The U.S. Department of State has released the August 2025 Visa Bulletin, the latest update to the green card waiting list. This monthly bulletin is important for green card applicants to understand how long they may need to wait to apply and receive approval.
In the U.S. Visa Bulletin, “Dates for Filing” and “Final Action Dates” are two key deadlines used by the Department of State and USCIS to guide when applicants in family- and employment-based visa categories can take the next step in the green card process.
- Final Action Date: The date indicates that USCIS or the National Visa Center is prepared to approve the visa petition and proceed with green card issuance.
- Dates for Filing: The date indicates when an applicant becomes eligible to submit their application to USCIS or the National Visa Center for further processing..
The gap between these two dates generally represents the estimated processing time by USCIS.
If you’re waiting for a green card, this update is important—it helps you understand how much longer you might need to wait.
August 2025 Visa Bulletin: Key Updates
Below are the key updates from the August 2025 Visa Bulletin. They highlight any changes in the wait times for green card applicants.
Family-Based Green Card Updates
F1 Unmarried Children (Age 21 and Older) of U.S. Citizens: No change in movement compared to July.
F2A Spouses and Unmarried Children (Under age 21) of U.S. Green Card holders: All regions have advanced by 1 month.
F2B Unmarried Children (Age 21 or Older) of U.S. Green Card holders: No change in movement compared to July.
F3 Married Children of U.S. Citizens: No change in movement compared to July.
- F4 Siblings of U.S. Citizens: China and all other areas have advanced by 3 months and 3 weeks.
Employment-Based Green Card Updates
EB-1: China has a change by one week.
EB-2: China has change by two weeks.
EB-3: Mexico and all other areas has change by almost 2 months. China and India by 1 week.
EB-3 (Other Workers): Mexico, Philippines, and all other areas has change by 2 weeks. China by 1 month and India by 1 week.
- EB-5: No Changes
Below you can find the detailed chart with dates for individual categories.
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When to File Adjustment of Status Application
If you want to become a U.S. permanent resident through a family-based or employment-based visa, an immigrant visa petition must first be filed on your behalf by a relative or employer. If no petition has been submitted for you yet, learn more about the Adjustment of Status process.
If a petition has already been filed or approved, you may need to wait until a visa becomes available in your category before applying with Form I-485. The table below will help you determine when to file your application based on your visa category.
Wondering how long it takes after your date becomes current? See our full guide to green card timelines in 2025.
USCIS decides which chart applicants should follow when submitting their applications. For August 2025, use the “Dates for Filing” chart for family-sponsored green cards and the “Final Action Dates” chart for employment-sponsored green cards.
If you find
- “C” on the chart is the current date and the numbers are authorized for issuance to all qualified applicants.
- “U” means unauthorized, the numbers mentioned are not authorized for issuance.
Are you new to “Visa Bulletin” or “Final Action Date”? No worries. Immigration Direct prepared the guide on “How to Read the Visa Bulletin” for you. Learn today!
If you want to check the archive of the complete visa bulletin, you can check by using Travel.State.Gov.
Family-Sponsored Preferences
Final Action Dates for Family-Sponsored Applications (August 2025)
| Family-Sponsored Categories | All Other Areas | CHINA (Mainland Born) | INDIA | MEXICO | PHILIPPINES |
| F1 | 15JUL16 | 15JUL16 | 15JUL16 | 22APR05 | 15JUL12 |
| F2A | 01SEP22 | 01SEP22 | 01SEP22 | 01FEB22 | 01SEP22 |
