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United States: October 2025 Visa Bulletin – Moderate Movement in Final Action Dates Across Most Employment-Based Categories for the Start of the Fiscal Year

September 12, 2025

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  • United StatesUnited States

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At a glance

  • At the start of the new fiscal year in October, the Final Action Dates for several EB-1, EB-2 and EB-3 countries will move forward, but none will advance by more than three and a half months.
  • The Final Action Date for EB-5 India will advance by almost 15 months.
  • The Dates for Filing chart shows more significant employment-based advancements in EB-1 through EB-3, with some categories advancing more than a year.
  • The Date for Filing for the EB-5 China category will retrogress by three months.

A closer look 

According to the State Department’s October Visa Bulletin, Final Action cutoff dates for issuance of an immigrant visa or approval of an adjustment of status application will be as follows: 

  • EB-1: China will advance by five weeks to December 22, 2022, and India will remain at February 15, 2022. All other countries will continue to be current.
  • EB-2: China will advance by three and a half months to April 1, 2021, and India will advance by three months to April 1, 2013.  All other countries will advance by three months to December 1, 2023.
  • EB-3 Professionals and Skilled Workers: China will advance by three months to March 1, 2021, India will advance by three months to August 22, 2013, and the Philippines will advance by seven weeks to April 1, 2023. All other countries will remain at April 1, 2023.
  • EB-5: For the EB-5 Unreserved categories, China will remain at December 8, 2015, and India will advance by almost 15 months to February 1, 2021. All other countries will remain current. The EB-5 set-aside categories (Rural, High Unemployment, and Infrastructure) will also remain current.

The October Dates for Filing will advance for all countries in the EB-1, EB-2, and EB-3 Professional/Skilled Worker categories, while the EB-5 India date will remain the same. However, the EB-5 China Date for Filing will retrogress by three months to July 1, 2016.

In the coming days, USCIS will announce on its own Visa Bulletin web page whether the agency will accept adjustment of status applications based on the Visa Bulletin Final Action Dates chart or the Dates for Filing chart in October.

Final Action Dates for October 2025

EB-1 
China: December 22, 2022
India: February 15, 2022
All other countries: Current            

EB-2  
China: April 1, 2021
India: April 1, 2013
All other countries: December 1, 2023

EB-3 Professionals and Skilled Workers  
China: March 1, 2021
India: August 22, 2013
All other countries: April 1, 2023

EB-3 Other Workers  
China: December 1, 2017
India: August 22, 2013
All other countries: July 15, 2021

EB-4 (except SR Certain Religious Workers)
All countries: July 1, 2020

EB-4 SR Certain Religious Workers
All countries: Unavailable*
*The EB-4 Certain Religious Workers (SR) category will become unavailable for all countries on October 1, 2025 unless the program is reauthorized by legislation for the new fiscal year.

EB-5 Unreserved (Regional Center and Non-Regional Center)
China: December 8, 2015
India: February 1, 2021
All other countries: Current

EB-5 Set-Asides
Rural: Current for all countries
High Unemployment: Current for all countries
Infrastructure: Current for all countries

Dates for Filing for October 2025

EB-1 
China: May 15, 2023
India: April 15, 2023
All other countries: Current

EB-2  
China: December 1, 2021
India: December 1, 2013 
All other countries: July 15, 2024

EB-3 Professionals and Skilled Workers  
China: January 1, 2022
India: August 15, 2014
All other countries: July 1, 2023

EB-3 Other Workers  
China: October 1, 2018
India: August 15, 2014
All other countries: December 1, 2021

EB-4 (except SR Certain Religious Workers)
All countries: February 15, 2021

EB-4 SR Certain Religious Workers
All countries: Unavailable*
*As noted above, this category will become unavailable for all countries on October 1, 2025 unless the Certain Religious Workers program is reauthorized by legislation for the new fiscal year.

EB-5 Unreserved (Regional Center and Non-Regional Center)
China: July 1, 2016
India: April 1, 2022
All other countries: Current

EB-5 Set-Asides
Rural: Current for all countries
High Unemployment: Current for all countries
Infrastructure: Current for all countries

This alert is for informational purposes only. If you have any questions, please contact the immigration professional with whom you work at Fragomen. 

Country / Territory

  • United StatesUnited States

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