US April 2025 Visa Bulletin: Major changes in for Indian families seeking Green Cards, BIG boost announced for these EB visa categories

The U.S. Department of State’s April 2025 Visa Bulletin is out, and it brings both promising advances and concerning setbacks for Indian visa applicants. While some categories are moving forward compared to March, others have retrogressed, painting a mixed picture for those waiting in line.

Below is a detailed insight on India’s visa cutoffs and changes between the April 2025 and March 2025 Bulletins.

Family‑Sponsored Preferences

Final Action Dates: F1, F3, and F4 for India have advanced significantly in April compared to March, easing the wait for these applicants. F2A and F2B are unchanged.

March vs. April

Category	March Final Action Date	April Final Action Date	Change
F1 (Unmarried Sons & Daughters of U.S. Citizens)	22Nov15	15Mar16	Advanced by ~4 months
F2A (Spouses/Unmarried Children of Permanent Residents)	01Jan22	01Jan22	No change
F2B (Unmarried Sons & Daughters, 21+ of Permanent Residents)	22May16	22May16	No change
F3 (Married Sons & Daughters of U.S. Citizens)	01Jul10	01Apr11	Advanced by ~9 months
F4 (Brothers & Sisters of U.S. Citizens)	08Apr06	01Aug07	Advanced by over 1 year

 

 Meanwhile, in the Filing Dates category, only F2A (delayed by 3 months) and F4 (advanced by 1 month) show movement; the rest remain static.

March vs. April

Category	March Filing Date	April Filing Date	Change
F1	1Sep17	1Sep17	No change
F2A	15Jul24	15Oct24	Delayed by 3 months
F2B	1January17	1January17	No change
F3	22Jul12	22Jul12	No change
F4	01Mar08	01Apr08	Advanced by 1 month

 

Employment‑Based Preferences

Final Action Dates: EB‑1, EB‑2, and EB‑3 (both Skilled/Professionals and Other Workers) have advanced by between 2 weeks and 2 months. However, EB‑4 has been retrogressed to “Unavailable,” and EB‑5 has seen a substantial retrogression (from 01JAN22 in March to 01NOV19 in April).

March vs. April

Category	March Final Action Date	April Final Action Date	Change
EB‑1 (Priority Workers)	1Feb22	15Feb22	Advanced by 14 days
EB‑2 (Advanced Degrees/Exceptional Ability)	01Dec12	01Jan13	Advanced by 1 month
EB‑3 (Skilled Workers/Professionals)	1February13	1April13	Advanced by 2 months
EB‑3 (Other Workers)	01Feb13	01Apr13	Advanced by 2 months
EB‑4 (Certain Special Immigrants)	01Aug19	Unavailable (U)	Retrogressed to “Unavailable”
EB‑5 (Unreserved)	01Jan22	01Nov19	Retrogressed by over 2 years

On the other hand, there has been no change in filing dates for any employment-based category for India.

This comparison highlights that while some family‑sponsored and employment‑based categories for India show improvements in final action dates in April, key categories such as EB‑4 and EB‑5 have experienced retrogression, underscoring the ongoing challenges of oversubscription.

About the visa bulletin

The Visa Bulletin is essential for individuals seeking green cards, as it provides vital information about the timelines for adjusting immigration status and eligibility based on the submission of applications. The bulletin consists of two main sections:

Final Action Dates: This section estimates the wait time for application approval for those seeking permanent residency. It creates a queue based on visa category and nationality, indicating when applicants can expect their applications to be processed.

Dates for Filing: This section specifies the earliest date that applicants can submit their adjustment of status or immigrant visa applications. It helps applicants determine when they can proceed with their filing based on their visa category and country of origin.