Aliens of Exceptional Ability
EB-2 India will advance by 2 months to July 15, 2013
EB-2 China will advance by 3 months to September 1, 2021
All other countries will advance by 2 months to April 1, 2024
EB-3 Professionals and Skilled Workers
EB-3 India will advance by 1.8 months to November 15, 2013
EB-3 China will advance by 1 month to May 1, 2021
All other countries will advance by 1 week to April 22, 2023
EB-3 Other Workers
EB-3 India will advance by 1.8 months to November 15, 2013
EB-3 China will advance by 1 year to December 8, 2018
All other countries will advance by 1 month to September 1, 2021
The Gold Card permanent residence program is now open. Under this initiative, foreign nationals—or their employers—may apply for lawful permanent residence by:
Paying a non-refundable $15,000 processing fee for each applicant and dependent, and
Making a giftdonation of $1 million for individual applicants, or $2 million for corporate-sponsored applicants to the U.S. Treasury.
These contributions are not investments— they are treated as unconditional gifts.
The program, established by presidential executive order 14351, allows eligibility for a green card under the existing EB-1 (extraordinary ability) or EB-2 (National Interest Waiver) categories based on the qualifying donation.
Application Process
Applicants start with by submitting their initial information, along with payment of the $15,000 processing fee (per applicant) on the Gold Card website.
USCIS then notifies applicants when they can file Form I-140G on the USCIS website to verify lawful source of funds. Once the applicant demonstrates the lawful source of funds and passes security vetting, the applicant or sponsor will receive instructions to submit the required $1 million (individual) or $2 million (corporate) donation to the Department of Treasury via ACH debit or SWIFT wire.
Once approved and a visa number is available, applicants proceed with consular processing for their immigrant visa.
Corporate Sponsorship
Employer Gold Card sponsors will be subject to a 1% annual maintenance fee – presumably, 1% of the employer’s $2 million donation ($20,000). If the employer decides to transfer its donation to a different foreign national, a 5% transfer fee would apply ($100,000).
The government has not yet indicated whether the “annual” maintenance fee must be paid until the foreign national obtains their green card.
Immigration Lawyer Blog
