US Approves Over 99,000 Green Cards for 3 Categories of Applicants
- USCIS approved 99,104 green cards across three I-485 categories between April and June 2026
- Family-based applicants recorded the highest number of approvals at 54,678, followed by employment-based at 42,076
- Asylum-based applicants accounted for 2,350 green card approvals in Q3 2026, bringing the combined total across family, employment and asylum categories to 99,104
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The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services approved more than 90,000 green cards across three applicant categories between April and June 2026, according to data published by Financial Express on 13 October 2026, based on official USCIS I-485 performance data.
The figures cover Form I-485 applications, which is the form used by people already in the United States to apply for permanent residency, also known as a green card.
Source: UGC
Three categories filed under this form: family-based applicants, employment-based applicants, and asylum-based applicants.
Green Card Approvals by Category
Employment-based applicants submitted 97,501 I-485 applications during the quarter, fewer than the 113,237 filed in the first two quarters of the fiscal year combined.
Of those, 42,076 were approved, with a median processing time of six months.
Family-based applicants filed 95,175 applications and approvals reached 54,678.
Asylum-based green card applicants submitted 15,141 applications. Only 2,350 were approved and 292 were denied, with 126,267 cases still pending.
What the Numbers Mean for Applicants
Taken together, the three categories produced approximately 99,104 green card approvals in the third quarter of fiscal year 2026.
Family-based applicants accounted for the largest share of those approvals at 54,678, followed by employment-based applicants at 42,076 and asylum-based applicants at 2,350.
Applicants are advised to consult the official USCIS website for guidance specific to their situation, as immigration rules and processing timelines are subject to change.
US ends extension for certain workers
Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that US Department of Homeland Security published a final rule ending automatic extensions for certain employment authorisation documents.
The rule finalises an interim regulation first introduced on October 30, 2025, which affected foreign nationals renewing their work permits in select categories.
Source: Legit.ng