| F2B | 15OCT16 | 15OCT16 | 15OCT16 | 01JAN07 | 15APR12 |
| F3 | 01AUG11 | 01AUG11 | 01AUG11 | 01FEB01 | 01DEC03 |
| F4 | 01JAN08 | 01JAN08 | 08JUL06 | 15MAR01 | 01JAN06 |
Dates For Filing Family-Sponsored Applications (August 2025)
| Family-Sponsored Categories | All Other Areas | CHINA (Mainland Born) | INDIA | MEXICO | PHILIPPINES |
| F1 | 01SEP17 | 01SEP17 | 01SEP17 | 01JUN06 | 22APR15 |
| F2A | 01APR25 | 01APR25 | 01APR25 | 01APR25 | 01APR25 |
| F2B | 01JAN17 | 01JAN17 | 01JAN17 | 01APR08 | 01OCT13 |
| F3 | 22JUL12 | 22JUL12 | 22JUL12 | 15JUN01 | 01DEC04 |
| F4 | 01JAN09 | 01JAN09 | 01DEC06 | 30APR01 | 01JAN08 |
Employment-Based Preferences
Final Action Dates For Employment-Based Applications
(August 2025)
| Employment-Based Categories | All Other Areas | CHINA (Mainland Born) | INDIA | MEXICO | PHILIPPINES |
| 1st | C | 15NOV22 | 15FEB22 | C | C |
| 2nd | 01SEP23 | 15DEC20 | 01JAN13 | 01SEP23 | 01SEP23 |
| 3rd | 01APR23 | 01DEC20 | 22MAY13 | 01APR23 | 08FEB23 |
| Other Workers | 08JUL21 | 01MAY17 | 22MAY13 | 08JUL21 | 08JUL21 |
| 4th | U | U | U | U | U |
| Certain Religious Workers | U | U | U | U | U |
| 5th Unreserved (including C5, T5, I5, R5) | C | 08DEC15 | 15NOV19 | C | C |
| 5th Set Aside: Rural (20%) | C | C | C | C | C |
| 5th Set Aside: High Unemployment (10%) | C | C | C | C | C |
| 5th Set Aside: Infrastructure (2%) | C | C | C | C | C |
Dates for Filing Employment-Based Applications (August 2025)
| Employment-Based Categories | All Other Areas | CHINA (Mainland Born) | INDIA | MEXICO | PHILIPPINES |
| 1st | C | 01JAN23 | 15APR22 | C | C |
| 2nd | 15NOV23 | 01JAN21 | 01FEB13 | 15NOV23 | 15NOV23 |
| 3rd | 01MAY23 | 22DEC20 | 08JUN13 | 01MAY23 | 01MAY23 |
| Other Workers | 22JUL21 | 01JAN18 | 08JUN13 | 22JUL21 | 22JUL21 |
| 4th | 01FEB21 | 01FEB21 | 01FEB21 | 01FEB21 | 01FEB21 |
| Certain Religious Workers | 01FEB21 | 01FEB21 | 01FEB21 | 01FEB21 | 01FEB21 |
| 5th Unreserved (including C5, T5, I5, R5) | C | 01OCT16 | 01APR22 | C | C |
| 5th Set Aside: Rural (20%) | C | C | C | C | C |
| 5th Set Aside: High Unemployment (10%) | C | C | C | C | C |
| 5th Set Aside: Infrastructure (2%) | C | C | C | C | C |
Diversity Immigrant (DV) Category
Every year Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) permits 55,000 immigrant visas annually through the Diversity Visa program. This number of visas from countries with low admissions over the past five years. 5,000 visas are reserved annually for the NACARA program, reducing the DV-2025 limit to roughly 54,850. These DV visas are distributed across six regions, with a cap of seven percent per country each year.
August 2025 Immigrant Numbers in the DV Category
| Region | All DV Chargeability Areas Except Those Listed Separately | |
| AFRICA | 50,000 | Except: 1. Algeria: 49,950 2. Egypt: 43,250 3. Morocco: 40,500 |
| ASIA | 11,000 | Except: 1. Iran: 10,650 2. Nepal: 10,650 |
| EUROPE | 22,000 | Except: 1. Russia: 21,950 2. Uzbekistan: 13,000 |
| NORTH AMERICA (BAHAMAS) | Current | |
| OCEANIA | 1,700 | |
| SOUTH AMERICA, and the CARIBBEAN | 2,600 |
The Diversity (DV) Immigrant Category Rank Cut-offs (September 2025)
| Region | All DV Chargeability Areas Except Those Listed Separately | |
| AFRICA | 58,500 | Except: 1. Algeria: 54,500 2. Egypt: 52,000 3. Morocco: 40,500 |
| ASIA | 14,500 | Except: 1. Iran: 11,000 2. Nepal: 14,450 |
| EUROPE | 23,000 | Except: 1. Russia: 22,950 2. Uzbekistan: 15,000 |
| NORTH AMERICA (BAHAMAS) | Current | |
| OCEANIA | 1,775 | |
| SOUTH AMERICA, and the CARIBBEAN | 2,825 |
Why it is Important to Check Visa Bulletin Every Month?
It’s important to check the Visa Bulletin every month to see if an immigrant visa is available in your category. The U.S. government limits the number of green cards each year, and because of high demand and country caps, wait times can be long.
By checking the bulletin regularly, you’ll know when your visa number becomes available, so you can file your green card application on time and avoid delays.
