March 2025 Visa Bulletin Released

 

The Department of State (DOS) has issued its March 2025 Visa Bulletin. We will (finally) see forward movement in most employment-based immigrant visa categories,  Family-based categories, however, will see very little advancement. 

For employment-based categories, EB-2 will move forward for all nationals, including India and China, while  EB-3 for skilled workers and professionals will move forward only for nationals of China and India. There will be no movement in the EB-1 category. 

For family-based categories, there will be significant forward movement for nationals of the Philippines in the F-3 and F-4 categories. The final action dates for all other family-based categories remain the same in March. 

USCIS will continue to honor the Dates for Filing Chart for family-based green card applications in March (chart provided further below). However, employment-based green card applications will need to use the Final Action Dates Chart. Although there will be no movement this month in the Dates for Filing for family-based categories, these dates are still further ahead than the Final Action Dates, so beneficiaries of family-based immigrant petitions can get their applications filed and obtain interim benefits for employment and travel until the government can actually approve their application.

Employment-Based Movement 

In March, there will be forward movement in almost all categories, except EB-1, which will remain the same. 

The EB-2 category will advance by six weeks for all nationals and nationals of India.  For nationals of China, the priority date advances by sixteen days. 

The EB-3 category for skilled workers and professionals will remain the same for all nationals, except for nationals of China and India, whose final action dates will advance by four weeks and six weeks, respectively.  The EB-3 category for other workers, whose positions require less than two years of training, also has forward advancement for all nationals except China. 

Here’s a chart for easy reference:

 
 

Family-based Movement

In March, the F-3 and F-4 categories for nationals of the Philippines will advance by ten weeks, and five months and two weeks, respectively. All other Final Action Dates will remain the same. 

Here’s a chart for easy reference:

As mentioned previously, USCIS will honor the Dates for Filing chart (further below) for the family-based immigrant visa categories. 

By way of reminder, the categories are:

  • F-1 category:  unmarried sons and daughters of U.S. citizens

  • F2-A category: spouses and children under 21 of lawful permanent residents

  • F2-B category: unmarried adult children (over 21) of lawful permanent residents

  • F-3 category:  married sons and daughters of U.S. citizens

  • F-4 category:  siblings of U.S. citizens

WHAT DATES IN THE VISA BULLETIN SHOULD YOU USE FOR FILING YOUR ADJUSTMENT OF STATUS APPLICATION WITH USCIS?

If USCIS determines that there are more immigrant visas available for a fiscal year than there are known applicants for such visas, then USCIS will state here that you may use the Dates for Filing Visa Applications chart in the Department of State Visa Bulletin, which usually has dates later than the Final Action Dates noted above. Otherwise, USCIS will indicate on its website that you must use the Application Final Action Dates chart (above) to determine when you may file your adjustment of status application in the United States.

For March 2025, USCIS has confirmed the Dates for Filing (below) should be used for family-based categories. Employment-based categories must use the Final Action Dates (above).

If the priority date for your family-based category is before the date listed above and you are in the United States, you may file your application to adjust your status along with the applications for employment authorization and travel permission (assuming you have no bars to admissibility) with USCIS in March. 

The entire visa bulletin is available on the State Department’s website, which includes information on the diversity visa lottery and the EB-5 priority dates. 

If you would like more information on how to understand the monthly visa bulletin, please check out our blog post on this topic and our podcast available here. 

This alert is for informational purposes only.  Please contact us if you would like to discuss these developments further. 

 
Nadia Yakoob