US Visa Bulletin for April 2025: Green Card Backlogs Deepen 2025

The April 2025 US Visa Bulletin reveals combination effects for Indian nationals who want to enter the United States through immigration. The EB-5 visa category for Indian investors faces retrogression, which delays many investment-based immigration hopes. This article explores the main points of the bulletin to explain changes affecting future immigrants while revealing an understanding of US immigration complexities.

Understanding the Visa Bulletin

Each month, the US Department of State issues the Visa Bulletin, which functions as the fundamental resource for people who want Green Cards. The bulletin updates the schedule of immigration visa availability through categories of preferences for different nations. The bulletin acts as a step-by-step timeline for visa applicants who need to file their application forms and track the processing time of their Green Card requests. The bulletin comprises Dates for Filing and Final Action Dates as its central sections.

• Applicants can file adjustment of status applications along with immigrant visa applications starting on the noted dates. Applicants can begin their filing process using this method according to their visa class and their country of origin.

• The application processing duration for permanent residency can be determined from the information on the final action dates. The queue operates according to visa categories and nationalities by displaying processing times until a Green Card becomes available.

• A priority date of an applicant who files for an employment-based Green Card adjustment must be earlier than the date provided in the bulletin for their respective category and country.

Highlights from the April 2025 Visa Bulletin

Here are the highlights of the April 2025:

• The EB-1, as well as the EB-2 and EB-3 categories, show moderate chances of advancement for Indian visa seekers.

• The EB-4 category is untimely for all countries because the annual quota has been exhausted through fiscal year 2025.

• EB-5 Category: Retrogression for both China and India due to increased demand and usage of available visa numbers. The USCIS will enact a Worldwide EB-5 Unreserved Final Action Date if Unreserved EB-5 applicants continue their high demand.

• The US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) plans to authorize employment-based adjustment of status applications through the Final Action Dates chart of the Visa Bulletin starting in April 2025. The listed cutoff dates for categories and countries serve as a requirement for EB-5 applicants whose priority dates are before the established dates to initiate their applications.

• As of February 28, 2025, all available EB-4 visas exhausted the annual fiscal year quota for 2025. The issuance of new visas in this category stops altogether for the fiscal year until October 1, 2025 arrives.

Family-Sponsored Applications

Family-based immigration follows specific preference hierarchy details that determine which relatives of US citizens and permanent residents receive priority immigration benefits. The categories are:

• First Preference (F1): Unmarried Sons and Daughters of U.S. Citizens

• Second Preference (F2): Spouses and Children, and Unmarried Sons and Daughters of Permanent Residents

• F2A: Spouses and Children of Permanent Residents

• F2B: Unmarried Sons and Daughters (21 years of age or older) of Permanent Residents

• Third Preference (F3): Married Sons and Daughters of U.S. Citizens

• Fourth Preference (F4): Brothers and Sisters of Adult U.S. Citizens

During fiscal year 2024, the total family-sponsored preference immigrant admissions are restricted to 226,000, and each subgroup possesses its own designated limit. Each particular country receives no more than 7% of the total family-sponsored and employment-based preference limit distribution throughout the year. The Immigration Service issues immigrant visas according to when each petition was submitted. Both spouses, as well as children of preference immigrants, obtain the same immigration benefits as their primary applicant.

The State Department uses visa prorating systems to divide available slots fairly between the oversubscribed countries of China, India, Mexico and the Philippines.

Family-Sponsored Green Cards: Final Action Dates

The Final Action Dates that apply to family-sponsored green cards provide information about when an immigrant visa becomes available to applicants.

Family-sponsored green cards require immigrant visas to become available based on their corresponding Final Action Dates. You need to check the Visa Bulletin for present information since these dates undergo monthly modifications.

Applicants must use the Family-Sponsored Green Card Dates for Filing to submit their petitions according to the designated schedule.

Family-Sponsored Green Cards: Dates for Filing

Family-sponsored green card applicants may file their applications using the dates provided by the Dates for Filing. The Visa Bulletin provides updated information about these dates because they undergo regular modifications.

Employment-Based Preferences

The U.S. divides employment-based visas according to qualifications that involve professionalism as well as advanced degree status and investment capabilities. The allocation is as follows:

1. The EB-1 Priority Workers category has been allocated 28.6% of total globally available employment-based preference numbers.

• Individuals with extraordinary abilities

• Outstanding professors and researchers

• Multinational executives or managers

2. The category of Professionals Holding Advanced Degrees or Individuals of Exceptional Ability gets 28.6% from the global employment-based preference level as well as all unallocated EB-1 spots.

3. Workers with EB-3 classification obtain 28.6% of the global preference level after EB-1 and EB-2 fill their numbers.

• Skilled workers and professionals

• International workers who do unskilled labour face a visa cap of 10,000.

4. Special Immigrants (EB-4) constitute 7.1% of the global employment-based preference level which includes several categories.

• Religious workers

• Certain employees of U.S. foreign service posts

• Any person who served in U.S. military forces

5. Immigrant Investors (EB-5) utilizes 7.1% of the global employment-based preference level and consists of:

• Qualified immigrants who choose rural areas for their investments receive access through this category.

• Foreign investors seeking to enter from high unemployment locations can get permanent residency through the EB-5 category at 10% of the visas.

• The category for those investing in infrastructure projects receives a 2% share among the global employment-based preference level.

• The remaining 68% is unrestricted.

Employment-Based Green Cards: Final Action Dates

The Final Action Dates for employment-based green cards determine when an immigrant visa becomes available. Please consult the Visa Bulletin for the most current information.

Employment-Based Green Cards: Dates for Filing

The Dates for Filing indicate when applicants can file their application for an employment-based green card. Refer to the Visa Bulletin for the most up-to-date information, as these dates are subject to change.

Conclusion

The April 2025 Visa Bulletin introduces mixed movements for Indian immigrants applying for US entry through different visa categories. Many investors face a major setback due to the EB-5 category retrogressing, while some employment-based categories show limited progress. Success in the US immigration system demands a high level of knowledge concerning Visa Bulletin changes together with comprehension of its complex details. Immigrant candidates need to work with immigration experts who will analyze their personal situation before planning their migration strategy.

To learn more about the latest happenings of the immigration world, you must contact TerraTern right away!