US Visa Bulletin for July Shows Slight Progress for Indian Skilled Workers and Professionals

The U.S. Department of State has issued the Visa Bulletin for July 2025, reflecting modest advancements in employment-based immigration, particularly for Indian applicants in the EB-3 category.

The Visa Bulletin for July 2025 outlines key Final Action Dates and Dates for Filing that determine when applicants may proceed with their immigration paperwork or adjustment of status applications.

EB-3 Visa Category for Indian Applicants Shows Slight Progress

The EB-3 visa category, designated for skilled workers, professionals, and other workers, saw a one-week advancement for Indian applicants in the Final Action Dates section. This modest change provides some relief for applicants awaiting green card approvals.

To qualify under EB-3, an applicant must meet one of the following:

• Skilled workers with at least two years of experience,

• Professionals holding a U.S. bachelor's degree or equivalent, or

• Other workers in positions that require less than two years of experience or training.

Key Final Action Dates for Employment-Based Visas in July 2025

The Final Action Dates dictate whether applicants can proceed with the final stages of immigration processing. For July:

EB-1 Category

• India: February 15, 2022

• China: November 15, 2022 (advanced by one week)

• All other countries: Current

EB-2 Category

• India: January 1, 2013 (unchanged)

• China: December 15, 2020 (advanced by two weeks)

• All other countries: October 15, 2023

EB-3 Professionals and Skilled Workers

• India: April 22, 2013 (advanced by one week)

• China: December 1, 2020 (advanced by one week)

• Mexico & Others: April 1, 2023 (advanced by seven weeks)

• Philippines: February 8, 2023 (unchanged)

EB-3 Other Workers

• India: April 22, 2013

• China: May 1, 2017

• All other countries: July 8, 2021

EB-5 Unreserved (Regional Center and Non-Regional Center)

• India: May 1, 2019

• China: January 22, 2014

• All other countries: Current

EB-5 Set-Aside Categories (Rural, High Unemployment, Infrastructure)

• All countries: Current

Dates for Filing Employment-Based Applications in July 2025

These dates indicate when applicants can submit documents to the National Visa Center (NVC) even if visas are not yet available.

EB-1 Category

• India: April 15, 2022

• China: January 1, 2023

• All other countries: Current

EB-2 Category

• India: February 1, 2013

• China: January 1, 2021

• All other countries: November 15, 2023

EB-3 Professionals and Skilled Workers

• India: June 8, 2013

• China: December 22, 2020

• All other countries: May 1, 2023

EB-3 Other Workers

• India: June 8, 2013

• China: January 1, 2018

• All other countries: July 22, 2021

EB-4 (Special Immigrants)

• All countries: February 1, 2021

EB-5 Unreserved

• India: April 1, 2022

• China: October 1, 2016

• All other countries: Current

EB-5 Set-Aside Categories

• All countries: Current

Family-Sponsored Visa Preferences for FY2025

The fiscal year 2025 cap for family-sponsored preference immigrants is 226,000, while the worldwide limit for employment-based preference immigrants is set at a minimum of 140,000.

Under U.S. immigration rules, each country is subject to a 7% cap, or 25,620 visas, while dependent areas have a 2% limit, equating to 7,320 visas.

Family Preference Categories Breakdown

• First (F1): Unmarried sons/daughters of U.S. citizens – 23,400 plus any unused fourth preference numbers

• Second (F2): Spouses and unmarried children of permanent residents – 114,200

  • F2A: 77% of second preference (75% exempt from per-country limit)

  • F2B: 23% of second preference

• Third (F3): Married sons/daughters of U.S. citizens – 23,400

• Fourth (F4): Siblings of adult U.S. citizens – 65,000

USCIS noted that when a particular category or country is oversubscribed, the Final Action Date is determined by the earliest unprocessed priority date that exceeds numerical limits.

Allocation Process and Cutoff Clarifications

According to USCIS rules, all allocation decisions were made in chronological order based on reported priority dates for applications received by January 6.

Conclusion:

The July 2025 US Visa Bulletin offers a glimmer of hope for Indian professionals and skilled workers, with a modest one-week advancement in the EB-3 category. While EB-1 and EB-2 categories for India remain unchanged, the minor progress in EB-3 indicates a cautiously positive trend. The bulletin also reflects broader movements for countries like China and others, showing more significant advancements.

As visa backlogs continue to affect thousands of skilled workers, professionals, and families waiting for permanent residency, these updates serve as an important checkpoint in their immigration journey. Stakeholders, especially Indian applicants, are advised to closely track future bulletins and consult immigration experts for timely application decisions and strategy adjustments.

The evolving visa landscape underscores the need for reforms to address long wait times—particularly for countries like India that face disproportionately high demand in employment-based categories.