The U.S. Department of State has released the December 2025 Visa Bulletin, providing key updates on immigrant visa availability and application deadlines. The bulletin offers a snapshot of the cut-off dates that regulate the flow of Adjustment of Status (AOS) applications and immigrant visa application interviews and approvals. For adjustment of status filings in December, USCIS will use the Dates for Filing chart for both employment-based and family-sponsored categories.

Employment-Based Preferences

The December Visa Bulletin reveals advancements in the final action dates for employment-based categories. This means that more adjustment of status applications will become eligible for approval.

• EB-1 (Extraordinary Ability, Outstanding Professors/Researchers, Multinational Executives): India will advance by one month to March 15, 2022; China will advance by one month to January 22, 2023; All other countries will remain current.
• EB-2 (Exceptional Ability or Advanced Degree): India will advance by six weeks to May 15, 2013; China will advance by two months to June 1, 2021; All other countries will advance by 2 months to February 1, 2024.
• EB-3 (Skilled Workers and Professionals): India will advance by one month to September 22, 2013; China will advance by one month to April 1, 2021; All other countries will advance by two weeks to April 15, 2023.
• EB-3 (Other Workers): India will advance by one month to September 22, 2013; China will advance by one week to December 8, 2017; All other countries will advance by two weeks to August 1, 2021.
• EB-4 (Special Immigrants & Religious Workers): All countries will advance by two months to September 1, 2020.
• EB-5 (Unreserved Categories): India will advance by five months to July 1, 2021; China will advance by seven months to July 15, 2016; All other countries will remain current.
• EB-5 (Set-Aside Categories): (Rural, High Unemployment, and Infrastructure) will also remain current.

USCIS to Honor Dates for Filing in December

USCIS has confirmed that for December 2025, employment-based applicants must use the Dates for Filing chart from the December 2025 Visa Bulletin. To be eligible to file an employment-based adjustment application in December, foreign nationals must have a priority date that is earlier than the date listed for their preference category and country.

The Dates for Filing chart for the employment-based categories remains unchanged from the November Visa Bulletin, except for EB-5 China (Unreserved), which will advance by three weeks to July 22, 2016.

Impact on Indian Applicants

The forward movement in the EB-1 and EB-2 categories is expected to provide relief to many Indian applicants who have been waiting for their priority dates to become current. This offers a significant opportunity for those seeking to enter the U.S. and eventually qualify for green cards through employer-sponsored routes.

Key Takeaways

• The December 2025 Visa Bulletin brings advancements in final action dates for most employment-based categories.
• USCIS will accept employment-based adjustment of status applications based on the Dates for Filing chart in December.
• The EB-5 Unreserved categories for India and China see the most significant advancements.
• The Dates for Filing chart remains largely unchanged, except for EB-5 China (Unreserved).
• These changes offer a positive outlook for many foreign nationals seeking permanent residency in the U.S., particularly those from India and China.