On June 9, 2025, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) released the July 2025 Visa Bulletin, detailing which family- and employment-based visa categories are now “current” and how priority dates have moved. This monthly update is critical for applicants and petitioners to know when they can file for adjustment of status (I-485) or begin consular processing. Below is a concise summary of the key changes, recent trends, what to expect next, and the actions you should take.
Key Takeaways for July 2025
Family-Sponsored Final Action Dates
- F2A (Spouses & Children of LPRs): leaps 8 months, from January 1, 2022 → September 1, 2022
- F1 (Unmarried Sons/Daughters of U.S. citizens): advances ~5 weeks to July 15, 2016
- F2B (Unmarried Sons/Daughters 21+ of LPRs): moves ~3 weeks to October 15, 2016
- F3 (Married Sons/Daughters of U.S. citizens): up ~1½ months to August 1, 2011
- F4 (Siblings of U.S. citizens): remains at January 1, 2008
Employment-Based Final Action Dates
- EB-1: remains Current for all countries
- EB-2 (“All-Other”):
- Worldwide: October 15, 2023 (no change)
- China: December 15, 2020 (+½ month)
- India: January 1, 2013 (no change)
- EB-3 (“All-Other”): jumps ~7 weeks to April 1, 2023; China to December 20, 2020; India to December 22, 2020
- EB-3 “Other Workers”: advances to July 8, 2021 (global)
Progress Over Recent Months
- Family-Sponsored: F2A’s dramatic 8-month jump reflects USCIS clearing a backlog of pending spouse/child cases. Other family categories continue steady, modest gains, while F4 remains static.
- Employment-Based: EB-3 worldwide moved from February 8 → April 1, 2023 (nearly 7 weeks), with India/China seeing roughly 1 month gains; EB-2 held steady except for China’s half-month bump; EB-1 stays current.
Outlook for the Coming Months
- Family Categories likely maintain modest forward movement—especially F2A—as pending inventories decline.
- EB-3 should continue incremental advances via visa recapture from unused categories.
- India/China backlogs will see only small monthly gains due to strict per-country limits
Watch for the August 2025 bulletin and any USCIS guidance on “Dates for Filing” vs. “Final Action Dates.”
What to Do Now
- Verify Your Priority Date against the Final Action Dates chart. If current, prepare to file your I-485 (if in the U.S.) or submit documents to the NVC (for consular processing).
- Check USCIS Guidance at uscis.gov/visabulletininfo to see if you should use the “Dates for Filing” chart this month.
- Gather All Supporting Documents (civil documents, affidavits, medical exam) so you’re ready to file immediately once eligible.
- Maintain Valid Status if you’re in the U.S. and not yet able to apply.
Disclaimer
I am not an immigration attorney. For personalized legal advice, please consult a qualified immigration lawyer