Visa Bulletin Update: Annual Limit for EB-1, EB-2 and EB-3 Categories Reached for FY2025

The Department of State (DOS) recently announced that the maximum annual visa limit for the EB-1, EB-2 and EB-3 categories has been reached for Fiscal Year (FY) 2025, and these categories have become immediately unavailable.  As such, US Embassies and Consulates, and the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) may not issue immigrant visas or green cards for these categories for the remainder of this fiscal year, or until September 30, 2025.

Despite visa numbers being unavailable through September 30th, the USCIS should continue to accept Form I-485 adjustment of status (green card) applications under these categories for applicants whose priority dates are established before the Final Action Dates in the September 2025 Visa Bulletin. 

How This Impacts Our Clients

The unavailability of visa numbers for EB-1, EB-2 and EB-3 categories will delay applicants who would otherwise be eligible to proceed to the final stage of the green card or immigrant visa process. However, this delay is temporary as new visa numbers will be released on October 1st,  the start date of the next fiscal year. At that time, the US embassies and Consulates, as well as the USCIS, will be able to resume issuing immigrant visas and green cards to qualified applicants whose priority dates are current under the yet to be released October 2025 Visa Bulletin. Applicants who have been scheduled for adjustment of status or immigrant visa interviews in September under these categories should still appear even though visa numbers are currently unavailable. 

We will continue to monitor the monthly visa bulletin and will provide an update when the October 2025 Visa Bulletin is released.