The US Department of State has released the April 2025 Visa Bulletin, bringing significant changes to employment-based (EB) immigrant visa categories. Notably, India's EB-5 Unreserved category has retrogressed by over two years to November 1, 2019, while China's EB-5 Unreserved category has moved back approximately two and a half years to January 22, 2014. In contrast, all other countries remain current in this category.
Key employment-based visa updates
India’s EB-1, EB-2, and EB-3 categories saw minor advancements.
EB-4 visas remain unavailable for all countries until the new fiscal year begins on October 1, 2025, as the annual limit has already been met.
The USCIS will accept Green Card applications in April 2025 based on the Final Action Dates chart. This means applicants can submit their applications if their priority date is earlier than the listed cutoff date for their category.
The State Department attributes the EB-5 retrogression for China and India to increased demand and visa usage. If this trend continues, a Final Action Date may soon be set for the Worldwide EB-5 Unreserved category as well.
Family-sponsored Green Card updates
The fiscal year 2025 limit for family-sponsored Green Cards remains at 226,000, with a 7% per-country cap in place. Due to high demand, the Final Action Dates for India’s family-sponsored categories have retrogressed in most cases:
What this means for applicants
Understanding the Visa Bulletin is critical for those waiting to adjust their immigration status. The changes in Final Action Dates and Filing Dates impact when applicants can proceed with their Green Card applications.
With EB-5 retrogression for India and China, and EB-4 visa availability exhausted until the next fiscal year, applicants should stay updated and plan accordingly.