Green Card Update: Immigration Officials Issue Warning Over Applications
Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content.
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has released its September 2025 visa bulletin, providing key updates for applicants across family-based, employment-based, and diversity visa categories.
The bulletin notes that employment-based (EB) categories, particularly EB-2 and EB-3 for applicants from India, could reach their annual limits by the end of September, potentially causing final action dates to retrogress or freeze.
Why It Matters
The monthly visa bulletin serves as an important reference for individuals and families navigating the complex and often lengthy process of obtaining permanent residency in the United States.
For green card applicants, monitoring the visa bulletin is critical. It provides guidance on when they may be eligible to adjust their immigration status, typically based on the priority date established when an employer or family member filed a sponsorship petition. This priority date differs from the date of the permanent residence application itself, as the visa bulletin determines when applicants can move forward with their green card applications.
The release of the new bulletin comes amid a significant backlog at USCIS, which currently has 11.3 million pending applications.
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services naturalization ceremony held at the New York Public Library, in New York City.
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services naturalization ceremony held at the New York Public Library, in New York City.
Dennis Van Tine/Sipa via AP Images
What To Know
This situation reflects typical fiscal-year-end pressures, during which visa categories may retrogress or temporarily freeze, potentially delaying eligibility until the start of the new fiscal year in October, when new visa allocations are released.
For applicants in employment-based categories, this means careful attention to filing deadlines and readiness to submit documentation promptly to avoid potential delays.
Family-based applicants also saw some movement in the September bulletin. The F2A category, which includes spouses and unmarried children of permanent residents, remains open for filing as of June 1, 2025, and final action dates remain static. This stability allows eligible applicants to continue submitting petitions, though they should remain attentive to future updates, as changes in one category can sometimes influence movement in related categories.
The Diversity Visa (DV) program is nearing its deadline for the 2025 cycle, with the final month of eligibility in September. Applicants who have not yet submitted or completed their entries must act quickly, as the program officially ends on September 30, 2025. Final action dates for the DV program continue to progress, but the approaching deadline emphasizes the urgency for eligible participants to complete their submissions before the September 30 deadline.
What People Are Saying
Morgan Bailey, a partner at Mayer Brown and a former senior official at DHS, told Newsweek: "For the DV lottery, anyone who was part of that group really needs to submit their paperwork, attend the interview and obtain the visa before September 30th or they won't be eligible after October 1."
Bailey added, "There is the benefit of knowing that October 1, the new fiscal year will begin. And so fiscal year 2026 will have a new set of allocation. And so we will likely see significant movement in October, opening up options for employment, as well as for family."
What Happens Next
The September 2025 visa bulletin offers essential guidance for navigating the U.S. immigration process. Staying informed and tracking official updates can help applicants avoid last-minute complications.
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