The United States Department of State has issued the Visa Bulletin for July 2025, which describes the allocation of immigrant visa numbers in the family-sponsored and employment-based preference categories. Some preferences saw moderate advancement, although major countries such as India, China, Mexico, and the Philippines remain oversubscribed. The cut-off dates for the Diversity Visa program have also continued to advance, with the September 30, 2025, end date for DV-2025 applicants now solidified.
Summary of Visa Availability for July 2025
Applicants filing for adjustment of status are advised to follow the “Final Action Dates” unless the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) specifies that the “Dates for Filing” may be used. This month’s bulletin highlights the ongoing demand for visas and backlogs, particularly for applicants from high-volume countries.
Family-Sponsored Category: Modest Movement, Long Waits Remain
The FY2025 family-sponsored preference category limit is 226,000 visas, with a 7% country limitation, which translates to approximately 25,620 visas per country. In India, Mexico, and the Philippines, which are among the most used countries, there are still many pending items. Major categories in July 2025: All categories except for F1 have identical qualifying dates for unmarried U.S. citizens’ children, with Mexico following suit due to a cut-off in April 2005.
- F2A (Spouses and children of permanent residents): The final action date remains September 1, 2022, except for Mexico, which is now February 1, 2022.
- F2B (Unmarried adult children of permanent residents): Only minimal shifts across the board; the Philippines remains at April 2012.
- The cases of F3 and F4 (married children, parents, and siblings of U.S. citizens) have not made much progress, with Mexico and the Philippines experiencing the most extended delays among them.
Despite applicants using the “Dates for Filing” chart, no significant changes were reported, including the current status of F2A categories.
Employment-Based Immigration: Select Categories See Limited Advancement
The worldwide employment-based immigrant visa limit remains at a minimum of 140,000. The employment-based categories experienced some movement, although India and China still face significant delays due to ongoing demand.
Key July 2025 changes:
- EB-1 (Priority Workers): Current for most countries; backlogged in China (Nov 2022) and India (Feb 2022).
- EB-2 (Advanced Degrees): Slight advancement for most regions; India remains stalled at January 2013.
- EB-3 (Skilled Workers & Professionals): Modest progress; India and China see no major shifts.
- EB-4 (Certain Special Immigrants): Still marked “U” (Unauthorized) for all chargeability areas.
- EB-5 (Investor Visas): Remains current in most categories except for unreserved visas from China and India.
Applicants should note the NACARA-mandated reduction to the “Other Workers” category, which caps the available visas at approximately 5,000 this fiscal year.
Diversity Visa Program: Final Processing Phase Looming
The DV-2025 limit has been reduced to approximately 52,000 due to NACARA and NDAA provisions. Regional allocation ceilings remain in effect, particularly for high-demand countries. Key takeaways for DV-2025 applicants:
- African countries such as Egypt, Algeria, and Morocco still have cut-off dates.
- Asia’s limit is 9,000, with Iran and Nepal nearing their quotas.
- The final entitlement deadline remains September 30, 2025—no DV-2025 visas will be issued beyond this date.
As of August, allocation cut-offs will be raised across all regions; however, applicants are advised not to delay. DV numbers can be exhausted before the end of the fiscal year.
What’s Next?
Applicants should stay updated via USCIS announcements regarding the use of the “Dates for Filing” chart for adjustment of status. High-demand countries may continue to see limited movement as the fiscal year progresses.
To ensure expeditious processing, applicants should be prepared to submit their papers after their priority date has been updated. For the latest news, continue to visit the USCIS and Visa Bulletin websites.
For updates, refer to our monthly Visa Bulletin news releases or visit: https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/legal/visa-law0/visa-bulletin.html.
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