Visa Bulletin Predictions 2025
The Visa Bulletin for 2025 is an essential document for those looking to immigrate to the United States. It provides information on the availability of immigrant visas and their priority dates. Here, you can read full details about Visa Bulletins for 2025 and predict what they may contain. It will cover topics such as the potential changes to the visa categories, the possible changes to the priority dates, and the likely changes to the visa processing times. You can get a better understanding of what to expect from the Visa Bulletin for 2025.
Visa Bulletin January 2025 Predictions
Millions of individuals in the employment-based and family-based categories eagerly await their turn in line for visas. Visa bulletin predictions provide valuable insights into when they can apply for and secure green cards. The State Department has recently released the Visa Bulletin for December 2024, providing critical information regarding visas.
In Fiscal Year 2025, the government projects the availability of 165,000 green cards for individuals in employment categories, a decrease from 197,000 in FY 2023. However, this is still 25,000 higher than the legally mandated 140,000 due to the unused 25,000 family-based green cards from FY 2023.
The State Department’s Visa Bulletin for December 2024 indicates significant backlogs in obtaining green cards across family- and employment-based categories. The waiting time for a green card varies depending on your petition category and country of birth. The Visa Bulletin is updated monthly to reflect these changes. You can stay up-to-date with Visa Bulletin or Subscribe to Our Newsletter.
Visa Bulletin January 2025 Predictions is divided into the following sub-topics:
- Visa Bulletin January Predictions – Family-Based Categories
- Visa Bulletin January Predictions – Employment-Based Categories
Family-Based Categories- Visa Bulletin Prediction for January 2025
These estimated visa bulletin predictions are based on recent movements in the family-based categories. Please note that they should not be considered as legal advice. These predictions indicate how the Final Action Dates may progress or regress in the upcoming month for visas.
F-1 – Unmarried Adult Sons and daughters of US Citizens
- Mexico – 3-4 Weeks
- Philippines – 2-3 Weeks
- All Other Countries – 1-2 Weeks
F-2A – Spouses & Minor, Unmarried Sons & Daughters of LPRs
- Mexico – 3-4 Weeks
- All Other Countries – 2-3 Weeks
F-2B – Unmarried Adult Sons & Daughters of LPRs
- Mexico – 3-4 Weeks
- Philippines – 2-3 Weeks
- All Other Countries – 1-2 Weeks
F-3 – Married Adult Sons and daughters of US Citizens
- Mexico – 3-4 Weeks
- Philippines – 1-2 Weeks
- All Other Countries – 2-3 Weeks
F-4 – Brothers & Sisters of US Citizens
- Mexico – 1-2 Weeks
- India – 1-2 Weeks
- Philippines – 2-3 Weeks
- All Other Countries – 1-2 Weeks
Employment-Based Categories-Visa Bulletin Prediction for January 2025
The following visa bulletin predictions are calculated estimations derived from recent advancements in the employment-based categories. They should not be considered legal advice. Discover more about visas and their updates here.
According to the U.S. State Department: “Due to high demand in the Employment Second category, likely, the worldwide final action date (including Mexico and the Philippines) will retrogress next month to stay within the maximum allowed under the Fiscal Year 2025 annual limit. We will continually monitor the situation and make necessary adjustments.”
And
“Due to the high demand in the Employment Third category, it is likely that the worldwide final action date (including for Mexico and the Philippines) will retrogress next month to stay within the maximum usage allowed under the Fiscal Year 2025annual limit. We will closely monitor this situation and make necessary adjustments.”
EB-1 Priority Workers
- India – 2-3 Weeks
- China – 1-2 Weeks
- All Other Countries – Remain Current
EB-2 Members of the Professions Holding Advanced Degrees or Persons of Exceptional Ability
- India – 1-2 Weeks
- China – Little or No Movement
- All Other Countries – Little or No Movement
EB-3 Professionals and Skilled Workers
- India – 1-2 Weeks
- China – 1-2 Weeks
- All Other Countries – Little or No Movement
The 7% Per-Country Cap
There is a legal limit on the number of immigrants from any country receiving green cards yearly for the family and employment preference categories. Specifically, no country can be allocated more than 7% of the total number of employment-based (EB) and family-based (FB) preference visas available annually. However, this restriction does not apply to immediate relatives of U.S. citizens, for whom there are no per-country limits.
Due to limitations on the number of green cards issued per category and country, prolonged waiting periods exist for specific categories, disproportionately affecting certain nations.
For instance, the average wait time for U.S. citizens seeking to sponsor their siblings exceeds 15 years in most regions. However, applicants from the Philippines face a 20-year wait, while those from Mexico endure a wait of over 22 years.
Millions of people are waiting abroad for family-sponsored green cards, and hundreds of thousands are waiting for employment-sponsored green cards. Many of these individuals currently live in the U.S. on temporary work visas. However, when their children turn 21, these young adults often lose their ability to maintain lawful immigration status, putting them at risk of being separated from their families.
Visa Bulletins for the Fiscal Year 2025
January 2025 Visa Bulletin:Â Coming Soon…
Visa Bulletin December 2024: .The U.S. Department of State published the Visa Bulletin in December 2024. In this December Visa Bulletin 2024, all employment-based categories will see no changes in the Final Action Dates and Dates for Filing, with two exceptions: the Final Action Date for EB-2 India will progress by two weeks to August 1, 2012, and EB-3 India will move forward by one week to November 8, 2012. The Final Action Dates and Filing for family-based categories will remain unchanged from the previous month.. Read Full Visa Bulletin December 2024 Here.
November 2024 Visa Bulletin:Â The U.S. Department of State published the Visa Bulletin in November 2024. In this November Visa Bulletin 2024, there were updates in all family-based immigration categories except for the F-2A category. Read Full Visa Bulletin November 2024 Here.
October 2024 Visa Bulletin: The Department of State has recently released the October 2024 Visa Bulletin, which contains positive news for the new Reform and Integrity Act EB-5 program and for Chinese and Indian nationals who were in queue under the previous EB-5 program. Read Full Visa Bulletin October 2024 Here.