The July 2025 Visa Bulletin is here—and while summer usually means fireworks, this one's more of a sparkler. Some categories creep forward, others don't budge, and a few are stuck in deep freeze. Let's dive in.

• July 2025 Visa Bulletin: Tiny Gains, EB-4 Freeze & the Summer Squeeze
  • Employment-Based Categories
    • EB-1 (Priority Workers):
    • EB-2 (Advanced Degree/Exceptional Ability):
    • EB-3 (Skilled Workers/Professionals):
    • EB-5 (Investors):
    • EB-4 (Special Immigrants):
  • Family-Based Categories
    • F1 (Unmarried Children of U.S. Citizens):
    • F2A (Spouses & Kids of Green Card Holders):
    • F2B (Adult Children of Permanent Residents):
    • F3 (Married Children of U.S. Citizens):
    • F4 (Siblings of U.S. Citizens):
  • What's Driving These Changes?
    • 🔴 Minimal Movement for EB India
    • 🧊 EB-4: Still on Ice
    • 🧭 Charts in Use
  • Looking Ahead: What's Next?
  • Bottom Line

July 2025 Visa Bulletin: Tiny Gains, EB-4 Freeze & the Summer Squeeze

The July 2025 Visa Bulletin isn't exactly sizzling—but there are a few updates worth unpacking. If you're watching your category closely, here's what to know!

Employment-Based Categories

EB-1 (Priority Workers):

• 🇮🇳 India: No change, still stuck at Feb 15, 2022—like a stubborn traffic jam.
• 🇨🇳 China: Budged forward 1 week to Nov 15, 2022—better than nothing!
• 🌍 All Other Countries: Current and cruising.

EB-2 (Advanced Degree/Exceptional Ability):

• 🇨🇳 China: Ticked ahead 2 weeks to Dec 15, 2020—a small but welcome nudge.
• 🇮🇳 India: Flatlined at Jan 1, 2013—yep, still there.
• 🌍 Other Countries: Holding at Oct 15, 2023.

EB-3 (Skilled Workers/Professionals):

• 🇨🇳 China: Advanced 1 week to Dec 1, 2020—steady as she goes.

• 🇮🇳 India: Inched up 1 week to April 22, 2013—hey, we'll take it.

• 🌍 Other Countries:

  • Professionals: Moved up 7 weeks to April 1, 2023—some summer heat!
  • Other Workers: Advanced 2+ weeks to July 8, 2021.

• 🇵🇭 Philippines: No movement—still at Feb 8, 2023.

EB-5 (Investors):

• 🇨🇳 China: Still retrogressed hard at Jan 22, 2014—ouch.
• 🇮🇳 India: Holding at May 1, 2019—no new pain, but no relief.
• ✅ Set-Aside Categories: Still current—rural, high-unemployment, and infrastructure remain the bright spots.

EB-4 (Special Immigrants):

• 🧊 Still Unavailable—the category is frozen until FY2026 (Oct 1, 2025).

Family-Based Categories

F1 (Unmarried Children of U.S. Citizens):

• 🇲🇽 Mexico: Likely static around June 1, 2006.
• 🇵🇭 Philippines: Hovering near April 22, 2015.

F2A (Spouses & Kids of Green Card Holders):

• 🌍 All Countries: Jumped 1 month to April 1, 2025—a rare win!

F2B (Adult Children of Permanent Residents):

• Moderate or no movement—most countries holding tight.

F3 (Married Children of U.S. Citizens):

• No major changes expected—slow and steady.

F4 (Siblings of U.S. Citizens):

• Still moving at a glacial pace—barely shifting from previous months.

What's Driving These Changes?

🔴 Minimal Movement for EB India

• India's EB categories are maxed out, so unless demand drops or unused visas roll over, it's a holding pattern.

🧊 EB-4: Still on Ice

• This category hit its annual cap—no thaw until Oct 1, 2025.

🧭 Charts in Use

• Family-based → Dates for Filing
• Employment-based → Final Action Dates

USCIS keeps things predictable...for now.

Looking Ahead: What's Next?

🚨 Expect More of the Same in EB-1/EB-2

• With demand high and limited visa supply, don't expect big leaps through summer.

💼 EB-3 Shows Some Life

• Other countries are seeing progress—watch this space for more shifts next month.

🏗️ Set-Asides Still a Golden Ticket

• If you qualify for EB-5 rural or infrastructure, you're in luck...but act before demand explodes.

🧊 EB-4 = Cold Storage

• No signs of a defrost before the new fiscal year.

Bottom Line

The July 2025 Visa Bulletin brings baby steps, cautious shifts, and more wait time blues—especially for EB-4 and India EB-2. If you're in a fast-moving country or a set-aside EB-5, consider yourself lucky.

🔥 Stick with it—small progress is still progress. Keep watching for signs of momentum as we inch closer to the new fiscal year!