The US Department of State’s January 2025 Visa Bulletin has been released, marking the first bulletin of the new year and showing notable progress in several employment-based (EB) visa categories, particularly benefiting applicants from India.
The visa bulletin is a key tool for those seeking green cards, providing critical dates that indicate when applicants can file or expect their applications to be processed. These dates reflect the earliest possible time for visa issuance or adjustment of status approvals.
Family-sponsored visa updates
For family-sponsored categories, there are several key changes in the January bulletin.
- The F1 category, for unmarried sons and daughters of US citizens, has advanced to November 22, 2015 for final action.
- The F3 category, for married sons and daughters of US citizens, has moved to July 1, 2010, while its filing date has advanced to July 22, 2012.
- The F4 category, for siblings of US citizens, has seen an increase to August 15, 2006.
- F2A (spouses and children of permanent residents) and F2B (unmarried sons and daughters of permanent residents) remain largely unchanged.
Advancements in employment-based preferences
The bulletin also indicates significant forward movement in several employment-based preferences:
- EB-2 (members of the professions holding advanced degrees or individuals of exceptional ability) has advanced to October 1, 2012 for final action, with the filing dates remaining at January 1, 2013.
- EB-3 (skilled workers, professionals, and other workers) now has a final action date of December 1, 2012, with no movement in the filing dates.
- Set-aside employment visas, including those for rural, high-unemployment, and infrastructure projects, remain “current,” allowing for timely processing for eligible applicants.
Understanding the visa bulletin
For individuals seeking to adjust their immigration status, understanding the Visa Bulletin is essential. It provides two critical date sections:
- Dates for filing: The earliest date an applicant can submit an adjustment of status or immigrant visa application.
- Final action dates: These dates represent when applicants can expect their applications to be processed, leading to potential green card issuance.
Applicants must ensure their application dates precede the specific final action or filing dates listed in the bulletin for their category and country of origin to remain eligible.
Family-sponsored visa categories
The bulletin outlines various family-sponsored preference categories, offering insight into the allocation of immigrant visas. These categories include:
- First preference (F1): Unmarried sons and daughters of US citizens.
- Second preference (F2): Spouses and children, and unmarried sons and daughters of permanent residents.
- Third preference (F3): Married sons and daughters of US citizens.
- Fourth preference (F4): Brothers and sisters of adult US citizens.
In the event of oversubscription, when demand exceeds available visas in a category, the final action dates are adjusted to reflect the priority date of the first applicant unable to be accommodated. The US family-sponsored visa program has a limit of 226,000 immigrants annually, with per-country caps of 7% of the total annual preference limit.
Employment-based visa allocation
Employment-based visa categories are structured to ensure a diverse pool of workers for the US economy. These categories are divided into:
- Priority workers (28.6% of the total) – Includes individuals with extraordinary abilities, outstanding professors, and multinational executives.
- Professions holding advanced degrees (28.6%) – Includes professionals with advanced degrees or exceptional abilities.
- Skilled workers, professionals, and other workers (28.6%) – Covers skilled workers and “other workers” performing unskilled labor.
- Certain special immigrants (7.1%) – Includes religious workers and US foreign service employees.
- Employment creation (7.1%) – Divided among rural area investors (20%), high-unemployment area investors (10%), and infrastructure investors (2%).
This structure ensures a balanced distribution of immigrant visas, aiming to attract skilled workers and foster innovation and economic growth in the US.
