The most recent US Visa Bulletin presents minimal adjustments for Indian applicants within family-sponsored green card classifications, while employment-based categories exhibit slight progress.
This December update underscores enduring stagnation for family applicants, albeit with marginal improvements in filing timelines, as reported by ET.
Family-Sponsored Categories: No Progress
ET states that all family-sponsored preference categories for India remain effectively frozen, signifying no alterations in processing timelines.
The F2A category, representing spouses and minor children of permanent residents, maintains its most current date. Conversely, the F1 and F2B categories remain unchanged on November 8, 2016, and December 1, 2016, respectively.
To exemplify the static status of family-sponsored applicants, the bulletin delineates the following Final Action Dates:
| Category | India – Final Action Date | Status |
|---|---|---|
| F1 | November 8, 2016 | Unchanged |
| F2A | February 1, 2024 | Unchanged |
| F2B | December 1, 2016 | Unchanged |
| F3 | September 8, 2011 | Unchanged |
| F4 | November 1, 2006 | Unchanged |
ET notes that a singular noteworthy update surfaces in the Dates for Filing section, wherein the F2A category experiences a slight advancement, while all other filing dates remain static.
| Family-Sponsored | India – Final Action Date | Status |
|---|---|---|
| F1 | September 1, 2017 | Unchanged |
| F2A | November 22, 2025 | Was October 22, 2025 |
| F2B | March 8, 2017 | Unchanged |
| F3 | July 22, 2012 | Unchanged |
| F4 | December 15, 2006 | Unchanged |
Employment-Based Categories: Modest Advancements
The employment-based categories reflect tangible, albeit modest, progress for Indian applicants, ET reports. Under the Final Action Dates, the EB-1 category progresses by one month. Similarly, the EB-2 and EB-3 categories also experience an advancement of approximately one month.
Furthermore, the update reveals progress in the EB-4 and Religious Worker categories, with the most significant leap observed in the EB-5 unreserved category.
Notably, all EB-5 set-aside segments—including rural, high-unemployment, and infrastructure—are currently available, indicating no backlog in these targeted investment pathways.
To elucidate this progress, the Final Action Dates for employment-based visas are as follows:
| Employment-Based | India – Final Action Date | Status |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | March 15, 2022 | Was February 15, 2022 |
| 2nd | May 15, 2013 | Was April 1, 2013 |
| 3rd | September 22, 2013 | Was August 22, 2013 |
| Other Workers | September 1, 2013 | Was August 22, 2013 |
| 4th | September 1, 2020 | Was July 1, 2020 |
| Certain Religious Workers | September 1, 2020 | Unchanged |
| 5th Unreserved (C5/T5/I5/R5) | July 1, 2021 | Was February 1, 2021 |
| 5th Set Aside: Rural (20%) | Current | Unchanged |
| 5th Set Aside: High Unemployment (10%) | Current | Unchanged |
| 5th Set Aside: Infrastructure (2%) | Current | Unchanged |
Under Dates for Filing, employment-based categories remain unchanged across the board, according to ET.
| Employment-Based | India – Final Action Date | Status |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | April 15, 2023 | Unchanged |
| 2nd | December 1, 2013 | Unchanged |
| 3rd | August 15, 2014 | Unchanged |
| Other Workers | August 15, 2014 | Unchanged |
| 4th | February 15, 2021 | Unchanged |
| Certain Religious Workers | February 15, 2021 | Unchanged |
| 5th Unreserved (C5/T5/I5/R5) | April 1, 2022 | Unchanged |
| 5th Set Aside: Rural (20%) | Current | Unchanged |
| 5th Set Aside: High Unemployment (10%) | Current | Unchanged |
| 5th Set Aside: Infrastructure (2%) | Current | Unchanged |
Understanding the Bulletin Structure
The bulletin provides a crucial framework for applicants by specifying two primary components:
Dates for Filing: Indicates when an applicant is permitted to submit an immigrant visa or adjustment of status application.
Final Action Dates: Signify when a green card application may be approved, influenced by priority dates and annual visa caps.
ET added that employment-based applicants intending to file in August 2025 must possess priority dates preceding the established cut-off for their specific category.
Visa issuance is strictly regulated, with 226,000 annual slots allocated for family-sponsored categories, accompanied by per-country limits across both family and employment preferences.
Source link: Timesofindia.indiatimes.com.
