The USCIS I-485 Pending Inventory Report
USCIS publishes a monthly snapshot called the Employment-Based Adjustment of Status Pending Inventory. It shows how many Form I-485 applications are currently pending at USCIS, broken down by preference category (EB-1, EB-2, EB-3, EB-4, EB-5) and country of birth.
This is one of the most important data sources for understanding how long the green card wait will actually be — far more informative than the visa bulletin priority date alone, which only tells you where the line currently ends, not how long the line is.
Who Is Included in the Inventory
The inventory counts all pending I-485 applications filed by principal applicants (not derivatives) in employment-based categories. Each row in the report represents a unique case waiting for a visa number and adjudication.
A case appears in the inventory if:
- The I-485 has been filed with USCIS and is pending (not yet approved or denied)
- The applicant is classified under an employment-based preference category
- The applicant's priority date has not yet reached the Final Action date cutoff — or has reached it but adjudication is still pending
The inventory does not count:
- Applicants who have an approved I-140 but have not yet filed I-485 (these are in the "demand" pipeline, not the filed inventory)
- Consular processing cases (applicants processing overseas via NVC/embassy)
- Derivative beneficiaries (spouses and children on the same petition are counted separately in some reports)
What the Inventory Looks Like for India and China
As of early 2026, the pending I-485 inventory for employment-based categories is approximately:
| Category | India | China | Rest of World |
|---|---|---|---|
| EB-1 | ~15,000 | ~8,000 | ~12,000 |
| EB-2 | ~220,000 | ~25,000 | ~18,000 |
| EB-3 | ~550,000 | ~35,000 | ~22,000 |
| EB-4 / EB-5 | ~5,000 | ~8,000 | ~15,000 |
Numbers are approximate and reflect filed I-485s only. Actual backlog including unfiled demand is substantially larger.
India EB-2 and EB-3 together represent the largest single backlog in the U.S. immigration system — an estimated 770,000+ pending applications when filed I-485s and unfiled demand are combined.
From Inventory to "Cases Ahead of You"
When you enter your priority date in the tracker, here is what happens under the hood:
- Filter by category and country. The tool looks at the inventory slice matching your EB category and country of birth.
- Count cases with earlier priority dates. Every case in the inventory with a priority date earlier than yours is counted as "ahead of you."
- Apply the visa number allocation rate. Using historical data on how many visas are issued per year to your category and country, the tool calculates projection scenarios: pessimistic, historical rate, and optimistic.
The tracker updates these numbers each month as new inventory data is published by USCIS.
Why the Inventory Fluctuates
The pending inventory changes every month for several reasons:
- New filings: When Chart B filing windows open, thousands of applicants file I-485s simultaneously, spiking the inventory count.
- Approvals: As priority dates advance, USCIS adjudicates cases and removes them from pending status. In high-spillover years, this can move quickly for India EB-1.
- Denials and withdrawals: Cases that are denied, abandoned, or withdrawn are removed from the count.
- Retrogression: When dates retrogress, some cases that were about to be approved get pushed back, temporarily swelling the pending count for near-current priority dates.
A rising inventory for your category is a warning sign — it means new applications are arriving faster than visas are being issued. A falling inventory means the backlog is being worked down, which is a positive signal for future date advancement.
What the Inventory Can't Tell You
The inventory is the best available public data for estimating your queue position, but it has important limitations:
- It's a snapshot, not a forecast. The report shows pending cases at a point in time. Future filings, policy changes, and visa allocation shifts will change the numbers.
- Unfiled demand is invisible. Applicants with approved I-140s who can't yet file (priority date not current on Filing chart) are not in the count, but they are ahead of you in line.
- Spillover is unpredictable. When other categories underuse their visa numbers, those numbers spill over to oversubscribed categories. This can dramatically accelerate India EB-1 and even EB-2 in some fiscal years — but it is not guaranteed.
- Policy risk is not modeled. Executive orders, court injunctions, or legislative changes can alter visa number availability in ways no model can predict.
See exactly how many cases are ahead of you
Enter your country of birth, EB category, and priority date to see your queue position calculated from the latest USCIS inventory data.
Check My Queue Position →This content is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Data is sourced from official U.S. government publications — U.S. Department of State Visa Bulletins and USCIS I-485 Inventory reports. Analysis and projections reflect data available at time of publication and are subject to change. Immigration law is complex and subject to executive orders, regulations, and court decisions. Nothing on this site should be relied upon as legal advice. Consult a qualified immigration attorney for advice specific to your situation.