The U.S. Department of State’s April 2025 Visa Bulletin is out, and it brings both promising advances and concerning setbacks for Indian visa applicants. While some categories are moving forward compared to March, others have retrogressed, painting a mixed picture for those waiting in line.
Below is a detailed insight on India’s visa cutoffs and changes between the April 2025 and March 2025 Bulletins.
Family‑Sponsored Preferences
Final Action Dates: F1, F3, and F4 for India have advanced significantly in April compared to March, easing the wait for these applicants. F2A and F2B are unchanged.
March vs. April
Category March Final Action Date April Final Action Date Change F1 (Unmarried Sons & Daughters of U.S. Citizens) 22Nov15 15Mar16 Advanced by ~4 months
F2A (Spouses/Unmarried Children of Permanent Residents) 01Jan22 01Jan22 No change F2B (Unmarried Sons & Daughters, 21+ of Permanent Residents) 22May16 22May16 No change F3 (Married Sons & Daughters of U.S. Citizens) 01Jul10 01Apr11 Advanced by ~9 months
F4 (Brothers & Sisters of U.S. Citizens) 08Apr06 01Aug07 Advanced by over 1 year
Meanwhile, in the Filing Dates category, only F2A (delayed by 3 months) and F4 (advanced by 1 month) show movement; the rest remain static.
March vs. April
Category March Filing Date April Filing Date Change F1 1Sep17 1Sep17 No change F2A 15Jul24 15Oct24 Delayed by 3 months
F2B 1January17 1January17 No change F3 22Jul12 22Jul12 No change F4 01Mar08 01Apr08 Advanced by 1 month
Employment‑Based Preferences
Final Action Dates: EB‑1, EB‑2, and EB‑3 (both Skilled/Professionals and Other Workers) have advanced by between 2 weeks and 2 months. However, EB‑4 has been retrogressed to “Unavailable,” and EB‑5 has seen a substantial retrogression (from 01JAN22 in March to 01NOV19 in April).
March vs. April
Category March Final Action Date April Final Action Date Change EB‑1 (Priority Workers) 1Feb22 15Feb22 Advanced by 14 days
EB‑2 (Advanced Degrees/Exceptional Ability) 01Dec12 01Jan13 Advanced by 1 month
EB‑3 (Skilled Workers/Professionals) 1February13 1April13 Advanced by 2 months
EB‑3 (Other Workers) 01Feb13 01Apr13 Advanced by 2 months
EB‑4 (Certain Special Immigrants) 01Aug19 Unavailable (U) Retrogressed to “Unavailable”
EB‑5 (Unreserved) 01Jan22 01Nov19 Retrogressed by over 2 years
On the other hand, there has been no change in filing dates for any employment-based category for India.
This comparison highlights that while some family‑sponsored and employment‑based categories for India show improvements in final action dates in April, key categories such as EB‑4 and EB‑5 have experienced retrogression, underscoring the ongoing challenges of oversubscription.
About the visa bulletin
The Visa Bulletin is essential for individuals seeking green cards, as it provides vital information about the timelines for adjusting immigration status and eligibility based on the submission of applications. The bulletin consists of two main sections:
Final Action Dates: This section estimates the wait time for application approval for those seeking permanent residency. It creates a queue based on visa category and nationality, indicating when applicants can expect their applications to be processed.
Dates for Filing: This section specifies the earliest date that applicants can submit their adjustment of status or immigrant visa applications. It helps applicants determine when they can proceed with their filing based on their visa category and country of origin.
