The U.S. Department of State released its Visa Bulletin for October 2025. This monthly update is important if you’re waiting for a green card because it shows how long you might have to wait.
Every month, USCIS announces whether applicants already living in the United States should file their “adjustment of status” applications based on the “Final Action Dates” or the “Dates for Filing.” This month:
- Family-based applicants must use the “Dates for Filing” chart
- Employment-based applicants must use the “Dates for Filing” chart
In the October 2025 Visa Bulletin, both family- and employment-based green card categories saw significant movement. The biggest family-based changes were in the F-2B category for Mexico, which progressed more than 8 months, and the F-1 category for Mexico, which advanced over 4 months. The F-2A category moved ahead nearly 4 months across all countries, and the F-3 category moved forward 3 months for the Philippines. The F-4 category for China and All Other Areas moved forward 2 months, while India advanced by 2 weeks.
In the employment-based categories, the EB-1 category advanced 6 months for China and more than a year for India, while the EB-2 category moved ahead by nearly a year for all countries. The EB-3 category saw even larger jumps for China (1 year, 5 months) and India (1 year, 2 months). The EB-5 category for India experienced the biggest progression, advancing by more than two years. Finally, with the start of the new fiscal year in October, the EB-4 category became available again, reopening with a February 15, 2021 priority date for all countries.
Check out the tables below to see what else changed this month.
What is the Visa Bulletin?
- The Visa Bulletin lists priority dates, which are like placeholders in the green card application line.
- Each month, the U.S. Department of State calculates how many applications are waiting in each category. This helps them estimate when different applicants might be able to move forward.
- Dates for Filing: These are the dates listed in the Visa Bulletin. If your priority date is before the cut-off date listed for your category, you can take the next step in the application process. If your priority date is the same as the cut-off date, you are not yet eligible to move forward in the application process.
- Final Action Dates: The Visa Bulletin also shows “Final Action Dates.” This is an estimate of when your application will actually be processed and decided upon. The difference between these two dates roughly reflects the expected USCIS processing time.
- There are two ways to move forward when your priority date is current:
- Filing for Adjustment of Status: If you’re already living in the U.S.
- Applying for an Immigrant Visa: If you’re living outside the U.S.
Visa Bulletin FAQs at a Glance
What is my priority date? This is usually the date your green card application petition was initially filed. Check your paperwork or consult with an immigration attorney if you’re unsure.
What if my country has a backlog? Some countries have longer wait times than others due to high demand. This means cut-off dates may move slower and sometimes even go backward (this is called retrogression).
How long will I have to wait? Unfortunately, the Visa Bulletin can’t give you an exact answer. The wait time depends on your category and country backlog. It’s helpful to track patterns in your category over multiple months to get a better sense.
The Visa Bulletin can be confusing. We’ve put together a guide to help you understand it and find your priority date: How to Read the Visa Bulletin.
If you’re already familiar with those terms, scroll down to our summary of key developments or to the filing category that’s most relevant to you:
Family-based categories
- F-1: Unmarried Children (Age 21 and Older) of U.S. Citizens
- F-2A: Spouses and Unmarried Children (Under Age 21) of U.S. Green Card Holders
- F-2B: Unmarried Children (Age 21 or Older) of U.S. Green Card Holders
- F-3: Married Children of U.S. Citizens
- F-4: Siblings of U.S. Citizens
Employment-based categories
- EB-1: Extraordinary People, Outstanding Researchers and Professors, and Multinational Executives and Managers
- EB-2: Exceptional People and Advanced Degree Holders
