EB-2 Visa ‘Regressed’: USCIS Bot Error Sparks Panic

An employment based green card applicant recently faced a confusing update regarding their application status. The individual had applied under the EB-2 visa category and has been closely monitoring their case progress.

The applicant holds a Priority Date of April 14, 2024. According to the latest visa bulletin, this date is now current. However, the USCIS virtual assistant reportedly informed the applicant that their visa number had regressed.

This unexpected message created concern for the applicant. They feared the update might delay their case further. The applicant also worried that they might have to wait until the next financial year for a visa number.

Immigration experts say such automated updates can sometimes cause confusion. In many cases, the system may still display information from a previous cycle. This often happens when the applicant’s Priority Date was not current earlier.

For example, the EB-2 Priority Date listed in February 2026 was April 1, 2024. Since the applicant’s date was April 14, the case may have been temporarily marked as visa unavailable in internal records.

However, the federal visa bulletin released on March 1, 2026, shows that the applicant’s Priority Date is now current. Despite this change, internal processing systems may take time to update the new status.

In some cases, applications are transferred to local field offices for interviews. If an officer finds that a visa number is not available at that moment, the case may be returned to the National Benefits Center.

These transfers can sometimes result in confusing system messages. Automated tools may display outdated or incomplete information during such processing stages.

Experts advise applicants to rely mainly on official USCIS communications. Letters sent by USCIS and the primary case status on the official portal are considered the most reliable sources of information.