The United States Department of State has released the April 2025 Visa Bulletin, which outlines the availability of immigrant visas across different categories. This document helps applicants understand when they can move forward with their green card applications based on their priority dates. This bulletin is particularly important for those seeking permanent residency through family sponsorship or employment-based categories.

Understanding the Visa Bulletin

The visa bulletin contains two key charts:

1. Final Action Dates – These dates indicate when the visa can be issued or an adjustment of status can be approved.
2. Dates for Filing – These dates determine when applicants can submit required documents to the National Visa Center (NVC) or apply for adjustment of status with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).

In general, applicants whose priority dates fall before the dates listed in the bulletin can proceed with their applications. The movement of these dates is influenced by annual visa caps and country-specific limits set by the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA).

Family-Sponsored Visa Categories

The family-sponsored immigration process allows U.S. citizens and permanent residents to sponsor certain relatives for green cards. The demand for these visas often exceeds the supply, leading to waiting times that vary based on the relationship category and the applicant’s country of origin.

Family-Sponsored Preference Categories: Final Action Dates

Final Action Dates determine when visas can be issued and when an applicant can proceed with adjusting their status. If a category is oversubscribed, only applicants with a priority date earlier than the listed date can move forward.

Final Action Dates for Family-Sponsored Preference Cases (April 2025)

Key Notes on Final Action Dates:

• F2A: Numbers exempt from per-country limits are available for applicants from all countries with priority dates earlier than May 15, 2021.
• F2A: Numbers subject to per-country limits are authorized for applicants from all countries except Mexico, with priority dates from May 15, 2021, up to January 1, 2022.
• F2A (Mexico): All numbers are exempt from per-country limits.

Family-Sponsored Preference Categories: Dates for Filing

The Dates for Filing chart shows when applicants can submit required documents to the National Visa Center (NVC). These dates typically move ahead of Final Action Dates, giving applicants more time to prepare their paperwork.

Dates for Filing Family-Sponsored Visa Applications (April 2025)

Employment-Based Preference Categories

Employment-based green cards are divided into five preference categories, each with numerical limits. Applicants must meet specific eligibility criteria, and demand often exceeds supply, causing long wait times for certain categories and countries.

Final Action Dates determine when the U.S. government can issue green cards for each category. The availability of visas depends on per-country caps and annual limits, which affect wait times, particularly for countries with high demand like China, India, Mexico, and the Philippines.

Final Action Dates for Employment-Based Cases (April 2025)

Key Insights and Observations

1. EB-1 (Priority Workers)

• Current for most countries, except for China and India, where demand has led to backlogs.
• China: Cut-off date is November 8, 2022.
• India: Cut-off date is February 15, 2022.

2. EB-2 (Advanced Degrees & Exceptional Ability)

• India faces the most significant backlog, with priority dates stuck at January 1, 2013.
• China is slightly better at October 1, 2020, but still experiencing delays.
• Most other countries remain current.

3. EB-3 (Skilled Workers and Professionals)

• Delays continue for China and India, making processing times longer.
• India’s priority date is April 1, 2013, reflecting a continued backlog.
• China is at November 1, 2020, slightly better than EB-2 but still behind other countries.

4. EB-3 (Other Workers)

• The Other Workers subcategory faces longer wait times due to historical limits imposed by the Nicaraguan and Central American Relief Act (NACARA).
• Since November 19, 1997, 10,000 EB-3 Other Worker visas have been reduced to 5,000 annually, leading to backlogs.
• For Fiscal Year 2025, this reduction will be approximately 150 visas.

5. EB-4 (Special Immigrants & Religious Workers)

• Completely unavailable for all countries, as the FY 2025 annual limit has already been reached.
• The next available visa issuance will resume on October 1, 2025, with the start of the new fiscal year.

6. EB-5 (Investor Visas)

• The unreserved category for China and India has retrogressed due to increased demand.
• Set-aside visas (Rural, High-Unemployment, and Infrastructure investments) remain current for all countries.

Employment-Based Preference Allocations:

1. EB-1 (Priority Workers) – 28.6% of the worldwide employment-based preference limit.
2. EB-2 (Advanced Degrees & Exceptional Ability) – 28.6% of the worldwide limit.
3. EB-3 (Skilled Workers, Professionals, and Other Workers) – 28.6% of the worldwide limit, with up to 10,000 reserved for “Other Workers.”
4. EB-4 (Special Immigrants, including Religious Workers) – 7.1% of the worldwide limit.
5. EB-5 (Investor Visas) – 7.1% of the worldwide limit, with specific set-asides:
   • 20% reserved for investments in rural areas.
   • 10% reserved for investments in high-unemployment areas.
   • 2% reserved for infrastructure investments.

These numerical limitations mean that certain countries (such as China, India, Mexico, and the Philippines) often experience backlogs and retrogressions, leading to longer wait times.

