It became easier for Indians to get America’s green card! USCIS updated guidelines

US Visa for Indians: Getting a US Green Card is a very difficult task. For Indians, the wait for a green card in some categories is more than 100 years. In such circumstances, if someone gets a green card, he/she considers himself lucky. Meanwhile, the US Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) has taken a big step to simplify the immigration process of highly skilled professionals. USCIS has updated the guidelines for the EB-1 visa category.
This is a relief news for applicants thinking of getting a green card under the EB-1 visa category. In the new rules, the criteria for having ‘extraordinary ability’ in fields like science, arts, education, business and sports has been simplified. In the updated guidelines, awards received by the team will also be considered as valid evidence of exceptional ability. This is going to benefit those Indians who were part of a group project and then that group got the award.

Who will not benefit from the new guidelines?

However, people of EB-2 and EB-3 visa categories will not get the benefit of the new guidelines. Speaking to Business Standard, Vivek Tandon, CEO, EB5 BRICS, said, “This new change in policy is good news for Indians who are thinking about obtaining a green card through any other means other than EB-2 and EB-3. This is unlikely to benefit EB-2 and EB-3 applicants unless they can demonstrate exceptional ability under EB-1.”

What is EB-1 visa?

The EB-1 visa is also often referred to as the ‘Extraordinary Ability Permanent Residence Visa’. Through this, foreign citizens with exceptional skills are allowed to live and work in America permanently i.e. forever. The benefit of this visa category is also available to the applicant’s partner (spouse) and children, who can apply for a green card to live in America. In this way, if someone gets a green card under EB-1 visa, his/her family also becomes a beneficiary.

How will Indians benefit from the new guidelines?

In the new guidelines, emphasis has also been laid on the achievements of the team, which will benefit those Indian professionals who were involved in a big project and many people were involved in it. Contributions to joint projects, such as team research or technological innovation, will also now qualify for EB-1 applications. Engineers involved in award-winning software or AI initiatives can also use the team’s accomplishments during their EB-1 application.

Even athletes who have achieved major victories in internationally recognized teams, such as cricket teams, can take advantage of team achievements. It has become easiest for researchers who have made internationally recognized significant scientific contributions to qualify under the EB-1A visa.

How many Indians are waiting for green card?

The wait for the EB-2 and EB-3 visa categories is much longer. Because of this, many Indian professionals, especially those from STEM fields, are now focusing on the EB-1A sub category, so that they can get a green card under it. According to the National Foundation for American Policy, the number of Indians waiting to get a green card in the EB-1 category by November 2023 was 1.4 lakh, while more than 10 lakh Indians were waiting for a green card in the EB-2 and EB-3 visa categories. Are waiting.