EB-1A for Indian software engineers
Most people who search this are Indian-born engineers already in the United States, chargeable to India, watching an EB-2 date from 2013. EB-1A does not skip the per-country cap. It is a shorter queue, and only if the file is real.
What the October 2026 Visa Bulletin actually says
Final action for India: EB-1 is 1 February 2023. EB-2 is 1 November 2013. EB-3 is 1 January 2014. Dates for filing: EB-1 is 1 July 2024. EB-2 and EB-3 are 15 January 2015. Source: the U.S. Department of State Visa Bulletin for October 2026. The dates move. This page is not a prediction.
A new EB-2 filing chargeable to India is not a few-year wait. EB-1 is the shorter employment line. It is still not current for India.
Who this page is for
Staff and principal engineers, research scientists, and engineering managers born in India. Papers, patents, open source, or a critical role you can document. People still in India can self-petition too. EB-1A does not need a U.S. employer. The urgent buyer is usually the person already on H-1B.
- A Staff title at a known company is context. It is not a criterion.
- A granted patent is not proof the field uses it.
- Citations from your co-authors are not independent acclaim.
- Internal awards and a manager letter do not make Step 1.
What to do before you pay $12,000
Run the free check on the resume you already have. You should see yes, not yet, or too early, how many of the three criteria look supported, and the missing exhibits. If it says too early, a petition is how that becomes an RFE. If three boxes look exhibit-backed, that is when counsel is worth the hour.
Related: EB-1A vs EB-2 India, Indian software engineers, citations, software engineers.
This is not a law firm and does not file petitions. USCIS decides each case on its own record.