Preference Categories for Family-Sponsored Visas:

1. F1 (Unmarried Sons and Daughters of U.S. Citizens) – The wait time for this category remains long, especially for applicants from Mexico and the Philippines, where demand is particularly high.
2. F2A (Spouses and Children of Permanent Residents) – This category sees shorter waiting times compared to others, making it a preferred route for eligible applicants. However, Mexico has a separate set of limits, which affects processing times.
3. F2B (Unmarried Sons and Daughters of Permanent Residents, 21 years or older) – This category experiences backlogs, with priority dates extending several years back.
4. F3 (Married Sons and Daughters of U.S. Citizens) – Due to numerical limitations, wait times in this category are quite extensive.
5. F4 (Brothers and Sisters of Adult U.S. Citizens) – This category has one of the longest waiting times, especially for applicants from Mexico, India, and the Philippines.

Each of these categories has a per-country limit that affects processing times, leading to significant backlogs for applicants from high-demand countries.

Employment-Based Visa Categories

Dates for Filing of Employment-Based Visa Applications (April 2025)

The Dates for Filing chart allows applicants to submit required documents to the National Visa Center (NVC) if their priority date is earlier than the listed date. If a category is Current (C), applications may be filed regardless of priority date.

Dates for Filing Employment-Based Visa Applications (April 2025)

Applicants should check their priority dates and submit documents accordingly. For more details, visit travel.state.gov.

Employment-based visas are another pathway to permanent residency and are divided into five preference categories. Each category has different eligibility criteria and visa availability:

1. EB-1 (Priority Workers) – Includes individuals with extraordinary ability, outstanding researchers, and multinational executives. This category remains current for most applicants, but China and India have experienced retrogression, meaning applicants from these countries may face delays.
2. EB-2 (Professionals with Advanced Degrees or Exceptional Ability) – This category has high demand, particularly from India, where waiting times can span years.
3. EB-3 (Skilled Workers, Professionals, and Other Workers) – This category is oversubscribed, especially for applicants from China and India, leading to significant wait times.
4. EB-4 (Special Immigrants, including Religious Workers) – The visa limit for this category has already been reached for FY 2025, meaning no new applications will be processed until October 2025.
5. EB-5 (Immigrant Investors) – The unreserved category for China and India has retrogressed due to increased demand, while visas remain available for applicants from other countries. Certain reserved categories (such as investments in rural areas and high-unemployment areas) continue to remain current.

Diversity Visa (DV) Lottery for 2025

The Diversity Visa (DV) Lottery provides opportunities for immigrants from countries with historically low U.S. immigration levels. For FY 2025, the total number of diversity visas available is approximately 52,000, reduced from the usual 55,000 due to allocations under other programs.

Each region has a different cut-off rank for eligible applicants. For instance, demand from Africa, Asia, and Europe remains high, and only those with rank numbers below the specified cut-offs will be eligible for visa processing. Some countries like Algeria, Egypt, and Nepal have separate quotas due to high applicant numbers.

Important Notes on Diversity Visa Processing:

• Visa availability is limited and does not roll over to the next fiscal year. If a visa is not issued before September 30, 2025, applicants lose their chance for that fiscal year.
• Spouses and children of DV lottery winners must also complete their applications before the end of the fiscal year.
• Once a country reaches the per-country limit, no additional visas are issued.

Key Announcements and Changes

1. EB-4 Unavailable for the Rest of FY 2025

The Employment-Based Fourth Preference (EB-4) category, which includes certain religious workers and special immigrants, has reached its annual limit for FY 2025. No new visas will be issued in this category until October 1, 2025, when the next fiscal year begins.

2. Retrogression of EB-5 for China and India

Due to a surge in demand, EB-5 visas for China and India have retrogressed. This means applicants from these countries will experience delays unless they qualify under reserved categories like investments in rural areas, high-unemployment areas, or infrastructure projects.

3. High Demand May Lead to Further Retrogressions

For employment-based visa categories, particularly EB-2 and EB-3, priority dates may retrogress further in the coming months due to increasing demand. Applicants should stay updated on future bulletins for any changes.

Conclusion: What Applicants Should Do Next

For those waiting for a green card, the April 2025 Visa Bulletin provides critical updates. Applicants should:

• Check their priority dates to determine if they are eligible to file applications.
• Follow USCIS guidelines on whether they can use the Dates for Filing or need to rely on Final Action Dates.
• Prepare necessary documents in advance if their priority dates are close to becoming current.
• Monitor future visa bulletins to stay informed about potential retrogressions or improvements in wait times.

For more details, applicants should visit the official U.S. State Department Visa Bulletin page at travel.state.gov. Keeping track of these updates is essential for planning the next steps in the immigration process.