US August Visa Bulletin brings mixed news for Indian Green Card applicants

The US Department of State’s August 2025 Visa Bulletin offers a modest reprieve for Indian green card hopefuls, particularly in the EB-3 skilled workers category, while raising red flags about looming retrogressions or cut-offs across employment-based visa categories. The bulletin, released late last week, outlines crucial Final Action Dates and Dates for Filing, which determine when immigrants can move forward with their green card applications.

 

 India EB-3 Moves Forward, EB-2 Flatlines

Indian applicants under the EB-3 category — which includes skilled workers, professionals, and other workers — saw their Final Action Date advance by one month, from April 2025 to May 22, 2013. While the progress is marginal, it marks the only forward movement for Indian employment-based applicants this month.

 

In contrast, EB-2 applicants — typically professionals with advanced degrees — saw no movement, with the Final Action Date for India remaining at January 1, 2013. This is concerning, as the category remains highly backlogged for Indian nationals.

 

“Visa demand and number use remain high in the EB-2 and EB-3 categories, and issuance totals are rapidly approaching the annual limits for FY2025,” the Department of State noted in the bulletin. 

 

Retrogression Watch for Other Countries

The bulletin also revealed that for non-India and non-China applicants, the EB-2 Final Action Date has retrogressed by 1.5 months to September 1, 2023, a response to the surging demand that threatens to exceed the annual visa cap. The Department has warned that if the usage threshold is hit, EB-2 visas could become “unavailable” before the fiscal year ends on September 30.

 

EB-5 Sees Big Gains, Especially for India

The EB-5 visa category — often dubbed the "investor green card" — brings more encouraging news for Indian applicants. The Final Action Date for India’s unreserved EB-5 visas has moved forward by over six months, while China saw an even more dramatic two-year advancement.

 

This progress is significant given the increasing interest among Indian high-net-worth individuals in the EB-5 route, especially in the wake of long EB-2/EB-3 queues and the growing backlog of employment-based visas.

 

 EB-1 and Other Categories: No Change for India

There was no movement in the EB-1 category (for extraordinary ability or multinational executives) for India or China, with Final Action Dates for India holding at February 15, 2022. Similarly, China EB-2 (Dec 15, 2020) and China EB-1 (Nov 15, 2022) also remained unchanged.

 

What This Means for Applicants

Indian skilled workers in EB-3 may now file if their priority date is before May 22, 2013

 

EB-2 India remains stalled, with no signs of movement amid high demand

 

EB-5 India applicants can expect faster processing if their investments are aligned with the unreserved category

 

USCIS will use Final Action Dates in the August 2025 bulletin to determine filing eligibility

 

 Visa Limits: A Ticking Clock

For FY2025, the employment-based preference limit is 140,000, with per-country caps of 7% (25,620 visas). With demand surging and annual limits nearing exhaustion, the Department of State has cautioned that several categories may be closed for further processing as early as September.

 

Key Takeaways for Indian Applicants:

File as soon as eligible — demand is approaching statutory caps

 

Expect continued delays in EB-2, but monitor EB-3 and EB-5 movement closely 

 

Watch for September retrogressions, especially if priority dates are borderline

 

As the US immigration system continues to strain under backlog pressure, employment-based applicants from India may need to prepare for a longer wait — or consider alternative visa strategies, including the EB-5 or O-1 categories.