The April 2025 Visa Bulletin has arrived, bringing critical updates for family-sponsored and employment-based visa applicants. This month’s bulletin reveals both forward movement and stagnation across categories. Some preference categories have seen modest advancements. Others, particularly in high-demand chargeability areas, continue to face lengthy backlogs.
The complexity of the U.S. immigration system leaves many applicants frustrated, confused, and uncertain about their future. Understanding these changes is critical for planning your next steps. This might mean adjusting expectations, seeking legal strategies, or considering alternative immigration routes.
If your priority date is current, it’s time to prepare for filing. If not, knowing how your category is moving will help you plan strategically. At Queens Immigration Attorney, we provide in-depth analysis of the Visa Bulletin. Covering priority date movements, processing trends, legal strategies, and regional insights. Our attorneys can help you handle delays and explore alternative routes, so you don’t miss opportunities.
Key Statistics:
- The worldwide annual cap for family-sponsored preference visas is 226,000.
- The employment-based green card limit remains at a minimum of 140,000 for this fiscal year.
- Each country is limited to 25,620 green cards annually across all family and employment categories.
- The F2A category (spouses and children of permanent residents) is current for filing but backlogged for final action.
- The EB-4 category, including religious workers, remains unavailable due to reaching the annual visa cap.
- The EB-2 priority date for India advances by 1 month to January 1, 2013.
- EB-5 unreserved visas for China retrogress by over 2.5 years, now at January 22, 2014.
How the April 2025 Visa Bulletin Updates Compare to Previous Trends
Over the past five years, the employment-based and family-sponsored visa categories have experienced significant fluctuations. These changes have been primarily influenced by policy changes, annual visa limits, and shifting global demand.
Priority Date Movements from 2020-2025
The employment-based (EB) visa categories have seen notable shifts over the past five years. Some categories have progressed steadily, while others have suffered from retrogression and long backlogs.
- EB-1 (India & China): After experiencing severe retrogressions in 2022 and 2023, these categories have seen moderate forward movement in 2025. The April 2025 visa bulletin shows that China’s cut-off date remains November 8, 2022. India advances slightly to February 15, 2022. In contrast, applicants from other countries continue to have current priority dates, meaning their applications face no backlogs.
- EB-2 & EB-3 (India): Despite minor advancements, India remains heavily backlogged. The bulletin indicates that EB-2 India moved forward by 1 month to January 1, 2013. While EB-3 India advanced by 2 months to April 1, 2013. The slow movement in these categories reflects persistent demand exceeding available visa numbers.
- EB-2 & EB-3 (China): China’s EB-2 category significantly advanced by over 4 months to October 1, 2020. While EB-3 moved ahead by 3 months to November 1, 2020. These trends suggest that China’s backlog is clearing faster than India’s, but delays remain substantial.
- EB-5 (Investor Visas; China & India): This category, particularly for applicants from China and India, experienced major retrogression in April 2025. China’s final action date was moved back by more than 2 years and 8 months to January 22, 2014. India’s date retrogressed nearly two and a half years to November 1, 2019.
- EB-4 (Certain Special Immigrants, including Religious Workers): This category has been made completely unavailable for the remainder of the fiscal year 2025. All visa numbers have already been exhausted.
Want to secure U.S. residency through investment? Learn the key requirements for the EB-5 Visa here.
Family-Sponsored Visa Trends
For family-based green cards, trends over the past 5 years indicate steady movement in most categories. However, some regions, particularly Mexico and the Philippines, still face prolonged wait times.
- F1 (Unmarried Sons & Daughters of U.S. Citizens): India, China, and most other regions advanced modestly to March 15, 2016. Mexico remained significantly backlogged at January 1, 2005. The Philippines saw a notable jump to July 15, 2012.
- F2A (Spouses & Children of Permanent Residents): This category has remained relatively stable. All countries advanced by 3 months to October 15, 2024. However, Mexico remains behind at May 15, 2021.
- F3 (Married Sons & Daughters of U.S. Citizens): Progression has been slow. China, India, and most other regions have moved forward to April 1, 2011. Mexico is significantly delayed at January 15, 2001. The Philippines moved forward by 2 months to March 22, 2003.
- F4 (Siblings of U.S. Citizens): China and most other countries remained stagnant at August 1, 2007. India advanced by just over 2 months to June 15, 2006. Mexico, the most backlogged country in this category, inched forward by 2 weeks to March 15, 2001.
Key Observations
- India continues to face the longest backlogs in employment-based categories, particularly in EB-2 and EB-3, despite minor advances.
- China’s EB-2 and EB-3 categories are moving faster than India’s, though they remain oversubscribed.
- EB-5 has faced severe retrogression for China and India, highlighting increased demand for investor visas.
- Family-sponsored categories, particularly for Mexico and the Philippines, continue to experience some of the longest wait times.
How Legal and Policy Changes Influence the Visa Bulletin Movements
Annual visa limits, per-country caps, and backlog reduction strategies determine priority date advancements or retrogressions. Shifts in U.S. immigration policy, new legislative proposals, and administrative decisions create immediate and long-term fluctuations in visa availability. All this can be seen in the April 2025 Visa Bulletin. Understanding these trends requires analyzing potential regulatory and legislative changes that may alter visa allocation and processing.
