US halts EB-4 immigrant visas for FY 2025: What it means for Indian applicants

The US government has officially announced that all available immigrant visas under the Employment-Based Fourth Preference (EB-4) category for the fiscal year (FY) 2025 have been exhausted. This development, which affects Indian applicants among others, means that no further EB-4 green cards will be issued until the new fiscal year begins on October 1, 2025.

The EB-4 visa category is primarily designated for religious workers, certain special immigrants, and international broadcasters. The US Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) limits the number of employment-based green cards issued each year, with 7.1% of the total employment-based quota allocated to EB-4 visas.

What this means for Indian applicants

No more EB-4 visas until FY 2026: Indians seeking EB-4 green cards will have to wait until October 1, 2025, when the new annual cap resets.
Embassies & consulates cannot issue EB-4 visas: US embassies and consulates have been directed not to process EB-4 applications for the remainder of FY 2025.

Impact on green card wait times

The exhaustion of EB-4 visas could potentially increase backlogs and delays, impacting Indian applicants already in the queue.

Alternatives for Indian applicants

With the suspension of EB-4 visas, applicants may consider alternative US visa pathways such as EB-1, EB-2, or EB-3 visas, H-1B visa and family-sponsored green cards.

When will EB-4 visas resume?

The EB-4 visa process will reopen on October 1, 2025, at the start of FY 2026. Qualified applicants can expect consular processing to resume at that time.