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Find the archived Visa Bulletin for May, 2025 below, or check out the most recent Visa Bulletin.
The U.S. Department of State released its Visa Bulletin for May 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” (available on the State Department’s website), while employment-based applicants must use the “Final Action Dates” (also available on the State Department’s website).
The May 2025 Visa Bulletin brought modest movement in some family-based green card categories, with the most significant change seen in the F-2A category (spouses and young children of U.S. green card holders), which advanced by over three months across all countries. The F-4 category (siblings of U.S. citizens) also saw a two-month advancement for most countries except India and Mexico. All other family-based categories, including F-1, F-2B, F-3, and most employment-based categories, remained unchanged. Notably, the EB-5 category for India retrogressed by six months, signaling increased demand in that investor visa category. The EB-4 category has reached its annual limit and will remain unavailable until the new fiscal year.
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.
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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:
- 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
- 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
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
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Employment-Based Green Card Backlogs
EB-1: EXTRAORDINARY PEOPLE, OUTSTANDING RESEARCHERS AND PROFESSORS, AND MULTINATIONAL EXECUTIVES AND MANAGERS
EB-2: EXCEPTIONAL PEOPLE AND ADVANCED DEGREE HOLDERS
EB-3: SKILLED WORKER OR PROFESSIONAL
EB-3: OTHER WORKER
EB-4: “SPECIAL IMMIGRANTS” CATEGORY
EB-5: “INVESTORS” CATEGORY
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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.
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