GUIDE THROUGH THE US VISA BULLETIN OF JULY 2025

It is not such a simple thing to go through US immigration. This is especially when it involves trying to decipher the Visa Bulletin.  The monthly Visa Bulletin by the US Department of State is a vital instrument to most of the immigrants as well as their families who hardly comprehend it. The US visa bulletin reveals the timing when the applicants are allowed to start initiating the process of visas/green cards.

This post clarifies the meaning of the Visa Bulletin, the new data for July 2025, and how one can make use of the US visa bulletin for July 2025 strategically in preparing their immigration.

The meaning of the US visa bulletin

The US Visa Bulletin is a monthly publication of the Department of State. It includes the latest figures in the number of available immigrant visas by class of visa and by nationality, essential to applicants applying for a green card under family-sponsored or employment-based preference.

Furthermore, under US law, the number of green cards issued by any one category for any one country is capped at a certain number each year.

Therefore, there would typically be more applicants than visas available. These create wait lists, and that is where the purpose of the Visa Bulletin comes into play: to advise applicants where they stand on that list.

Details on how the visa bulletin works

Every month, the US Department of State releases “cut-off dates” for each of the different visa categories and countries. Your filing is good if your priority date-your petition’s filing date-is before the cut-off date reported.

The Visa Bulletin contains two main charts:

• Final Action Dates Chart A: It indicates when visas can be issued.
• Dates for Filing (Chart B): The applicants shall file their documents with the National Visa Center or apply for adjustment of status within this time.

The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services releases a monthly chart that the applicant would utilize to present their application for adjustment of status.

Summary of the US Visa Bulletin for July 2025

The US Visa Bulletin for July 2025 illustrates continued high demand in almost all categories. This is particularly for the nationals of large backlog countries such as India, China, Mexico, and the Philippines. Highlights of the US visa bulletin for July 2025 are provided below:

• Employment-based Categories.

Employment-based (EB) green card categories are perhaps the most watched part of the Visa Bulletin. Let’s see how the July 2025 update affects some major applicant groups:

India: EB-3 Receives Extremely Slim Reprieve.

• EB-1 (Priority Workers): No movement forward from previous months on February 15, 2022.
• EB-2 (Advanced Degree/Exceptional Ability): No movement forward from January 1, 2013.
• EB-3 (Skilled Workers/Professionals/Other Workers): Advanced one week to April 22, 2013, so the relief to those in the long queue is limited.
• EB-5 (Unreserved): As of May 1, 2019. All EB-5 set-aside categories (Rural, High Unemployment, Infrastructure) are current; i.e., eligible applicants can advance without regard to priority date.

China: Sustained Progress:

EB-1: Advanced one week to November 15, 2022.

EB-2: Two weeks to December 15, 2020.

EB-3: Advance one week to December 1, 2020.

EB-5 (Unrestricted): January 22, 2014.

All cut-off dates for all the categories remain current.

All Charge-Economy Countries:

EB-3 (Skilled Workers/Professionals): Current–seven weeks ahead of schedule as of April 1, 2023, except for the Philippines, where the date is current.

Dates for Filing (Employment-Based)

For July 2025, the Dates for Filing for EB-3 advanced professionals and workers have not progressed for India and China but have for many other nations.

Individuals must go to the USCIS website and check which chart (Final Action or Dates for Filing) is being used for July adjustment of status filings.

Family-Sponsored Categories

There is some movement observed in family-sponsored green card cases for July, as follows:

• F1: Unmarried Sons and Daughters of US Citizens: Moved up over one month to July 15, 2016.
• F2A: Spouses and Children of Permanent Residents: Excellent leap forward, category now current.
• F3: Married Sons and Daughters of US Citizens: No change.
• F4: Siblings of US Citizens: Advanced from October 1, 2006, to December 1, 2006. Due to this advance, new applicants in this very long waiting category now have a fair hope.

The Family-Sponsored Green Card Filing Dates are more unpredictable, and the applicants must check the Visa Bulletin’s chart to see if they can file their forms.

What do these changes mean for applicants?

For Indian Applicants:

The gradual movement in the EB-3 category is welcome, though the backlog remains high. This is especially in EB-2 and EB-1.

Family-based applicants in the F2A and F4 categories experience some movement, ushering in a new hope for accelerated processing.

Chinese Applicants:

Gradual movement in all employment-based categories is welcome. EB-2 and EB-3 applicants should watch the bulletin closely for more movement.

All Other Countries:

Applicants in the EB-3 category receive a significant seven-week jump, which could accelerate the green card process for most.

How to make use of the visa bulletin?

1. Determine your category: Find your visa preference category (family-based, employment-based, or diversity).
2. Check your country: Determine the corresponding column for your chargeability country.
3. Compare dates: Equate your priority date to the Final Action Date and Date for Filing.
4. Monitor updates: The Visa Bulletin is updated monthly. Changes can be incremental or significant, so regular monitoring is crucial.
5. Consult an immigration attorney and USCIS: Before filing, consult an immigration attorney or check the USCIS website to determine which chart (Final Action or Dates for Filing) is being used for that month.

Conclusion

The July 2025 US Visa Bulletin presents a bifurcated snapshot: some forward movement for some, more waiting for others.

Familiarity with final action dates and cut-off dates is critical to planning and expectation management for petitioners. As US immigration trends continue their evolution, the most effective approach to making headway toward permanent residence is to remain informed and engaged.

To stay updated and informed, keep an eye out for our visa bulletin section or visit – https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/legal/visa-law0/visa-bulletin.html