Key Points
- The Department of State (DOS) released the February 2025 Visa Bulletin.
- USCIS will use the Final Action Dates chart for employment-based categories.
- Several categories see significant delays, while others remain unchanged.
Overview
The Department of State (DOS) has published the February 2025 Visa Bulletin, which outlines immigrant visa availability for Final Action Dates and Filing Application dates. Notably, USCIS has announced it will follow the Final Action Date chart for employment-based visa applicants this month.
Key updates in the February 2025 bulletin highlight significant shifts in priority dates across employment-based preference categories. For instance:
EB-1
- India retrogresses to February 1, 2022, while China retrogresses to November 8, 2022.
- All other countries remain current.
EB-2
- India sees a nearly three-month regression to October 15, 2012.
- China retrogresses to April 22, 2020, while all other countries retrogresses to a cutoff date of April 23, 2023.
EB-3
- India retrogresses by over six months to December 15, 2012.
- China retrogresses to July 1, 2020, while all other chargeability areas retrogressed to December 22, 2022.
The Visa Bulletin (VB) also includes updates on family-sponsored preference categories, Diversity Immigrant visas (DV), Special Provisions for Religious Workers (SR), and US Government employee Special Immigrant Visas (SIVs).
The employment-based immigrant visa limit for FY 2025 is set at 140,000, with an additional breakdown by categories. The per-country cap for preference immigrants remains at 7% of the total annual limit. These adjustments reflect the ongoing demand for employment-based and family-sponsored visas under statutory guidelines.
Stakeholders, including employers and foreign nationals, should carefully review the changes and assess their impact on eligibility and filing strategies. Accurate priority date tracking and timely documentation submission are critical for securing visas within the updated parameters.
For further guidance, applicants should monitor the USCIS website to confirm which chart applies to adjustment of status filings this month.
Looking Ahead
As visa demand fluctuates and priority dates have retrogressed, stakeholders should expect ongoing adjustments in subsequent Visa Bulletins. Companies sponsoring foreign workers are encouraged to stay proactive in monitoring these updates to avoid delays in the immigration process. Additionally, more retrogressions or category-specific announcements may occur as the fiscal year progresses, particularly for India and China’s heavily oversubscribed categories like EB-2 and EB-3.
Corporate immigration professionals, HR managers, and foreign nationals should consult with experienced immigration attorneys to navigate these updates effectively and optimize immigration strategies.
