The U.S. Department of State released the December 2025 Visa Bulletin, revealing some advancements in final action dates for various employment-based immigrant visa categories. However, the dates for filing applications saw minimal changes, primarily affecting the fourth preference category for certain religious workers and the fifth preference unreserved category.
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) confirmed that it will continue to accept employment-based adjustment of status filings based on the Dates for Filing chart for December 2025. This allows applicants who became eligible in November 2025 to submit their requests for at least another month.
Advancements in Final Action Dates
The December bulletin shows slight advancements in final action dates across several employment-based visa categories. Specifically, the EB-1 category remains current for all countries except for China, which has moved forward by one month to January 22, 2023, and India, which advanced to March 15, 2022.
The EB-2 category also shows progress, with all countries advancing by two months to February 1, 2024. China advances to June 1, 2021, and India moves forward by six weeks to May 15, 2013. In the EB-3 category, all countries have seen a two-week advance to April 15, 2023. China and India both moved forward by one month to April 1, 2021, and September 22, 2013, respectively.
For certain religious workers, the status changed from unauthorized to September 1, 2020, reflecting a significant adjustment. The EB-5 category remains current for most countries, but China advanced by seven months to July 15, 2016, while India progressed by five months to July 1, 2021.
Changes in Dates for Filing
In contrast to the advancements in final action dates, the December 2025 Visa Bulletin indicates no changes for most employment-based categories regarding the Dates for Filing. The only notable adjustments include the fourth preference for certain religious workers, which shifted from unauthorized to February 15, 2021, and the EB-5 unreserved category for China, which moved forward by three weeks to July 22, 2016.
The lack of changes in the filing dates means that applicants who became eligible last month under the Dates for Filing chart will have additional time to submit their applications. This extension provides a crucial opportunity for many individuals navigating the complex immigration process.
Overall, the December 2025 Visa Bulletin presents a mixed landscape for employment-based immigrant visa categories, offering some advancements while maintaining stability in filing dates. As immigration policies continue to evolve, individuals seeking to adjust their status will need to stay informed about these developments.
