US Grants More Than 99,000 Green Cards to 3 Applicant Groups

• USCIS processed I-485 applications across family, employment and asylum categories between April and June 2026
• Family-based applicants recorded the highest share of approvals among the three categories during the quarter
• Asylum-based applicants saw a significantly lower approval rate despite tens of thousands of pending cases

The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) approved a combined 99,104 green cards across three I-485 application categories in the third quarter of fiscal year 2026, covering the period from April to June, according to official USCIS performance data published by Financial Express on 13 October 2026.

Form I-485 is the application used by individuals already residing in the United States to apply for lawful permanent residency, commonly referred to as a green card.

Green card approvals by category

Family-based applicants submitted 95,175 I-485 forms during the quarter and received 54,678 approvals, the highest of the three categories.

Employment-based applicants filed 97,501 applications, resulting in 42,076 approvals at a median processing time of six months.

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That submission figure was notably lower than the 113,237 employment-based applications filed across the first two quarters of the fiscal year combined.

Asylum-based applicants had a markedly different experience. Of the 15,141 applications submitted, only 2,350 received approval and 292 were denied, leaving 126,267 cases still pending at the close of the quarter.

What figures mean for prospective applicants

The combined totals place family-based approvals at 55% of the overall quarterly figure, with employment-based approvals contributing roughly 42% and asylum-based approvals making up the remaining fraction.

The significant volume of pending asylum cases, more than 126,000, points to a substantial backlog that applicants in that category continue to face.

Processing timelines and approval rates vary considerably depending on the category under which an application is filed. USCIS advises applicants to consult its official website directly for guidance relevant to their individual circumstances, as immigration procedures and processing windows remain subject to change.

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Source: YEN.com.gh