Bulletin archive

March 2025 Visa Bulletin

Effective March 1, 2025 · Fiscal Year 2025
Source: archived HTML
Data verified October 22, 2026

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F1: Most countries, China, India, Mexico, Philippines
F2A: Most countries, China, India, Mexico, Philippines
F2B: Most countries, China, India, Mexico, Philippines
F3: Most countries, China, India, Mexico, Philippines
F4: Most countries, China, India, Mexico, Philippines
EB-1: Most countries, China, India, Mexico, Philippines
EB-2: Most countries, China, India, Mexico, Philippines
EB-3: Most countries, China, India, Mexico, Philippines
EB-3 Other Workers: Most countries, China, India, Mexico, Philippines
EB-4: Most countries, China, India, Mexico, Philippines
EB-4 Religious Workers: Most countries, China, India, Mexico, Philippines
EB-5: Most countries, China, India, Mexico, Philippines
EB-5 Rural: Most countries, China, India, Mexico, Philippines
EB-5 High Unemployment: Most countries, China, India, Mexico, Philippines
EB-5 Infrastructure: Most countries, China, India, Mexico, Philippines
Across the whole bulletin
23moved
10moved back
127held

F4 approval date for the Philippines advances 5 months.

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Bulletin day

What changed in the March 2025 bulletin

  1. F4 the PhilippinesF4, the Philippines: advanced 5 months+5 mo Cutoff now October 15, 2004.
  2. F3 the PhilippinesF3, the Philippines: advanced 2 months+2 mo Cutoff now January 22, 2003.
  3. EB-4 All countriesEB-4, All countries: moved back 17 months−17 mo The same move for every country listed.
  4. EB-4 Religious Workers All countriesEB-4 Religious Workers, All countries: moved back 17 months−17 mo The same move for every country listed.
  5. EB-3 Other Workers Most countries · India · MexicoEB-3 Other Workers, Most countries · India · Mexico: advanced 2 months+2 mo The same move for most countries, India, and Mexico.
  6. EB-3 IndiaEB-3, India: advanced 2 months+2 mo Cutoff now February 1, 2013.
  7. EB-2 IndiaEB-2, India: advanced 2 months+2 mo Cutoff now December 1, 2012.
  8. EB-2 Most countries · Mexico · the PhilippinesEB-2, Most countries · Mexico · the Philippines: advanced 1 month+1 mo The same move for most countries, Mexico, and the Philippines.
  9. EB-3 Other Workers the PhilippinesEB-3 Other Workers, the Philippines: advanced 1 month+1 mo Cutoff now January 15, 2021.
  10. EB-3 ChinaEB-3, China: advanced 1 month+1 mo Cutoff now August 1, 2020.
  11. EB-2 ChinaEB-2, China: advanced 2 weeks+2 wk Cutoff now May 8, 2020.
8 categories unchanged · Approval dates (from the official Final Action Dates chart) · how stamps are judged

In brief

EB-4 approval date for most countries moves back 17 months.

Primary source

From the Department’s notes for March 2025

5 sections, reproduced verbatim from the U.S. Department of State’s March 2025 Visa Bulletin. The Department’s words, not ours.

A. STATUTORY NUMBERS FOR PREFERENCE IMMIGRANT VISASThis bulletin summarizes the availability of immigrant numbers during March for: “Final Action Dates” and “Dates for…

From the bulletin:

This bulletin summarizes the availability of immigrant numbers during March for: “Final Action Dates” and “Dates for Filing Applications,” indicating when immigrant visa applicants should be notified to assemble and submit required documentation to the National Visa Center.

Unless otherwise indicated on the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) website at www.uscis.gov/visabulletininfo , individuals seeking to file applications for adjustment of status with USCIS must use the “Final Action Dates” charts below for determining when they can file such applications. When USCIS determines that there are more immigrant visas available for the fiscal year than there are known applicants for such visas, USCIS will state on its website that applicants may instead use the “Dates for Filing Visa Applications” charts in this Bulletin.

1. Procedures for determining dates. Consular officers are required to report to the Department of State documentarily qualified applicants for numerically limited visas; USCIS reports applicants for adjustment of status. Allocations in the charts below were made, to the extent possible, in chronological order of reported priority dates, for demand received by February 3rd . If not all demand could be satisfied, the category or foreign state in which demand was excessive was deemed oversubscribed. The final action date for an oversubscribed category is the priority date of the first applicant who could not be reached within the numerical limits. If it becomes necessary during the monthly allocation process to retrogress a final action date, supplemental requests for numbers will be honored only if the priority date falls within the new final action date announced in this bulletin. If at any time an annual limit were reached, it would be necessary to immediately make the preference category “unavailable”, and no further requests for numbers would be honored.

2. The fiscal year 2025 limit for family-sponsored preference immigrants determined in accordance with Section 201 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) is 226,000. The worldwide level for annual employment-based preference immigrants is at least 140,000. Section 202 prescribes that the per-country limit for preference immigrants is set at 7% of the total annual family-sponsored and employment-based preference limits, i.e., 25,620. The dependent area limit is set at 2%, or 7,320.

3. INA Section 203(e) provides that family-sponsored and employment-based preference visas be issued to eligible immigrants in the order in which a petition in behalf of each has been filed. Section 203(d) provides that spouses and children of preference immigrants are entitled to the same status, and the same order of consideration, if accompanying or following to join the principal. The visa prorating provisions of Section 202(e) apply to allocations for a foreign state or dependent area when visa issuances will exceed the per-country limit. These provisions apply at present to the following oversubscribed chargeability areas: CHINA-mainland born, INDIA, MEXICO, and PHILIPPINES.

