US April 2025 Visa Bulletin: Major changes in for Indian families seeking Green Cards, BIG boost announced for these EB visa categories
While some categories are moving forward compared to March, others have retrogressed, painting a mixed picture for those waiting in line
- Mar 11, 2025,
- Updated Mar 11, 2025 11:40 AM IST
The U.S. Department of State’s April 2025 Visa Bulletin is out, and it brings both promising advances and concerning setbacks for Indian visa applicants. While some categories are moving forward compared to March, others have retrogressed, painting a mixed picture for those waiting in line.
Below is a detailed insight on India’s visa cutoffs and changes between the April 2025 and March 2025 Bulletins.
Family‑Sponsored Preferences
Final Action Dates: F1, F3, and F4 for India have advanced significantly in April compared to March, easing the wait for these applicants. F2A and F2B are unchanged.
March vs. April
| Category | March Final Action Date | April Final Action Date | Change |
| F1 (Unmarried Sons & Daughters of U.S. Citizens) | 22Nov15 | 15Mar16 | Advanced by ~4 months |
| F2A (Spouses/Unmarried Children of Permanent Residents) | 01Jan22 | 01Jan22 | No change |
| F2B (Unmarried Sons & Daughters, 21+ of Permanent Residents) | 22May16 | 22May16 | No change |
| F3 (Married Sons & Daughters of U.S. Citizens) | 01Jul10 | 01Apr11 | Advanced by ~9 months |
| F4 (Brothers & Sisters of U.S. Citizens) | 08Apr06 | 01Aug07 | Advanced by over 1 year |
Meanwhile, in the Filing Dates category, only F2A (delayed by 3 months) and F4 (advanced by 1 month) show movement; the rest remain static.
March vs. April
| Category | March Filing Date | April Filing Date | Change |
| F1 | 1Sep17 | 1Sep17 | No change |
| F2A | 15Jul24 | 15Oct24 | Delayed by 3 months |
| F2B | 1January17 | 1January17 | No change |
| F3 | 22Jul12 | 22Jul12 | No change |
| F4 | 01Mar08 | 01Apr08 | Advanced by 1 month |
Employment‑Based Preferences
Final Action Dates: EB‑1, EB‑2, and EB‑3 (both Skilled/Professionals and Other Workers) have advanced by between 2 weeks and 2 months. However, EB‑4 has been retrogressed to “Unavailable,” and EB‑5 has seen a substantial retrogression (from 01JAN22 in March to 01NOV19 in April).
March vs. April
| Category | March Final Action Date | April Final Action Date | Change |
| EB‑1 (Priority Workers) | 1Feb22 | 15Feb22 | Advanced by 14 days |
| EB‑2 (Advanced Degrees/Exceptional Ability) | 01Dec12 | 01Jan13 | Advanced by 1 month |
| EB‑3 (Skilled Workers/Professionals) | 1February13 | 1April13 | Advanced by 2 months |
| EB‑3 (Other Workers) | 01Feb13 | 01Apr13 | Advanced by 2 months |
| EB‑4 (Certain Special Immigrants) | 01Aug19 | Unavailable (U) | Retrogressed to “Unavailable” |
| EB‑5 (Unreserved) | 01Jan22 | 01Nov19 | Retrogressed by over 2 years Advertisement |
On the other hand, there has been no change in filing dates for any employment-based category for India.
This comparison highlights that while some family‑sponsored and employment‑based categories for India show improvements in final action dates in April, key categories such as EB‑4 and EB‑5 have experienced retrogression, underscoring the ongoing challenges of oversubscription.
About the visa bulletin
The Visa Bulletin is essential for individuals seeking green cards, as it provides vital information about the timelines for adjusting immigration status and eligibility based on the submission of applications. The bulletin consists of two main sections:
Final Action Dates: This section estimates the wait time for application approval for those seeking permanent residency. It creates a queue based on visa category and nationality, indicating when applicants can expect their applications to be processed.
