The September 2025 US Visa Bulletin has delivered mixed news for Indian Green Card applicants, bringing a measure of relief for family-based immigration while signaling potential trouble for several employment-based categories. According to the bulletin, the F2A category — which enables lawful permanent residents to sponsor their spouses and unmarried children under the age of 21 — remains open for Indian applicants in the final month of the fiscal year. The filing date for this category has also advanced by two months, moving from April 1, 2025, to June 1, 2025, allowing applicants to continue submitting adjustment of status applications without delay.
While this development offers a valuable opportunity for family reunification, the picture is less positive for employment-based (EB) categories. In particular, EB-2 and EB-3 for Indian applicants are nearing their annual visa limits, raising the possibility of a freeze or even retrogression in final action dates before the end of September. Under the current rules, final approvals for F2A applicants will still depend on the Final Action Date — presently set at September 1, 2022 — becoming current and visa numbers being available.
For fiscal year 2025, the cap for family-based Green Cards stands at 2,26,000, while employment-based categories are limited to 1,50,037. Per-country limits mean that India, along with other high-demand countries like China, Mexico, and the Philippines, can receive a maximum of about 26,323 visas annually. Dependent territories face an even tighter limit of 2%.
The bulletin also includes an urgent reminder for Diversity Visa (DV) 2025 selectees: they must complete all necessary steps — including paperwork submission, interviews, and visa issuance — before September 30, 2025. Any unused visas will expire at the end of the fiscal year, and no further action will be possible after that date. Immigration experts, such as Morgan Bailey of Mayer Brown, have stressed that timely action is essential, as visa availability may run out even before the deadline.
Looking ahead, the start of fiscal year 2026 on October 1 could bring fresh allocations, potentially leading to significant movement in both employment-based and family-based categories. This cyclical reset offers renewed hope for applicants facing delays, but success will continue to depend on closely tracking the monthly visa bulletin.
The bulletin remains a critical tool in navigating the complex process of US immigration, as it determines when applicants can move forward in their quest for permanent residency. By monitoring priority dates — set at the time a sponsorship petition is filed — individuals can better anticipate when they may be eligible to advance to the next step, even if their initial application was submitted months or years earlier.
