Green card: overview, tools, and latest updates

Overview

Lawful permanent residence (LPR)

A green card (Form I-551) grants permanent resident status. The path depends on your category: employment-based (EB-1 through EB-5 and PERM), family-based, humanitarian, or the Diversity Visa lottery. Priority dates determine wait times for most categories.

Employment-based green cards are issued to priority workers (EB-1), advanced degree professionals (EB-2, including National Interest Waiver), skilled and other workers (EB-3), certain special immigrants (EB-4), and investors (EB-5). Most EB-2 and EB-3 cases require a PERM labor certification from the Department of Labor before USCIS will accept the I-140 immigrant petition.

The Visa Bulletin, published monthly by the State Department, shows "priority dates" for each EB and family category by country of birth. When your priority date is current, you can proceed to adjustment of status (Form I-485) or consular processing.

Green card holders can live and work permanently in the U.S., sponsor qualifying family members, and eventually apply for naturalization after meeting residency and other requirements.

Activity · daily, last 90 days

5 indexed updates

May 5, 2026 → Aug 2, 2026 · 90 days

Policy climate · last 90 days

Tone of coverage

20% restrictive80% neutral

Based on 5 indexed updates in the last 90 days

Visa types in this category

Employment-basedEB-1 through EB-5 categories for workers and investors, tied to annual per-country numerical limits.EB-1Priority workers: extraordinary ability (no employer needed), outstanding professors/researchers, multinational execs.EB-2Advanced degree professionals and National Interest Waiver (NIW) self-petitioners.EB-3Skilled workers (2+ years experience), professionals (bachelor's degree), and other workers.EB-5Immigrant investors: minimum investment in a new commercial enterprise or USCIS-designated regional center.PERMDOL labor certification: prerequisite for most EB-2 and EB-3 I-140 filings.Diversity (DV)Annual diversity visa lottery open to nationals of low-admission countries (55,000 visas per year).Family-based GCImmigrant petitions for spouses, children, parents, and siblings of U.S. citizens and LPRs.Humanitarian GCGreen cards through refugee/asylee adjustment, Special Immigrant Visa programs, and other humanitarian pathways.

High-signal items · last 90 days

What to watch

Ranked by impact: rule changes, fee updates, open comment periods, executive actions, and processing shifts. Not just newest: most consequential.

Published USCIS
Final rule
US Citizenship and Immigration Services Rescinds 2022 Public Charge Regulation
USCIS has rescinded a 2022 regulation that made it harder to deny green card applications based on public charge (government benefits use). The change restores a stricter interpretation of who counts as likely to become a public charge, making it easier for immigration officials…
Published USCIS
Proposed rule
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Will Grant ‘Adjustment of Status’ Only in Extraordinary Circumstances
USCIS announced a new policy restricting adjustment of status (green card applications within the U.S.) to only extraordinary circumstances, requiring most applicants to process through consular processing abroad instead. This reverses recent practice and aligns with…
Published State Dept
Processing
India Per-Country Limit Reached in the EB-5 Unreserved Category
India has reached the per-country limit for EB-5 immigrant investor green cards in the unreserved category, meaning no more visas are currently available for Indian nationals in this category. This creates a significant backlog for Indian EB-5 applicants who must now wait for…
Published State Dept
Processing
India Per-Country Limit Reached in the EB-2 Category
India has reached its per-country limit for EB-2 (employment-based second preference) green cards, meaning Indian nationals in this category will face significant delays in obtaining their green cards. This occurs because a large backlog of Indian applicants has exhausted the…
Published Fed. Register
Open for comments
30-Day Notice of Proposed Information Collection: Petition To Classify Special Immigrant Under INA 203(b)(4) as an Employee or Former Employee of the U.S. Government Abroad, or the Surviving Spouse or Child of an Employee of the U.S. Government Abroad
The Department of State is requesting public comments on the petition form and process for special immigrant status available to current and former U.S. government employees working abroad and their families. This is a routine paperwork approval process under the Paperwork…
Public comments accepted through .
Published Fed. Register
Open for comments
Agency Information Collection Activities; Revision of a Currently Approved Collection: Petition To Remove the Conditions on Residence
USCIS is revising its form and procedures for petitions to remove conditions on residence (Form I-751). The agency is seeking public feedback on the information collection before implementing changes. Public comments accepted until 2026-07-28.
Published Fed. Register
Open for comments
Agency Information Collection Activities; Revision of a Currently Approved Collection: Immigrant Petition for the Gold Card Program
USCIS is revising the information collection procedures for the Immigrant Investor Gold Card Program (EB-5 green cards). The agency is accepting an additional 30 days of public comments on the form and data collection requirements. Public comments accepted until 2026-06-29.
Published USCIS
Update
Defendants Sentenced in Visa Fraud and Conspiracy Case
Two individuals, Jung Hoon Song and Bonnie Jo C. Quichocho, have been sentenced for faking a marriage to fraudulently obtain lawful permanent residence. USCIS provided investigative assistance that helped lead to their convictions. This case highlights enforcement against…

All updates · newest first

Full update feed

Every update from this category in chronological order, excluding items already shown above.

Update on Diversity Visa (DV) Program 2025State DeptNeu
Update on Diversity Visa (DV) Program 2025: Close to Reaching 7 Percent Cap for EgyptState DeptNeu
Annual Limit Reached in the EB-1 CategoryState DeptNeu
Annual Limit Reached in the EB-2 CategoryState DeptNeu
Update on Diversity Visa (DV) Program 2025: Egypt Limit ReachedState DeptNeu
Annual Limit Reached in the EB-3 and EW CategoriesState DeptNeg
Annual Limit Reached in the EB-5 Unreserved CategoryState DeptNeg
Update on Diversity Visa (DV) Program 2025State DeptNeu
Update on Diversity Visa (DV) Program 2026State DeptNeu
Changes to Entry Period for 2027 Diversity Visa (DV) ProgramState DeptNeu

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