US Visa Bulletin For August 2025 Offers Hope To Indian Applicants: All About It
Indian green card hopefuls have something to be mildly optimistic about. The US Department of State has released the August 2025 Visa Bulletin, and the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has confirmed that it will continue using the Final Action Dates chart to determine eligibility for green card processing.
While the changes are small, they bring some relief for Indian applicants, especially in the EB-3 (Skilled Workers and Professionals) category. The bulletin also warns that if demand continues to rise, retrogression, or even a temporary halt in approvals, may occur soon as several categories near their annual visa limits.
What's New for Indians in August?
EB-3 (Skilled Workers and Professionals) Moves Forward
Final Action Date for EB-3 India has moved up by one month: From April 22, 2013 to May 22, 2013.
Meaning - People with EB-3 applications filed before May 22, 2013 can now have their green cards approved.
The Final Action Date is the most important cutoff date in the US Visa Bulletin. It tells you when a green card can actually be approved.
No Change in EB-2 and EB-1
EB-2 India (for highly educated professionals like engineers, doctors): Still stuck at January 1, 2013.
EB-1 India (for top professionals like scientists, executives): Still stuck at February 15, 2022.
These categories haven't moved in months.
Good News For EB-5 Investor Visas
EB-5 Unreserved India (for investors): Moved forward by over six months to November 15, 2019.
EB-5 Set-Aside categories (for investments in rural, high-unemployment, or infrastructure areas): Still Current, meaning applicants can file right away.
Retrogression Warning
The US government has warned that the EB-2 and EB-3 visa categories are almost full for this year. If a lot of people keep applying, the government may have to pause or move the dates backwards, a situation called retrogression. This could happen as soon as September 2025.
If that happens, many Indian applicants who are close to getting their green cards might face delays or even have to wait longer before their applications can move forward.
Final Action Dates For India: August 2025
To file a green card application this month, your priority date must be earlier than these:
EB-1 India: February 15, 2022
EB-2 India: January 1, 2013
EB-3 India: May 22, 2013
EB-5 (Unreserved): November 15, 2019
EB-5 Set-Aside: Current (no wait)
USCIS will continue to use these Final Action Dates to decide who can apply. A priority date is when your green card application was first filed.
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