US May visa bulletin 2025: Bad news for Indian workers? EB5 category slips back by 7 months, narrowing eligibility

 

The latest US Visa Bulletin for May 2025 has been released, offering updates that will influence immigrant visa processing for applicants across various preference categories. While many of the final action dates remain unaltered, a few filing deadlines and employment‐based cutoffs have been adjusted—most notably in the India chargeability area.

Family‑Sponsored Preferences

Final Action Dates
Visa numbers remain available to applicants whose priority dates fall before the cutoffs in several family-sponsored categories. For the India column, the key dates stand as follows (with no changes from April):

Category	April 2025 Final Action Date	May 2025 Final Action Date	Change
F1 (Unmarried Sons and Daughters of U.S. Citizens)	15Mar16	15Mar16	No change
F2A (Spouses and Children of Permanent Residents)	01Jan22	01Jan22	No change
F2B (Unmarried Sons and Daughters 21+ of Permanent Residents)	22Jul16	22Jul16	No change
F3 (Married Sons and Daughters of U.S. Citizens)	01Apr11	01Apr11	No change
F4 (Brothers and Sisters of Adult U.S. Citizens)	15Jun06	15Jun06	No change

Filing Dates

The ability to submit applications now shows significant movement for certain categories, notably within the India column:

Category	April 2025 Filing Date	May 2025 Filing Date	Change
F1	1Apr06	1Apr06	No change
F2A	15Oct24	01Feb25	Shift forward – The filing cutoff for F2A moved from October 15, 2024 to February 1, 2025. Advertisement
F2B	1Apr07	1Apr07	No change
F3	22Jul12	22Jul12	No change
F4	01OCT06	01OCT06	No change

Employment‑Based Preferences

Final Action Dates
For employment-based visas, while several key categories hold their established dates, a couple of notable adjustments have been recorded in the India column:

Category	April 2025	May 2025	Change
1st preference (Priority Workers)	15Feb22	15Feb22	No change
2nd preference (Advanced degree/Exceptional Ability)	01Jan13	01Jan13	No change
3rd preference (Skilled workers, professionals, and other workers)	01Apr13	15Apr13	Shift forward
Other Workers	01Apr13	15Apr13	Shift forward
4th preference (Certain Special Immigrants)	U	U	No change
Certain Religious Workers	U	U	No change
5th Unreserved	01Nov19	01May19	Earlier cutoff in May (narrower window)

Filing Dates

The filing dates for employment-based categories continue without alteration, maintaining stability amid the adjustments in final action dates.

What These Changes Mean

The May 2025 US Visa Bulletin underscores the dynamic nature of visa allocation. For family-sponsored preferences, the advanced filing window in F2A (from October to February) could ease the submission process for applicants with later priority dates. Conversely, the setback in the 5th unreserved category—specifically the earlier final action cutoff—may tighten eligibility for certain employment-based applicants, especially those charged to the India category.

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.