The U.S. Department of State issued the Visa Bulletin for May 2025, which includes information on the allocation of immigrant visa numbers to be reserved under the family-sponsored and employment-based preference categories. The most significant categories show limited movement, with India, China, Mexico, and the Philippines remaining oversubscribed. The Diversity Visa Program numbers are also disclosed, with processing deadlines set at September 30, 2025.
Overview of Visa Availability for May 2025
The Visa Bulletin for May 2025, published by the Department of State, outlines the distribution of immigrant visa numbers for employment-based and family-sponsored categories. Applicants must refer to the “Final Action Dates” unless the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) allows the use of the “Dates for Filing Applications.” The bulletin outlines essential procedures for determining visa availability and emphasizes the impact of country-specific limits on immigrant visa allocation.
Family-Sponsored Immigration Updates
The fiscal year 2025 cap for family-sponsored preference categories is 226,000 visas. Every nation has a 7% limit on the total number, which can be applied to countries like China, India, Mexico, and the Philippines, which remain oversubscribed.
Key family-sponsored categories are:
- F1: Sons and daughters without spouses of U.S. citizens
- F2A: Children and spouses of permanent residents
- F2B: Sons and daughters without spouses of permanent residents
- F3: Married children of U.S. citizens
- F4: Brothers and sisters of adult U.S. citizens
The last action dates for May 2025 show minimal change from previous months, namely for oversubscribed countries like Mexico and the Philippines.
Employment-Based Immigration Updates
For employment-based immigrants, the global number is at least 140,000 visas. Five preference categories exist: Priority Workers, Professionals with Advanced Degrees, and Skilled Workers.
May 2025 highlights are:
- The EB-1 category is current for all nations, with special cutoff dates for China and India.
- The EB-2 category shows slow advancement, with India and China experiencing the most enormous backlogs.
- EB-3 is a high-demand category that affects Indian and Chinese workers to a large extent.
- The fourth Preference (Certain Special Immigrants) category comes under “unauthorized” (U) at all places, indicating the non-availability of a visa.
- EB-5 investor visa categories generally remain current, reserved for rural and high-unemployment areas.
One considerable change is regarding the continued impact of NACARA provisions reducing the visas in “Other Worker” for the fiscal year 2025.
Diversity Visa Program Updates
After statutory reductions, the Diversity Visa (DV) program grants a maximum of roughly 52,000 visas for fiscal year 2025. Eligible applicants worldwide can access the May 2025 numbers; however, country-specific restrictions still apply. African countries like Egypt, Algeria, Morocco, and countries like Iran and Nepal in Asia face separate allocation limits.
Applicants must complete their visa processing by September 30, 2025, as no diversity visas for FY-2025 will be issued after that date. The bulletin also warns that available DV numbers can be used up before the close of the fiscal year.
What’s Next?
With increasing demand, especially from backlog countries, applicants of visas are required to keenly observe the USCIS website for any posting on filing chart utilization. Visa numbers may be limited during the fiscal year, so applicants must take prompt action as soon as their priority dates are up to date. The changing context of U.S. immigration statistics will be communicated to applicants in future Visa Bulletins.
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/2025/visa-bulletin-for-may-2025.html
