The Department of State released the May 2025 visa bulletin. The visa bulletin summarizes the availability of immigrant visas both for consular processing and adjustment of status applications to be filed in May 2025. The State Department releases both the Final Action Dates and Application Filing Dates for Employment-Based and Family-Based immigrant visas. Additionally, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) determines which chart applicants must use to file their Adjustment of Status (AOS) applications. Below, we analyze the movements in the May 2025 Visa Bulletin.

USCIS to Honor Final Action Dates for Employment-Based Categories

The USCIS announced on its own Visa Bulletin web page that it will accept employment-based adjustment of status applications based on the Visa Bulletin Final Action Dates chart in May. To be eligible to file an employment-based adjustment application, foreign nationals must have a priority date that is earlier than the date listed below for their preference category and country.

Employment-Based Categories

We see mixed movements in the Employment-Based categories. We see retrogression in the EB-5 and EB-3 categories while we see moderate advancements in other categories. The retrogression in the EB-5 and Eb-3 categories for India is the result of increased demand and number usage by applicants from this country, as well as from other countries worldwide.

The EB-1 final action date for India will remain at February 15, 2022. The final action date for China will remain at November 8, 2022. The final action dates for all other categories will remain current.

The EB-2 final action date for India will remain at January 1, 2013. The final action date for China will remain at October 1, 2020. The final action dates for all other categories will remain at June 22, 2023.

The EB-3 Professionals and Skilled Workers final action date for India will advance by two weeks to April 15, 2013. The final action date for China will advance by one month November 1, 2020. The final action dates of all other countries will retrogress by six months to January 1, 2023.

The EB-5 final action date for India will retrogress by six months to May 1, 2019. The final action date for China will remain current. The final action dates for all other countries will remain current. The final action dates for all EB-5 set-aside categories will also remain current.

The EB-4 category has reached its annual limit. As a result, the EB-4 visa will be unavailable from now until the end of the fiscal year on September 30, 2025. The annual limit will be reset at the start of the fiscal year on October 1, 2025.

Family-Based Categories

In the Family-Based Preference category, we see advancement in most categories, as described below. The F1 category (Unmarried Sons and Daughters of U.S. Citizens) final action dates for both China and India will advance by one year and five months to September 1, 2017. The final action date for Mexico will advance by one year and four months to April 1, 2005. The final action date for the Philippines will advance by two years and nine months to April 22, 2015. The final action dates for all other countries will advance by one year and six months to September 1, 2017.

In the F2A category (Spouses and Children of Permanent Residents), the final action dates for all categories will advance by seven months to February 1, 2025.

In the F2B category (Unmarried Sons and Daughters, 21 years of age or older, of Permanent Residents), the final action date for Mexico will advance by one year and four months to April 1, 2007. The final action date for the Philippines will advance by one year and ten months to October 1, 2013. The final action dates for China, India, and all other countries will advance by five months to January 1, 2017.

In the F3 category (Married Sons and Daughters of U.S. Citizens), the final action date for Mexico will advance by six months to June 15, 2001. The final action date for the Philippines will advance by one year and six months to September 22, 2004. The final action dates for all other countries will advance by about one year and four months to July 22, 2012.

In the F4 category (Brothers and Sisters of Adult U.S. Citizens), the final action date for India will advance by just under four months to October 1, 2006. The final action date for Mexico will advance by roughly six weeks to April 30, 2001. The final action date for the Philippines will advance by three years to January 1, 2008. The final action dates for China and all other countries will advance by ten months, to June 1, 2008.

As always, we at ILBSG continue to monitor and report predictions and movements related to the monthly Visa Bulletin. If you have questions regarding your priority date, please feel free to contact us. We put our extensive experience and expertise to work for you to ensure you receive the right advice. In an ever-evolving immigration landscape, it’s particularly critical.

Employment Based Visa Family Based Visa may 2025 visa bulletin