US Department of State Releases September 2025 Visa Bulletin

The US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will use the Final Action Dates for Employment-Based Adjustment of Status Applications chart in September 2025. The Final Action Dates charts remains unchanged since August 2025, and the US Department of State expects to reach the annual visa limit in most employment-based categories in August and September prior to the beginning of the new fiscal year on October 1, 2025.

The US Department of State has released its September 2025 Visa Bulletin outlining per-country priority date cutoffs that regulate immigrant visa availability and the flow of adjustment of status application and consular immigrant visa application filings and approvals.

WHAT DOES THE SEPTEMBER 2025 VISA BULLETIN SAY?

The bulletin includes both a Dates for Filing Visa Applications chart and an Application Final Action Dates chart. The former indicates when intending immigrants may file their applications for adjustments of status or immigrant visas, and the latter indicates when adjustment of status applications or immigrant visa applications may be approved, and permanent residence granted.

Each month, the USCIS chooses which chart it will follow. For September 2025, the USCIS will follow the Final Action Dates chart for employment-based (EB) filings for adjustment of status. This means that individuals seeking to file applications for adjustment of status with the USCIS in September 2025 must use the Final Action Dates chart below.

FINAL ACTION CUTOFF DATES

To be eligible to file an EB adjustment application in September 2025, a foreign national must have a priority date that is earlier than the date listed below for their preference category and country. The “C” listing indicates that the category is current, and applications may be filed regardless of the applicant’s priority date. The listing of a date for any category indicates that only applicants with a priority date that is earlier than the listed date may file their applications.

EMPLOYMENT-BASED FIRST PREFERENCE (EB-1)

The EB-1 cutoff date for All Chargeability Areas, Mexico, and the Philippines will remain current. This means that all applicants chargeable to these areas whose I-485 applications have not yet been filed can file their I-485 applications with the USCIS.

The EB-1 cutoff date for China will remain November 15, 2022. This means that China EB-1 applicants whose I-485 applications have not yet been filed and who have a priority date before November 15, 2022 can file their I-485 applications with the USCIS.

The EB-1 cutoff date for India will remain February 15, 2022. This means that India EB-1 applicants whose I-485 applications have not yet been filed and have a priority date before February 15, 2022 can file their I-485 applications with the USCIS.

EMPLOYMENT-BASED SECOND PREFERENCE (EB-2)

The EB-2 cutoff date for All Chargeability Areas, Mexico, and the Philippines will remain September 1, 2023. This means that all applicants who are chargeable to these areas whose I-485 applications have not yet been filed and have a priority date before September 1, 2023 can file their I-485 applications with the USCIS.

The EB-2 cutoff date for China will remain December 15, 2020. This means that China EB-2 applicants whose I-485 applications have not yet been filed and have a priority date before December 15, 2020 can file their I-485 applications with the USCIS.

The EB-2 cutoff date for India will remain January 1, 2013. This means that India EB-2 applicants whose I-485 applications have not yet been filed and have a priority date before January 1, 2013 can file their I-485 applications with the USCIS.

EMPLOYMENT-BASED THIRD PREFERENCE (EB-3)

The EB-3 cutoff date for All Chargeability Areas and Mexico will remain April 1, 2023. This means that all applicants who are chargeable to these areas whose I-485 applications have not yet been filed and have a priority date before April 1, 2023, can file their I-485 applications with the USCIS.

The EB-3 cutoff date for China will remain December 1, 2020. This means that China EB-3 applicants whose I-485 applications have not yet been filed and have a priority date before December 1, 2020 can file their I-485 applications with the USCIS.

The EB-3 cutoff date for India will remain May 22, 2013. This means that India EB-3 applicants whose I-485 applications have not yet been filed and have a priority date before May 22, 2013 can file their I-485 applications with the USCIS.

The EB-3 cutoff date for Philippines will remain February 8, 2023. This means that Philippines EB-3 applicants whose I-485 applications have not yet been filed and have a priority date before February 8, 2023 can file their I-485 applications with the USCIS.

OTHER WORKERS

The Other Workers cutoff date for All Chargeability Areas, Mexico, and Philippines will remain July 8, 2021. This means that Other Worker applicants from these areas whose I-485 applications have not yet been filed and have a priority date before July 8, 2021, can file their I-485 applications with the USCIS.

The Other Workers cutoff date for China will remain May 1, 2017. This means that Other Worker applicants from China whose I-485 applications have not yet been filed and have a priority date before May 1, 2017 can file their I-485 applications with the USCIS.

The Other Workers cutoff date for India will remain May 22, 2013. This means that Other Worker applicants from India whose I-485 applications have not yet been filed and have a priority date before April 22, 2013 can file their I-485 applications with the USCIS.

SIGNIFICANT DEVELOPMENTS

September 2025 is the last month of Fiscal Year 2025. The Visa Office anticipates that most employment-based annual visa limits will be reached during August and September 2025. Once the annual visa limit is reached in a preference category, the category will become “unavailable,” and no further visa requests will be honored within that category until a visa becomes available. Fiscal Year 2026 begins October 1, 2025, and new annual visa allotments will bring advancement in the October 2025 Visa Bulletin.