The U.S. Department of State released the July 2025 Visa Bulletin, the latest green card waiting list. This bulletin provides the availability of immigrant visa numbers for July 2025.
It includes both the final action dates and dates for filing for family- and employment-based categories. These dates inform applicants when they can submit their documents to the National Visa Center (NVC).
If you’re waiting for a green card, this update is important—it helps you understand how much longer you might need to wait.
July 2025 Visa Bulletin: Key Updates
Below are the key updates from the July 2025 Visa Bulletin. They highlight any changes in the wait times for green card applicants.
Family-Based Green Card Updates
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F1: Mexico has advanced by two months.
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F2A: All regions have advanced by one month.
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F2B: Mexico has advanced by one year.
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F3: The Philippines has advanced by two months.
- F4: China and all other areas have advanced by three months.
Employment-Based Green Card Updates
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EB-1: China has a change by one week.
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EB-2: China has change by two weeks.
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EB-3: Mexico and all other areas has change by almost 2 months. China and India by 1 week.
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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 or employment-based visa, you need an immigrant visa petition filed by a relative or employer first. If no petition has been filed for you yet, learn about the Adjustment of Status process.
If a petition is already filed or approved, you may need to wait for a visa to become available in your category before applying for Form I-485. The below table will help you know when to file your application based on categories.
Every month U.S. Department of State releases two charts with “Final Action Dates” and “Dates For Filing”. USCIS decides what chart the applicants should refer to and file their applications. For July 2025, use “Dates for Filing” chart for Family-Sponsored Green Cards, and “Final Action Dates” chart for Employment-Sponsored Green Cards.
If you find
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- “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 (July 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 (July 2025)
| Family-Sponsored Categories | All Other Areas | CHINA (Mainland Born) | INDIA | MEXICO | PHILIPPINES |
| F1 | 01SEP17 | 01SEP17 | 01SEP17 | 01JUN06 | 22APR15 |
| F2A | 01MAR25 | 01MAR25 | 01MAR25 | 01MAR25 | 01MAR25 |
| F2B | 01JAN17 | 01JAN17 | 01JAN17 | 01APR08 | 01OCT13 |
| F3 | 22JUL12 | 22JUL12 | 22JUL12 | 15JUN01 | 01DEC04 |
| F4 | 08SEP08 | 08SEP08 | 01DEC06 | 30APR01 | 01JAN08 |
Employment-Based Preferences
Final Action Dates For Employment-Based Applications
(July 2025)
| Employment-Based Categories | All Other Areas | CHINA (Mainland Born) | INDIA | MEXICO | PHILIPPINES |
| 1st | C | 15NOV22 | 15FEB22 | C | C |
| 2nd | 15OCT23 | 15DEC20 | 01JAN13 | 15OCT23 | 15OCT23 |
| 3rd | 01APR23 | 01DEC20 | 22APR13 | 01APR23 | 08FEB23 |
| Other Workers | 08JUL21 | 01MAY17 | 22APR13 | 08JUL21 | 08JUL21 |
| 4th | U | U | U | U | U |
| Certain Religious Workers | U | U | U | U | U |
| 5th Unreserved (including C5, T5, I5, R5) | C | 22JAN14 | 01MAY19 | 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 (July 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 |
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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.
July 2025 Immigrant Numbers in the DV Category
| Region | All DV Chargeability Areas Except Those Listed Separately | |
| AFRICA | 45,000 | Except: 1. Algeria: 44,950 2. Egypt: 40,000 3. Morocco: 34,500 |
| ASIA | 9,000 | Except: 1. Iran: 8,950 2. Nepal: 8,950 |
| EUROPE | 19,000 | Except: 1. Russia: 18,950 2. Uzbekistan: 12,000 |
| NORTH AMERICA (BAHAMAS) | 20 | |
| OCEANIA | 1,650 | |
| SOUTH AMERICA, and the CARIBBEAN | 2,450 |
The Diversity (DV) Immigrant Category Rank Cut-offs (August 2025)
| 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 |
Why it is Important to Check Visa Bulletin Every Month?
Every month, you should check the visa bulletin to get the details about available immigrant visa numbers. Since the U.S. Government sets an annual limit on the number of immigrant visas, there can be significant wait times due to high demand and country-specific limits.
On the regular check, you can identify when a visa number becomes available for your category. It helps you to apply at the right time without missing opportunities.
