The release of the February 2025 Visa Bulletin by the U.S. Department of State (DOS) reveals significant shifts across various visa categories, offering critical insights for applicants navigating the U.S. immigration process. Below, we break down the key updates and trends for this month’s bulletin.
Overview of Key Categories
Employment-Based First Preference (EB-1) Category
- India: The cutoff date advances to February 1, 2022, maintaining a steady pace of progress.
- China: Sees forward movement, advancing to November 8, 2022.
- Other Countries: Remain current, highlighting no backlog for most applicants.
Employment-Based Second Preference (EB-2) Category
- India: Advances to October 15, 2012, indicating a positive shift.
- China: Moves forward to April 22, 2020.
- Other Countries: Stay current, providing opportunities for timely applications.
Employment-Based Third Preference (EB-3) Category
- India: Shows improvement, advancing to December 15, 2012.
- China: Moves to July 1, 2020, demonstrating slow but steady progress.
- Other Countries: Advance to December 22, 2022, reflecting continued availability.
Employment-Based Fourth (EB-4) and Fifth (EB-5) Preferences
- EB-4: The cutoff date remains at January 1, 2021, consistent across all countries.
- EB-5 (Unreserved):
- India advances to January 1, 2022, while China remains at July 15, 2016.
- Reserved categories for rural, high unemployment, and infrastructure remain current across the board.
Family-Based Categories
- F2A (Spouses and Children of Permanent Residents): The cutoff date aligns for all countries at January 1, 2022, with Mexico having additional exemptions for earlier dates.
- F1 (Unmarried Sons and Daughters of U.S. Citizens): The cutoff date for most countries is November 22, 2015, with Mexico trailing at November 4, 2004.
- F4 (Siblings of U.S. Citizens): Dates range from August 1, 2007 (most countries) to March 1, 2001 (Mexico).
Employment-Based Categories Forecast
Despite the advancements in some categories, applicants in heavily backlogged categories, such as EB-2 and EB-3 for India and China, should remain proactive with their applications. The incremental progress highlights the importance of staying updated with each month’s bulletin.
Conclusion
The February 2025 Visa Bulletin marks meaningful developments across employment-based and family-sponsored preferences. It underscores the importance of strategic planning and timely submission of applications to capitalize on these shifts.
Visa Bulletin updated: https://visaserve.com/resources/visa-bulletin/
For more information about how the U.S. immigration system may affect you or your family, contact the immigration and nationality lawyers at NPZ Law Group. You can reach us at info@visaserve.com or call 201-670-0006, ext. 104. Visit our website at www.visaserve.com for regular updates and insights into immigration laws in the U.S. and Canada.