4. Section 203(a) of the INA prescribes preference classes for allotment of Family-sponsored immigrant visas as follows:

FAMILY-SPONSORED PREFERENCES

First : ( F1 ) Unmarried Sons and Daughters of U.S. Citizens: 23,400 plus any numbers not required for fourth preference.

Second : Spouses and Children, and Unmarried Sons and Daughters of Permanent Residents: 114,200, plus the number (if any) by which the worldwide family preference level exceeds 226,000, plus any unused first preference numbers:

A. ( F2A ) Spouses and Children of Permanent Residents: 77% of the overall second preference limitation, of which 75% are exempt from the per-country limit;

B. ( F2B ) Unmarried Sons and Daughters (21 years of age or older) of Permanent Residents: 23% of the overall second preference limitation.

Third : ( F3 ) Married Sons and Daughters of U.S. Citizens: 23,400, plus any numbers not required by first and second preferences.

Fourth : ( F4 ) Brothers and Sisters of Adult U.S. Citizens: 65,000, plus any numbers not required by first three preferences.

In plain words: “Unavailable” (“U”) means paused; “retrogress” means move back; “chargeability area” means country of birth; “final action date” means approval date; “date for filing” means filing date.

C. THE DIVERSITY IMMIGRANT (DV) CATEGORY RANK CUT-OFFS WHICH WILL APPLY IN APRIL

From the bulletin:

For April , immigrant numbers in the DV category are available to qualified DV-2025 applicants chargeable to all regions/eligible countries as follows. When an allocation cut-off number is shown, visas are available only for applicants with DV regional lottery rank numbers BELOW the specified allocation cut-off number:

Region

All DV Chargeability Areas Except

Those Listed Separately

AFRICA

30,000

Except: Algeria 29,950

Egypt 27,950

Morocco 27,950

ASIA

6,000

Except: Iran 5,950

Nepal 5,950

EUROPE

16,000

Except: Russia 15,950

Uzbekistan 7,750

NORTH AMERICA (BAHAMAS)

20

OCEANIA

1,500

SOUTH AMERICA,

and the CARIBBEAN

2,200

In plain words: “chargeability area” means country of birth.

D. RETROGRESSION IN THE EMPLOYMENT-BASED FOURTH PREFERENCE (EB-4) CATEGORYDue to high demand and number use throughout the first half of the fiscal year, it has become necessary to retrogress…

From the bulletin:

Due to high demand and number use throughout the first half of the fiscal year, it has become necessary to retrogress the final action date in the EB-4/SR categories for the month of March to keep issuances within the annual limit. Further, it may be necessary to make the category “Unavailable” in the coming months, possibly as soon as April. Note that the quarterly limits established in INA 201(a)(2) apply to the overall employment-based limit, and thus a specific category may become unavailable prior to the end of a fiscal year if demand and issuance rates for that category would otherwise exceed its annual limit. The situation will be continually monitored, and any necessary adjustments made accordingly. In the event that the category becomes “Unavailable,” EB-4/SR visa numbers will be available on October 1 with the start of FY-2026.

In plain words: “Unavailable” (“U”) means paused; “retrogress” means move back; “final action date” means approval date.

E. SCHEDULED EXPIRATION OF THE EMPLOYMENT FOURTH PREFERENCE RELIGIOUS WORKERS (SR) CATEGORYH.R. 10545, signed on December 21, 2024, extended the Employment Fourth Preference Certain Religious Workers (SR)…

From the bulletin:

H.R. 10545, signed on December 21, 2024, extended the Employment Fourth Preference Certain Religious Workers (SR) category until March 14, 2025. No SR visas may be issued overseas, or final action taken on adjustment of status cases, after midnight March 13, 2025. Visas issued prior to that date will be valid only until March 13, 2025, and all individuals seeking admission in the non-minister special immigrant category must be admitted (repeat, admitted) into the United States no later than midnight March 13, 2025.

The SR category is available and subject to the same final action dates as the other Employment Fourth Preference categories per applicable foreign state of chargeability for March. In the event there is no legislative action extending the category beyond March 14, 2025, the category will immediately become “Unavailable” as of March 14, 2025. In the event there is legislative action extending the category beyond March 14, the published dates will continue to be in effect for the remainder of March.

In plain words: “Unavailable” (“U”) means paused; “final action date” means approval date.

F. U.S. GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEE SPECIAL IMMIGRANT VISAS (SIVs)

From the bulletin:

The National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2024, signed into law on December 22, 2023, may affect certain current and former employees of the U.S. Government abroad, as well as certain surviving spouses and children of deceased employees of the U.S. government abroad, applying for SIVs or adjustment of status, as described in section 101(a)(27)(D) of the INA. This does not affect certain Iraqis and Afghans applying for SQ and SI SIVs. Applicants should contact the consular section at which they filed their Form DS‑1884 for further information on the impact of that law on their case.

Get the movement, monthly

Understanding the two charts

Approval dates

For issuing green cards: the approval date (from the official Final Action Dates chart). If your priority date is earlier than the date shown for your category and country, a visa number is available and your case can be approved. “Open to everyone” means every priority date can move forward this month; “Paused” means no visa numbers are available this month.

Filing dates

For submitting I-485 applications: the filing date (from the official Dates for Filing chart). It is the earliest priority date at which you may assemble and submit documents, ahead of approval, when USCIS says to use this chart for the month. It lets applicants get in line earlier while waiting for a visa number.