Dates for Filing: This section specifies the earliest date that applicants can submit their adjustment of status or immigrant visa applications. It helps applicants determine when they can proceed with their filing based on their visa category and country of origin.
The U.S. Department of State’s April 2025 Visa Bulletin is out, and it brings both promising advances and concerning setbacks for Indian visa applicants. While some categories are moving forward compared to March, others have retrogressed, painting a mixed picture for those waiting in line.
Below is a detailed insight on India’s visa cutoffs and changes between the April 2025 and March 2025 Bulletins.
Family‑Sponsored Preferences
Final Action Dates: F1, F3, and F4 for India have advanced significantly in April compared to March, easing the wait for these applicants. F2A and F2B are unchanged.
March vs. April
| Category | March Final Action Date | April Final Action Date | Change |
| F1 (Unmarried Sons & Daughters of U.S. Citizens) | 22Nov15 | 15Mar16 | Advanced by ~4 months |
| F2A (Spouses/Unmarried Children of Permanent Residents) | 01Jan22 | 01Jan22 | No change |
| F2B (Unmarried Sons & Daughters, 21+ of Permanent Residents) | 22May16 | 22May16 | No change |
| F3 (Married Sons & Daughters of U.S. Citizens) | 01Jul10 | 01Apr11 | Advanced by ~9 months |
| F4 (Brothers & Sisters of U.S. Citizens) | 08Apr06 | 01Aug07 | Advanced by over 1 year |
Meanwhile, in the Filing Dates category, only F2A (delayed by 3 months) and F4 (advanced by 1 month) show movement; the rest remain static.
March vs. April
| Category | March Filing Date | April Filing Date | Change |
| F1 | 1Sep17 | 1Sep17 | No change |
| F2A | 15Jul24 | 15Oct24 | Delayed by 3 months |
| F2B | 1January17 | 1January17 | No change |
| F3 | 22Jul12 | 22Jul12 | No change |
| F4 | 01Mar08 | 01Apr08 | Advanced by 1 month |
Employment‑Based Preferences
Final Action Dates: EB‑1, EB‑2, and EB‑3 (both Skilled/Professionals and Other Workers) have advanced by between 2 weeks and 2 months. However, EB‑4 has been retrogressed to “Unavailable,” and EB‑5 has seen a substantial retrogression (from 01JAN22 in March to 01NOV19 in April).
March vs. April
| Category | March Final Action Date | April Final Action Date | Change |
| EB‑1 (Priority Workers) | 1Feb22 | 15Feb22 | Advanced by 14 days |
| EB‑2 (Advanced Degrees/Exceptional Ability) | 01Dec12 | 01Jan13 | Advanced by 1 month |
| EB‑3 (Skilled Workers/Professionals) | 1February13 | 1April13 | Advanced by 2 months |
| EB‑3 (Other Workers) | 01Feb13 | 01Apr13 | Advanced by 2 months |
| EB‑4 (Certain Special Immigrants) | 01Aug19 | Unavailable (U) | Retrogressed to “Unavailable” |
| EB‑5 (Unreserved) | 01Jan22 | 01Nov19 | Retrogressed by over 2 years Advertisement |
On the other hand, there has been no change in filing dates for any employment-based category for India.
This comparison highlights that while some family‑sponsored and employment‑based categories for India show improvements in final action dates in April, key categories such as EB‑4 and EB‑5 have experienced retrogression, underscoring the ongoing challenges of oversubscription.
About the visa bulletin
The Visa Bulletin is essential for individuals seeking green cards, as it provides vital information about the timelines for adjusting immigration status and eligibility based on the submission of applications. The bulletin consists of two main sections:
Final Action Dates: This section estimates the wait time for application approval for those seeking permanent residency. It creates a queue based on visa category and nationality, indicating when applicants can expect their applications to be processed.
Dates for Filing: This section specifies the earliest date that applicants can submit their adjustment of status or immigrant visa applications. It helps applicants determine when they can proceed with their filing based on their visa category and country of origin.