Potential Legislative Reforms Affecting Visa Bulletin Movements
Several bills introduced in recent years aim to address the long-standing backlogs in employment- and family-based immigration categories. The per-country cap of 7% for preference-based immigrants remains a significant barrier for applicants from highly impacted nations. Any legislative change that modifies or removes these limits could drastically shift Visa Bulletin movements.
For instance, past proposals, such as the Fairness for High-Skilled Immigrants Act, sought to eliminate per-country limits on employment-based visas. Countries with excessive backlogs could see faster movement in priority dates if similar legislation passes. However, this would likely slow down the processing of applicants from underrepresented nations. Thereby creating a ripple effect across other chargeability areas.
Additionally, family-based green cards, currently capped at 226,000 annually, could see adjustments. That is if lawmakers address the issue of unused visas. Legislative or administrative action can shift visa numbers between different preference categories, affecting priority date movements. This has been demonstrated by the past reallocation of unused family-based visas to employment-based categories.
Policy Decisions and Administrative Actions
Apart from congressional action, decisions by the Department of State and USCIS have a direct impact on Visa Bulletin progression. USCIS’s choice to accept either the Final Action Dates or Dates for Filing for Adjustment of Status applications influences demand. Causing priority dates to advance or retrogress.
For instance, in the April 2025 visa bulletin, family-sponsored applicants were required to use the Dates for Filing chart. Employment-based applicants had to rely on the Final Action Dates chart. If USCIS shifts this policy in future bulletins, it could accelerate or slow down the movement of visa numbers. This will affect different visa categories.
Also, increased demand can force the government to push back priority dates to stay within annual visa caps. This is indicated by retrogressions like those seen in the EB-5 category for China in the April 2025 visa bulletin. If demand continues to outpace supply in employment-based categories, we could see further retrogressions in high-demand chargeability areas. It is important for applicants to employ experienced immigration attorneys to monitor upcoming policy developments and legal reforms. Any change in visa allocation rules could significantly impact priority date movements.
How Interfiled Adjustment-of-Status Requests Affect Visa Bulletin Movements?
Interfiling an adjustment-of-status request can significantly influence the Visa Bulletin movement by redistributing visa demand between preference categories. When applicants switch from one employment-based category to another, USCIS must reassess the number of available visas. This could lead to accelerated advancements, slowdowns, or even retrogressions in priority dates.
In the April 2025 visa bulletin, demand shifts affected employment-based visa movement. The EB-2 category for India advanced by 1 month, while China saw a 4-month advancement. Conversely, the EB-5 category experienced significant retrogression. China’s final action date was moved back over 2 years. India’s retreated nearly 2.5 years.
How Interfiling Shifts Visa Demand?
Interfiling allows applicants to transfer their pending adjustment-of-status application from one employment-based category to another. This typically happens from EB-3 to EB-2 or EB-1. For instance, in the April 2025 visa bulletin, EB-3 India advanced by 2 months despite ongoing high demand. This movement suggests that a significant portion of EB-3 applicants may have interfiled into EB-2.
This reduced immediate pressure on EB-3 while increasing demand in EB-2. Meanwhile, the EB-4 category reached its annual limit, making all cases unavailable until the next fiscal year. These shifts illustrate how interfiling contributes to visa category fluctuations, often leading to unpredictable priority date progressions.
How Country-Specific Limits Affect Interfiled Cases?
Interfiling effects vary depending on per-country visa limits and category oversubscription. The Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) imposes a 7% cap per country. This means heavily backlogged countries, such as India and China, experience more volatility when applicants interfile.
Can Foreign Workers in the U.S. Switch to a Different Visa Category if Their Priority Date Is Stuck?
Foreign workers facing prolonged delays due to visa backlogs can explore options to switch to a different category. However, eligibility depends on visa availability, job qualifications, and the limits set by the Visa Bulletin. When a priority date remains stagnant for months or even retrogresses, applicants often consider interfiling.
Porting to EB-1 is another strategy, especially for applicants with managerial experience in multinational companies or those with extraordinary abilities. The April 2025 Bulletin shows that EB-1 remains current for most countries. Foreign workers who do not qualify for a higher employment-based preference may have limited alternative visa options. Foreign workers should monitor Visa Bulletin movements closely and consult immigration professionals before moving. To verify that switching categories will improve their green card timeline.
Strategic Considerations for Interfiling
Applicants must carefully evaluate the April 2025 visa bulletin trends before interfiling. Demand surges in certain categories can lead to slower priority date movement or retrogression. While interfiling offers the chance of a shorter wait time, unexpected shifts can leave applicants stuck in highly competitive categories. Ultimately, switching to a different visa category requires careful consideration of eligibility, demand trends, and potential backlogs.
Take Control of Your Immigration Journey
The Visa Bulletin needs proper interpretation. Without this, you could miss a key opportunity to move forward or be completely unaware of where your application stands. A Queens immigration attorney can give you the clarity and confidence you need. Our attorneys assist with employment-based visa retrogressions, family-sponsored green card wait times, and priority date movement strategies. Now is the time to act. Start by booking a free consultation today!