- EB-3: Bachelor’s Degree Holders, Skilled Workers, and Unskilled Workers
- EB-4: Special Immigrants
- EB-5: Investors
Family-Based Green Card Backlogs
F-1: UNMARRIED CHILDREN (AGE 21 AND OLDER) OF U.S. CITIZENS
| Country | New Cut-Off Date | Old Cut-Off Date | Movement |
| All Other Areas | 1-Sep-17 | 1-Sep-17 | No Change |
| China | 1-Sep-17 | 1-Sep-17 | No Change |
| India | 1-Sep-17 | 1-Sep-17 | No Change |
| Mexico | 8-Oct-06 | 1-Jun-06 | 4 months, 1 week |
| Philippines | 22-Apr-15 | 22-Apr-15 | No Change |
F-2A: SPOUSES AND UNMARRIED CHILDREN (UNDER AGE 21) OF U.S. GREEN CARD HOLDERS
| Country | New Cut-Off Date | Old Cut-Off Date | Movement |
| All Other Areas | 22-Sep-25 | 1-Jun-25 | 3 months, 3 weeks |
| China | 22-Sep-25 | 1-Jun-25 | 3 months, 3 weeks |
| India | 22-Sep-25 | 1-Jun-25 | 3 months, 3 weeks |
| Mexico | 22-Sep-25 | 1-Jun-25 | 3 months, 3 weeks |
| Philippines | 22-Sep-25 | 1-Jun-25 | 3 months, 3 weeks |
F-2B: UNMARRIED CHILDREN (AGE 21 OR OLDER) OF U.S. GREEN CARD HOLDERS
| Country | New Cut-Off Date | Old Cut-Off Date | Movement |
| All Other Areas | 1-Jan-17 | 1-Jan-17 | No Change |
| China | 1-Jan-17 | 1-Jan-17 | No Change |
| India | 1-Jan-17 | 1-Jan-17 | No Change |
| Mexico | 15-Dec-08 | 1-Apr-08 | 8 months, 2 weeks |
| Philippines | 1-Oct-13 | 1-Oct-13 | No Change |
F-3: MARRIED CHILDREN OF U.S. CITIZENS
| Country | New Cut-Off Date | Old Cut-Off Date | Movement |
| All Other Areas | 22-Jul-12 | 22-Jul-12 | No Change |
| China | 22-Jul-12 | 22-Jul-12 | No Change |
| India | 22-Jul-12 | 22-Jul-12 | No Change |
| Mexico | 15-Jun-01 | 15-Jun-01 | No Change |
| Philippines | 1-Aug-05 | 1-May-05 | 3 months |
F-4: SIBLINGS OF U.S. CITIZENS
| Country | New Cut-Off Date | Old Cut-Off Date | Movement |
| All Other Areas | 1-Mar-09 | 1-Jan-09 | 2 months |
| China | 1-Mar-09 | 1-Jan-09 | 2 months |
| India | 15-Dec-06 | 1-Dec-06 | 2 weeks |
| Mexico | 30-Apr-01 | 30-Apr-01 | No Change |
| Philippines | 1-Jan-08 | 1-Jan-08 | No Change |
Employment-Based Green Card Backlogs
EB-1: EXTRAORDINARY PEOPLE, OUTSTANDING RESEARCHERS AND PROFESSORS, AND MULTINATIONAL EXECUTIVES AND MANAGERS
| Country | New Cut-Off Date | Old Cut-Off Date | Movement |
| All Other Areas | Current | Current | No Change |
| China | 15-May-23 | 15-Nov-22 | 6 months |
| India | 15-Apr-23 | 15-Feb-22 | 1 year, 2 months |
| Mexico | Current | Current | No Change |
| Philippines | Current | Current | No Change |
EB-2: EXCEPTIONAL PEOPLE AND ADVANCED DEGREE HOLDERS
| Country | New Cut-Off Date | Old Cut-Off Date | Movement |
| All Other Areas | 15-Jul-24 | 1-Sep-23 | 10 months, 2 weeks |
| China | 1-Dec-21 | 15-Dec-20 | 11 months, 2 weeks |
| India | 1-Dec-13 | 1-Jan-13 | 11 months |
| Mexico | 15-Jul-24 | 1-Sep-23 | 10 months, 2 weeks |
| Philippines | 15-Jul-24 | 1-Sep-23 | 10 months, 2 weeks |
EB-3: SKILLED WORKER OR PROFESSIONAL
| Country | New Cut-Off Date | Old Cut-Off Date | Movement |
| All Other Areas | 1-Jul-23 | 1-Apr-23 | 3 months |
| China | 1-Jan-22 | 1-Dec-20 | 1 year, 1 month |
| India | 15-Aug-14 | 22-May-13 | 1 year, 2 months, 3 weeks |
| Mexico | 1-Jul-23 | 1-Apr-23 | 3 months |
| Philippines | 1-Jul-23 | 8-Feb-23 | 4 months, 3 weeks |
EB-3: OTHER WORKER
| Country | New Cut-Off Date | Old Cut-Off Date | Movement |
| All Other Areas | 1-Dec-21 | 8-Jul-21 | 4 months, 3 weeks |
| China | 1-Oct-18 | 1-May-17 | 1 year, 5 months |
| India | 15-Aug-14 | 22-May-13 | 1 year, 2 months, 3 weeks |
| Mexico | 1-Dec-21 | 8-Jul-21 | 4 months, 3 weeks |
| Philippines | 1-Dec-21 | 8-Jul-21 | 4 months, 3 weeks |
EB-4: “SPECIAL IMMIGRANTS” CATEGORY
| Country | New Cut-Off Date | Old Cut-Off Date | Movement |
| All Other Areas | 15-Feb-21 | Unauthorized | N/A |
| China | 15-Feb-21 | Unauthorized | N/A |
| India | 15-Feb-21 | Unauthorized | N/A |
| Mexico | 15-Feb-21 | Unauthorized | N/A |
| Philippines | 15-Feb-21 | Unauthorized | N/A |
EB-5: “INVESTORS” CATEGORY
| Country | New Cut-Off Date | Old Cut-Off Date | Movement |
| All Other Areas | Current | Current | No Change |
| China | 1-Jul-16 | 8-Dec-15 | 6 months, 3 weeks |
| India | 1-Apr-22 | 15-Nov-19 | 2 years, 4 months, 2 weeks |
| Mexico | Current | Current | No Change |
| Philippines | Current | Current | No Change |