US halts EB-4 immigrant visas for FY 2025: What it means for Indian applicants
The EB-4 visa category is primarily designated for religious workers, certain special immigrants, and international broadcasters.
- Mar 2, 2025,
- Updated Mar 2, 2025 1:46 PM IST
The US government has officially announced that all available immigrant visas under the Employment-Based Fourth Preference (EB-4) category for the fiscal year (FY) 2025 have been exhausted. This development, which affects Indian applicants among others, means that no further EB-4 green cards will be issued until the new fiscal year begins on October 1, 2025.
The EB-4 visa category is primarily designated for religious workers, certain special immigrants, and international broadcasters. The US Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) limits the number of employment-based green cards issued each year, with 7.1% of the total employment-based quota allocated to EB-4 visas.
What this means for Indian applicants
No more EB-4 visas until FY 2026: Indians seeking EB-4 green cards will have to wait until October 1, 2025, when the new annual cap resets. Embassies & consulates cannot issue EB-4 visas: US embassies and consulates have been directed not to process EB-4 applications for the remainder of FY 2025.
Impact on green card wait times
The exhaustion of EB-4 visas could potentially increase backlogs and delays, impacting Indian applicants already in the queue.
Alternatives for Indian applicants
With the suspension of EB-4 visas, applicants may consider alternative US visa pathways such as EB-1, EB-2, or EB-3 visas, H-1B visa and family-sponsored green cards.
When will EB-4 visas resume?
The EB-4 visa process will reopen on October 1, 2025, at the start of FY 2026. Qualified applicants can expect consular processing to resume at that time.
The US government has officially announced that all available immigrant visas under the Employment-Based Fourth Preference (EB-4) category for the fiscal year (FY) 2025 have been exhausted. This development, which affects Indian applicants among others, means that no further EB-4 green cards will be issued until the new fiscal year begins on October 1, 2025.
The EB-4 visa category is primarily designated for religious workers, certain special immigrants, and international broadcasters. The US Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) limits the number of employment-based green cards issued each year, with 7.1% of the total employment-based quota allocated to EB-4 visas.
What this means for Indian applicants
No more EB-4 visas until FY 2026: Indians seeking EB-4 green cards will have to wait until October 1, 2025, when the new annual cap resets. Embassies & consulates cannot issue EB-4 visas: US embassies and consulates have been directed not to process EB-4 applications for the remainder of FY 2025.
Impact on green card wait times
The exhaustion of EB-4 visas could potentially increase backlogs and delays, impacting Indian applicants already in the queue.
Alternatives for Indian applicants
With the suspension of EB-4 visas, applicants may consider alternative US visa pathways such as EB-1, EB-2, or EB-3 visas, H-1B visa and family-sponsored green cards.
When will EB-4 visas resume?
The EB-4 visa process will reopen on October 1, 2025, at the start of FY 2026. Qualified applicants can expect consular processing to resume at that time.