Each month, the U.S. Department of State and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) release the Visa Bulletin, a crucial resource that determines green card eligibility based on petition priority dates and country-specific caps. The July 2025 Visa Bulletin outlines final action dates and dates for filing across both family-sponsored and employment-based immigrant visa categories.
In this blog, we break down key developments that may impact foreign nationals, multinational employers, and investors pursuing permanent residence in the U.S.
1. Key Takeaways from the July 2025 Bulletin
- F2A Category (Spouses and Children of LPRs): Final Action Date is September 1, 2022 and for Mexico it is February 01, 2022
- India EB-2: Final Action Date remains significantly backlogged at January 1, 2013.
- EB-3 India: Also continues to experience backlog with a Final Action Date of April 22, 2013.
- EB-1 India: Sees minor forward movement, now at February 15, 2022.
- DV-2025 Lottery: Cutoff numbers advance across all regions, with final issuance deadline set for September 30, 2025.
- Religious Workers & EB-4: Remain unauthorized (U) across all chargeability areas, signaling no availability for July.
2. Family-Sponsored Green Cards: Country-Specific Insights
The F2A category (spouses and children of lawful permanent residents) continues to provide faster processing opportunities, particularly for applicants from countries other than Mexico, where the cut-off date is September 1, 2022.
Meanwhile, F1 (unmarried sons/daughters of U.S. citizens) and F3 (married sons/daughters) categories remain significantly retrogressed for Mexico and the Philippines.
| Category | India | Mexico | Philippines | All Chargeability Areas Except Those Listed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| F1 | July 15, 2016 | April 22, 2005 | July 15, 2012 | September 1, 2017 |
| F2A | Sept 1, 2022 | Feb 1, 2022 | Sept 1, 2022 | March 1, 2025 |
| F2B | Oct 15, 2016 | Jan 1, 2007 | April 15, 2012 | January 1, 2017 |
| F3 | Aug 1, 2011 | Feb 1, 2001 | Dec 1, 2003 | July 22, 2012 |
| F4 | July 8, 2006 | March 15, 2001 | Jan 1, 2006 | September 8, 2008 |
3. Employment-Based Green Cards: Priority Dates & Cutoffs
Significant backlog continues to impact Indian nationals across the EB-2 and EB-3 categories. However, most other countries, including the Philippines and Mexico, remain current or near-current.
| Category | India | China | All Others |
|---|---|---|---|
| EB-1 | Feb 15, 2022 | Nov 15, 2022 | Current |
| EB-2 | Jan 1, 2013 | Dec 15, 2020 | Oct 15, 2023 |
| EB-3 | Apr 22, 2013 | Dec 1, 2020 | Apr 1, 2023 |
| Other Workers | Apr 22, 2013 | May 1, 2017 | July 8, 2021 |
| EB-5 (Unreserved) | Apr 1, 2022 | Jan 22, 2014 | Current |
Special Note: The EB-4 and Religious Worker categories remain unavailable for July, including applicants from Mexico, India, and the Philippines.
4. Diversity Visa (DV-2025) Lottery Cutoffs
The Diversity Visa program has an annual cap of approximately 52,000 for FY 2025 (reduced from the standard 55,000 due to NACARA and NDAA adjustments). For July, the following regional cutoffs apply:
- Africa: 45,000 (with exceptions for Algeria, Egypt, Morocco)
- Asia: 9,000 (except Iran & Nepal at 8,950)
- Europe: 19,000 (Russia capped at 18,950)
- South America & Caribbean: 2,450
Applicants must complete visa issuance before September 30, 2025, or risk forfeiting eligibility.
5. Filing vs. Final Action Dates: What You Should Use
Current Month’s Adjustment of Status Filing Charts
For Family-Sponsored Filings:
For all family-sponsored preference categories, you must use the Dates for Filing chart in the Department of State Visa Bulletin for June 2025.
For Employment-Based Preference Filings:
For all employment-based preference categories, you must use the Final Action Dates chart in the Department of State Visa Bulletin for June 2025.
6. What Applicants Should Do Now
- Monitor your priority date against the current Final Action Date.
- Consult your immigration attorney to determine if you are eligible to submit documentation to the NVC or file Adjustment of Status.
- For employment-based applicants, ensure your PERM or I-140 filing is timely and complete to avoid delays.
- DV-2025 winners should act immediately to schedule interviews and complete documentation ahead of the fiscal year deadline.
At Ahluwalia Law Offices, we are closely tracking visa bulletin movements and provide case-specific guidance to help you navigate backlogs, expedite options, and legal strategy for adjustment of status or consular processing.
Contact us today for a consultation regarding your immigrant visa options or filing eligibility for July 2025.
