January 2025 US Visa Bulletin:The US Department of State has issued the January 2025 Visa Bulletin, the first for the year, showcasing notable progress in various employment-based (EB) visa categories, particularly benefiting Indian applicants seeking green cards.

The Visa Bulletin serves as a crucial resource for green card seekers, outlining specific dates that guide when applicants can file their applications or anticipate their cases being processed. These dates indicate the earliest opportunities for visa issuance or adjustment of status approvals.

Updates for Family-Sponsored Visas

The January 2025 Visa Bulletin highlights significant changes in family-sponsored visa categories:

• F1 Category: In the F3 category, the final action dates for married sons and daughters of U.S. citizens have shifted to July 1, 2010, while the filing dates have progressed to July 22, 2012.
• F3 Category: Married sons and daughters of US citizens see final action dates moving to July 1, 2010, with filing dates advancing to July 22, 2012.
• F4 Category: Siblings of US citizens experience a shift to August 15, 2006.
• F2A and F2B Categories: Spouses, children, and unmarried sons and daughters of permanent residents remain largely unchanged.

Progress in Employment-Based Preferences

Noteworthy advancements in employment-based visa categories include:

1. EB-2: Professionals holding advanced degrees or individuals with exceptional ability now have a final action date of October 1, 2012, while filing dates remain set at January 1, 2013.
2. EB-3: Skilled workers, professionals, and other workers see final action dates moving to December 1, 2012, with filing dates unchanged.

Set-Aside Employment Visas: Categories for rural, high-unemployment, and infrastructure projects continue to remain "current," allowing expedited processing for eligible applicants.

Understanding the Visa Bulletin

For those adjusting their immigration status, the Visa Bulletin provides two essential sets of dates:

Dates for Filing: The earliest dates when applicants can submit adjustment of status or immigrant visa applications.

Final Action Dates: Dates indicating when applications are likely to be processed, leading to potential green card issuance.

Applicants must ensure their application priority dates precede the specified final action or filing dates for their respective category and country of origin to maintain eligibility.

Overview of Family-Sponsored Visa Categories

Family-sponsored immigrant visas are categorized as follows:

• F1: Unmarried children of U.S. citizens.
• F2: Spouses, children, and unmarried children of permanent residents.
• F3: Married children of U.S. citizens.
• F4: Siblings of adult US citizens.

In cases of oversubscription—when demand exceeds the number of available visas—final action dates adjust to reflect the priority date of the first applicant unable to receive a visa. The annual limit for family-sponsored visas is capped at 226,000, with a 7% per-country allocation.

Employment-Based Visa Categories

Employment-based immigrant visas are allocated to support a diverse and skilled workforce in the US. The categories include:

• Priority Workers (28.6%): Includes individuals with extraordinary abilities, outstanding professors, and multinational executives.
• Advanced Degree Professionals (28.6%): Covers those with advanced degrees or exceptional abilities.
• Skilled Workers and Other Workers (28.6%): Encompasses skilled workers and unskilled laborers.
• Certain Special Immigrants (7.1%): Includes religious workers and US foreign service employees.
• Employment Creation (7.1%): Subdivided into rural area investors (20%), high-unemployment area investors (10%), and infrastructure investors (2%).