Highlights
The US Department of State has published the Visa Bulletin for February 2025. This is a mixed bag in certain instances, as there is forward movement within the popular categories, but not across the board this month. Unless otherwise indicated, all the cut-off dates reflected are from the final action chart.
For India, the EB-2 and EB-3 Final Action Dates will advance two weeks in February. EB-3 China Professional/Skilled Workers will move up a month. The other employment-based Final Action dates will not move for February.
It will allow USCIS to grant foreign nationals adjustment of status if their priority date is earlier than the Final Action Dates shown in the State Department’s Visa Bulletin for February.
There is much change happening in the US immigration landscape in 2025, with more visas available and huge leaps in improvement for Indian applicants trying to obtain green cards and other benefits. Coming as a breather is the February 2025 Visa Bulletin, which ushers good news in priority date movement across categories, finally offering the much-awaited solace and a faster green card process to Indians.
Employment-based category
Following are immigrant visa and adjustment of status application dates that moved under the State Department’s Visa Bulletin for February:
EB-1: For India, a cut-off date of February 1, 2022. China has a cut-off date in this category of November 8, 2022. It is currently available for all countries in the rest of the world.
EB-2: It would move up by two weeks for India to October 15, 2012, while China would remain at April 22, 2020. All countries other than India and China would be current as of April 1, 2023.
EB-3 Professionals and Skilled Workers: The date for India will progress two weeks to December 15, 2012, and China will progress one month to July 1, 2020. All other countries remain current at December 1, 2022.
EB-3 Other Workers: India will advance two weeks to December 15, 2012, China will stay the same at January 1, 2017, and all others at December 8, 2020.
EB-5 Unreserved categories: China remains at July 15, 2016 and India remains at January 1, 2022. All other countries remain current. Further, under EB-5 the following set-aside categories remains current: Rural, High Unemployment and Infrastructure.
More info on employment-based category
USCIS recently shared on their Visa Bulletin page that they will start accepting adjustment of status applications in February based on the State Department’s Final Action Dates chart.
If you want to file an employment-based adjustment of status application next month, you need to have a priority date that is earlier than the Final Action Date for your category and country.
General info on family-based category
The Visa Bulletin outlines several categories of family-sponsored immigrants. This is very important to pursue a Green Card. Following is the category that an immigrant may fall into, in order of priority:
- First Preference (F1): Unmarried kids of US citizens
- Second Preference (F2): Spouses and kids, plus unmarried kids of Permanent Residents
- F2A: Spouses and kids of Permanent Residents.
- F2B: Unmarried kids (21 or older) of Permanent Residents.
- Third Preference F3: Married children of US citizens.
- Fourth Preference F4: Sisters and brothers of adult US citizens
This bulletin is an elaboration on how immigrant visas are issued, mostly based on priority dates and demand on the 1st of April of each year. When more people in a category want visas than there are visa numbers in that category, that category becomes oversubscribed. They then set a final action date based on the priority date of the first applicant who could not receive a visa due to the limits.
The limit for family-sponsored immigrants for fiscal year 2024 was 226,000, with cut-offs for each category. Additionally, there are limits for each country, capped at 7% of the total yearly family-sponsored and employment-based visas. They issue immigrant visas in priority according to the filing date of the petition.
Spouses and children of preference immigrants have the same status and are accorded the same consideration as the principal applicant. If the number of visas issued exceeds the country limit, they apply special rules for oversubscribed areas, such as China (mainland born), India, Mexico, and the Philippines, so that visas are fairly distributed among applicants from different countries.
All this will be very important to understand incase you are going through an immigrant visa process. The Visa Bulletin is a resource needed, providing you with necessary information on visa availability and processing times for better planning of your immigration journey.
Specific details on the family-based category
Family-based visa categories did not budge from the previous month’s standing. For all, the date for both Final Action and dates to file remain standing. For Indians, the dates are:
- F1: Cutoff date: 22 Nov, 2015, for unmarried children – kids of US citizens,
- F2A: Cutoff date: 1 Jan, 2022 , for spouses and unmarried kids of green card holders,
- F2B: The cut-off date is May 22, 2016, for unmarried kids 21 and over of green card holders,
- F3: The cut-off date is July 1, 2010, for married kids of US citizens,
- F4: The cut-off date is August 1, 2007, for siblings of US citizens.
Thus, the above cut-off dates indicate the waiting time an applicant from India has to undergo in each category.
Final words!
Family-sponsored final action and dates for filing cutoff dates show no movement for February from the January Visa Bulletin.
However, some of the employment-based categories will move forward in February. For example, EB-2 India will advance two weeks to Oct. 15, 2012, EB-3 India also moves up two weeks to Dec. 15, 2012, while EB-3 China jumps one month forward to July 1, 2020, and EB-3 India (for other workers) moves up two weeks to Dec. 15, 2012.
Additionally, when the time permits any news or update, rest assured you shall be notified on Visa Bulletin change and every relevant current update provided via our website.
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
