US visa bulletin October: EB-5 green card for Indians jumps 15 months

US visa bulletin October 2025: India records notable progress in employment and family green card categories as the US publishes its October 2025 visa bulletin

Good news for green card applicants! The US visa bulletin for October 2025, the first of the financial year 2026 that begins on October 1, brings major forward movement in priority dates for India across both employment and family visa categories.

 

The Final Action Date for EB-5 (unreserved) India applications will advance by nearly 15 months, from November 15, 2019 to February 1, 2021. Other employment-based categories also see modest but positive progress.

 

What is the US Visa Bulletin?

 

The Visa Bulletin is published monthly by the US Department of State. It helps green card applicants understand when they may move forward in the process.

 

Here’s how it works:

 

Dates for Filing: If your priority date is earlier than this date, you can submit your application paperwork, though your green card won’t be issued yet.

Final Action Dates: If your priority date is earlier than this cut-off, your application can be processed and potentially approved.

 

Applicants already living in the US may submit an adjustment of status application when their priority date is current. Those living abroad must apply for an immigrant visa through a US consulate. 

 

Employment-based green cards

 

The EB-5 programme, often called the immigrant investor visa, allows investors to obtain a green card. In October, the EB-5 India category sees its Final Action Date shift forward by over a year.

 

For employment-based visas, the bulletin records the following:

 

EB-1 India: February 15, 2022 (unchanged)

EB-2 India: January 1, 2013 (unchanged)

EB-3 India: August 22, 2013 (was May 22, 2013)

Other Workers India: August 22, 2013 (was May 22, 2013)

EB-4 India: July 1, 2020

EB-5 unreserved India: February 1, 2021 (was November 15, 2019)

EB-5 set aside categories (rural, high unemployment, infrastructure): Current

 

The bulletin also outlines filing dates, allowing applicants to submit adjustment applications earlier. For example, the EB-3 filing date for India is now August 15, 2014 (up from June 8, 2013). 

 

Family-based green cards

 

In family categories, the most striking change is in F2A, for spouses and children of permanent residents. The Final Action Date here moves forward by 17 months, from September 1, 2022 to February 1, 2024.

 

The US bulletin lists the following for India:

 

F1: November 8, 2016 (was July 15, 2016)

F2A: February 1, 2024 (was September 1, 2022)

F2B: November 22, 2016 (was October 15, 2016)

F3: September 8, 2011 (was August 1, 2011)

F4: November 1, 2006 (unchanged)

 

For filing dates:

 

F1: September 1, 2017 (unchanged)

F2A: September 22, 2025 (was June 1, 2025)

F2B: January 1, 2017 (unchanged)

F3: July 22, 2012 (unchanged)

F4: December 1, 2006 (unchanged) 

 

Overall visa limits for 2026

 

The bulletin sets out the statutory caps for the financial year:

 

Family-sponsored immigrant visas: 226,000

Employment-based immigrant visas: At least 140,000

Per-country cap: 7% of the combined annual limit, i.e. 25,620 visas

Dependent area cap: 2%, or 7,320 visas

 

“The financial year 2026 limit for family-sponsored preference immigrants determined in accordance with Section 201 of the Immigration and Nationality Act is 226,000. The worldwide level for annual employment-based preference immigrants is at least 140,000,” the bulletin said. 

 

These limits and per-country allocations shape how quickly applications progress, particularly for oversubscribed countries such as India.