Visa Bulletin: Final Action Dates For Indian Applicants Unchanged Declares US States Department Of June 2025

The United States Department of State’s June 2025 Visa Bulletin maintains largely unchanged Final Action Dates for Indian applicants across key employment and family-based immigration categories, offering no major relief for those awaiting green cards.

Under both family and employment-based preferences, Indians face long waiting periods continuing for most applicants. The Final Action Date for India -In the family-sponsored F4 category (brothers and sisters of U.S. citizens)-is 15 June 2006. Unmarried sons and daughters of US citizens fall under the F1 category, for them, the date is 8 June 2016.

Under employment-based categories, the EB-2 category (for professionals with advanced degrees or exceptional ability) remains significantly backlogged for Indian nationals. The Final Action Date is 1 January 2013. For EB-3 (skilled workers and professionals), the cut-off is 15 April 2013.

The “Dates for Filing” chart is not being used by USCIS this month which allows earlier submission of documents. To use the Final Action Dates chart for June, the USCIS continues to require applicants for adjustment of status.

As per the Immigration and Nationality Act, a per-country cap of 7% is enforced on total family-sponsored and employment-based visas, limiting the number available for India to 25,620 annually.

India is one of the four countries affected by visa prorating provisions due to high demand, alongside China, Mexico and the Philippines.

For employment-based preference visas at a minimum of 140,000, the worldwide limit for family-sponsored visas in fiscal year 2025 is set at 226,000. USCIS and consular officers continue to allocate visas based on priority dates and demand reported through 2 May 2025.

Due to continued oversubscription across nearly all categories, immigrants from India remain subject to extended backlogs.

For individuals looking for Green Cards, understanding the Visa Bulletin is crucial , as it provides vital information about the timeline for adjusting immigration status and eligibility based on application submission. The bulletin acts as a guide for the Green Card journey, featuring two essential sections.

Dates for Filing: This section specifies the earliest date 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.

Final Action Dates: These dates estimate the wait time for application approval, leading to permanent residency. They function as a queue based on visa category and nationality, indicating when applicants can expect their applications to be processed.

To file in August 2025, applicants must have an application date preceding a specific date listed for their category and country in the bulletin, ensuring their eligibility for filing. This is a crucial caveat for employment-based green card (EB) adjustments.

The significance of final action dates lies in their role in application processing. These dates vary depending on the visa type and nationality, directly impacting the duration of the green card application process and potential wait times. Understanding and monitoring these dates is essential for individuals navigating the Green Card application process.

The Visa Bulletin outlines preference categories for family-sponsored immigrants. The categories are as follows:

First Preference (F1): Unmarried Sons and Daughters of U.S. Citizens

Second Preference (F2): Spouses and Children, and Unmarried Sons and Daughters of Permanent Residents

F2A: Spouses and Children of Permanent Residents

F2B: Unmarried Sons and Daughters (21 years of age or older) of Permanent Residents

Third Preference (F3): Married Sons and Daughters of U.S. Citizens

Fourth Preference (F4): Brothers and Sisters of Adult U.S. Citizens

The bulletin provides details into the allocation of immigrant visas, primarily based on priority dates and demand received by April 1st of each fiscal year. When demand surpasses the available visas in a particular category or country, that category is classified as oversubscribed. In such cases, the final action date for oversubscribed categories is determined by the priority date of the first applicant who couldn't be accommodated within the numerical limits.

For the fiscal year 2024, the limit for family-sponsored preference immigrants is set at 226,000, with specific allocations for each preference category. Additionally, there are per-country limits set at 7% of the total annual family-sponsored and employment-based preference limits. Immigrant visas are issued in order of priority based on the filing date of the petition.

1. Priority Workers: This category receives 28.6% of the global employment-based preference level. It includes:

Individuals with extraordinary abilities in their field

Outstanding professors and researchers

Multinational executives or managers

Additionally, any surplus numbers not used for the fourth and fifth preferences may also be allocated here.

Members of the Professions Holding Advanced Degrees or Individuals of Exceptional Ability: This category is also allotted 28.6% of the global employment-based preference level, plus any numbers not required by the first preference. It covers:

Individuals with advanced degrees

Individuals with exceptional abilities in their respective fields.

Skilled Workers, Professionals, and Other Workers: This category receives 28.6% of the worldwide level, along with any numbers not required by the first and second preferences. Skilled workers and professionals "Other Workers" performing unskilled labor, with a cap of 10,000 visas.

Certain Special Immigrants: This category is allocated 7.1% of the global level and includes:

Religious workers

Certain employees of U.S. foreign service posts. Individuals who have served in the U.S. armed forces.

Employment Creation: This category also receives 7.1% of the global level. It is further divided to ensure targeted investment and job creation:

20% for qualified immigrants investing in rural areas

10% for those investing in high unemployment areas

2% for those investing in infrastructure projects

The remaining 68% is unrestricted and available to all other eligible investors.

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