US Department of State Releases March 2025 Visa Bulletin

The US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will use the Final Action Dates for Employment-Based Adjustment of Status Applications chart in March 2025. The Final Action Dates chart reflects slight advancement across the EB-2 category, for China and India EB-3 applicants, and for Other Workers applicants from all nations except China.

The US Department of State has released its March Visa Bulletin outlining per-country priority date cutoffs that regulate immigrant visa availability and the flow of adjustment of status application and consular immigrant visa application filings and approvals.

WHAT DOES THE MARCH 2025 VISA BULLETIN SAY?

The bulletin includes both a Dates for Filing Visa Applications chart and an Application Final Action Dates chart. The former indicates when intending immigrants may file their applications for adjustments of status or immigrant visas, and the latter indicates when adjustment of status applications or immigrant visa applications may be approved, and permanent residence granted.

Each month, the USCIS chooses which chart it will follow. For March 2025, the USCIS will follow the Final Action Dates chart for employment-based (EB) filings for adjustment of status. This means that individuals seeking to file applications for adjustment of status with the USCIS in March 2025 must use the Final Action Dates chart below.

FINAL ACTION CUTOFF DATES

To be eligible to file an EB adjustment application in March 2025, a foreign national must have a priority date that is earlier than the date listed below for their preference category and country. The “C” listing indicates that the category is current, and applications may be filed regardless of the applicant’s priority date. The listing of a date for any category indicates that only applicants with a priority date that is earlier than the listed date may file their applications.

EMPLOYMENT-BASED FIRST PREFERENCE (EB-1)

The EB-1 cutoff date for All Chargeability Areas, Mexico, and the Philippines will remain current. This means that all applicants chargeable to these areas whose I-485 applications have not yet been filed can file their I-485 applications with the USCIS.

The EB-1 cutoff date for China will remain November 8, 2022. This means that China EB-1 applicants whose I-485 applications have not yet been filed and who have a priority date before November 8, 2022 can file their I-485 applications with the USCIS.

The EB-1 cutoff date for India will remain February 1, 2022. This means that India EB-1 applicants whose I-485 applications have not yet been filed and have a priority date before February 1, 2022 can file their I-485 applications with the USCIS.

EMPLOYMENT-BASED SECOND PREFERENCE (EB-2)

The EB-2 cutoff date for All Chargeability Areas, Mexico, and the Philippines will advance six weeks to May 15, 2023. This means that all applicants who are chargeable to these areas whose I-485 applications have not yet been filed and have a priority date before May 15, 2023 can file their I-485 applications with the USCIS.

The EB-2 cutoff date for China will advance two weeks to May 8, 2020. This means that China EB-2 applicants whose I-485 applications have not yet been filed and have a priority date before May 8, 2020 can file their I-485 applications with the USCIS.

The EB-2 cutoff date for India will advance six weeks to December 1, 2012. This means that India EB-2 applicants whose I-485 applications have not yet been filed and have a priority date before December 1, 2012 can file their I-485 applications with the USCIS.

EMPLOYMENT-BASED THIRD PREFERENCE (EB-3)

The EB-3 cutoff date for All Chargeability Areas, Mexico, and the Philippines will remain December 1, 2022. This means that all applicants who are chargeable to these areas whose I-485 applications have not yet been filed and have a priority date before December 1, 2022 can file their I-485 applications with the USCIS.

The EB-3 cutoff date for China will advance one month to August 1, 2020. This means that China EB-3 applicants whose I-485 applications have not yet been filed and have a priority date before August 1, 2020 can file their I-485 applications with the USCIS.

The EB-3 cutoff date for India will advance six weeks to February 1, 2013. This means that India EB-3 applicants whose I-485 applications have not yet been filed and have a priority date before February 1, 2013 can file their I-485 applications with the USCIS.

OTHER WORKERS

The Other Workers cutoff date for All Chargeability Areas and Mexico will advance eight weeks to February 1, 2021. This means that Other Worker applicants from these areas whose I-485 applications have not yet been filed and have a priority date before February 1, 2021 can file their I-485 applications with the USCIS.

The Other Workers cutoff date for the Philippines will advance five weeks to January 15, 2021. This means that Other Worker applicants from these areas whose I-485 applications have not yet been filed and have a priority date before January 15, 2021 can file their I-485 applications with the USCIS.

The Other Workers cutoff date for China will remain January 1, 2017. This means that Other Worker applicants from China whose I-485 applications have not yet been filed and have a priority date before January 1, 2017 can file their I-485 applications with the USCIS.

The Other Workers cutoff date for India will advance seven weeks to February 1, 2013. This means that Other Worker applicants from India whose I-485 applications have not yet been filed and have a priority date before February 1, 2013 can file their I-485 applications with the USCIS.

SIGNIFICANT DEVELOPMENTS

USCIS will again use the Final Actions Date chart in March 2025, likely in response to high visa demand throughout the first half of the fiscal year. The March 2025 Final Action Dates chart shows slight forward movement for EB-2 applicants from all nations, for EB-3 applicants from China and India, and for Other Workers applicants from all nations except China.