Key points
- The US visa bulletin for January 2025 indicates advancements in green card final action dates.
- Most applicants see progress in both employment and family-sponsored visa categories with updated dates.
- USCIS statistics reveal that more than one million Indians are in line for US green cards.

Overview

The Bureau of Consular Affairs at the US Department of State brings encouraging news for Indian candidates seeking an American visa. The visa bulletin for January 2025 has highlighted significant advancements in employment-based (EB) and family-sponsored visa categories, which could especially favor applicants from India.

The US visa bulletin is a monthly report issued by the Department of State that offers details on the availability of immigrant visa numbers for those awaiting the opportunity to apply for a green card in the United States. The cap for family-sponsored immigrants has been established at 226,000, while the annual limit for employment-based preference immigrants remains at 140,000.

The published visa bulletin for January 2025 represents the inaugural bulletin of the year and highlights significant advancements in various employment-based (EB) visa categories, especially favoring applicants from India. This bulletin serves as an essential resource for individuals pursuing green cards, offering important dates that signify when applicants can submit their applications or anticipate their processing. These dates signify the earliest potential moment for the issuance of visas or the approval of status adjustments.

Family preference categories

Within the Family-based preference category, there are also notable progressions in specific areas as outlined below.

In the Final Action Date chart for the F-1 category (unmarried sons and daughters of US citizens), the date for Mexico will remain at November 22, 2004. The Philippines, however, will see a one-week advancement to March 8, 2012. For other regions (including India), the date will move forward by one month, landing on November 22, 2015.

In the F-2A category (spouses and children of permanent residents), Mexico's cut-off date will shift forward by one month to May 15, 2021. Meanwhile, the dates for the rest of the world will stay at January 1, 2022, according to the Final Action Date chart. The F-2B category (unmarried sons and daughters, 21 years or older, of permanent residents) also reports some progress. For Mexico, the date remains at July 1, 2005, and for the Philippines, it stays at October 22, 2011. Conversely, for other areas (including India), the date will advance by 21 days to May 22, 2016.

In the F-3 category (married sons and daughters of US citizens), the Final Action Date chart shows advancements across the board. The date for Mexico will move forward by one month to November 22, 2000, while the Philippines will also see a one-month progression to November 8, 2002. For India and the rest of the world, the date will push ahead by two months and two weeks, reaching July 1, 2010.

In the F-4 category (brothers and sisters of adult US citizens), the Final Action Date chart indicates advancements for both India and the Philippines. Mexico’s cut-off date will stay the same at March 1, 2001, and the rest of the world will hold steady at August 1, 2007. Specifically, for the Philippines, the dates will move forward by one month to May 1, 2004, and for India, the dates will also progress by one month to April 8, 2006.

Employment preference categories

The visa bulletin for January 2025 reflects modest forward movement in some categories, namely EB-2 and EB-3. We continue to see incremental movements throughout the fiscal year 2025, as opposed to significant movements at the beginning of the fiscal year. This could be a reflection of improved coordination between the State Department and USCIS in an effort to address the backlog of cases that developed as a result of the global pandemic. USCIS has confirmed that applicants can utilize the Dates for Filing chart to submit their Adjustment of Status applications, which has not changed since the December and October 2024 visa bulletins.

In the first preference category (EB-1, Priority Workers), the situation remains unchanged from the December 2024 visa bulletin. The China cut-off date will remain at November 8, 2022, and the EB-1 India cut-off date will remain at February 1, 2022. All other countries will remain current. Based on the Date for Filing Chart, the cut-off date for China applicants to file their AOS applications will remain at January 1, 2023, and for India, it will remain at April 15, 2022.

In the second preference category, EB-2, Professionals with Advanced Degrees or Individuals of Exceptional Ability, we see across-the-board advancements for all. The cut-off date for India will be advanced by two months, to October 1, 2012. The cut-off date for EB-2 China will move forward by one month, to April 22, 2020. For the rest of the countries, the dates will be advanced by two weeks, to April 1, 2023. According to the Date for Filing Chart, applicants can file their AOS applications as follows: for India, the cut-off date will remain the same at January 1, 2013; for China, it will stay at October 1, 2020; and for the rest of the world, it will remain at August 1, 2023.

In the third preference category (EB-3, Skilled Workers, Professionals, and Other Workers) the Final Action Date Chart also reflects across-the-board advancements. This would advance the cut-off date for India three weeks, to December 1, 2012, the cut-off date for China would advance two months to June 1, 2020, and for the rest of the world the dates would advance by two weeks, to December 1, 2022. According to the Date for Filing Chart for EB-3, this would hold steady at June 8, 2013 for India, at November 15, 2020 for China, and at March 1, 2023 for the rest of the world.

In the fourth preference category (EB-4, Minister and Non-Minister Religious Workers Program), the cut-off date will continue to be January 1, 2021. According to the Date for Filing Chart, the cut-off date will remain February 1, 2021. The EB-4 Non-Minister Worker program is scheduled to end on December 20, 2024. If Congress does not extend this program, the category will be deemed “unavailable” starting December 20. Consequently, from December 20 onward, the State Department will cease issuing immigrant visas, and USCIS will halt the approval of any pending adjustment of status applications until Congress enacts reauthorization legislation.

In the fifth and final preference category (EB-5, Investors), the dates will stay the same as those listed in the December visa bulletin. For the EB-5 unreserved categories (C5, T5, I5, and R5), the cut-off date for India will remain January 1, 2022, while for China, it will continue to be July 15, 2016. All other nations will still be current. The EB-5 set-aside categories (Rural, High Unemployment, and Infrastructure) will also remain current. According to the Date for Filing Chart for the EB-5 unreserved categories, the cut-off date for China will stay at October 1, 2016, and for India, it will remain April 1, 2022, with all other countries being current. The EB-5 set-aside categories will likewise continue to be current.

Final words!

We will keep observing and updating predictions and changes in the monthly visa bulletin. Should you have any inquiries regarding your priority date, the January 2025 visa bulletin, or any other questions related to US immigration, please do not hesitate to reach out to us. With our vast expertise and understanding, we are dedicated to offering you the appropriate guidance tailored to your unique circumstances.

To stay updated and informed, keep an eye out on our visa bulletin section or visit – https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/legal/visa-law0/visa-bulletin.html

Visit us: https://gehilaw.com/practices-areas/immigration-law/family-based-immigration/