Visa Bulletin: The U.S. Department of State has released its much-anticipated Visa Bulletin for May 2025, but for many Indian professionals and green card seekers, the update comes as a wave of disappointment. Amid mounting backlogs and global demand, the latest visa bulletin brings significant retrogression, especially within the employment-based fifth preference (EB-5) category for Indians.
In a particularly harsh blow, India will see the EB-5 Unreserved category retrogress by more than six months, sliding backward to May 1, 2019. Meanwhile, China’s EB-5 date remains unchanged at January 22, 2014, highlighting persistent delays for both nations but a sharper immediate impact on Indian applicants.
This move dashes hopes for thousands of Indian investors and professionals who were expecting faster pathways to permanent residency through the EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program, often viewed as a strategic route for circumventing backlogs in other categories.
A Snapshot of the May 2025 Visa Bulletin:
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Employment-Based First Preference (EB-1):
No change has been reported. India’s cutoff date remains stagnant at February 2, 2022, and China’s at November 8, 2022. For applicants from all other countries, EB-1 remains current, offering them an open door while India and China continue to wait. -
Employment-Based Second Preference (EB-2):
Stability persists here as well, though not in a way that inspires optimism. India’s EB-2 cutoff remains frozen at January 1, 2013, while China’s holds steady at October 1, 2020. All other countries enjoy a cutoff date of June 22, 2023. -
Employment-Based Third Preference (EB-3):
A sliver of positive news arrives for Indian EB-3 applicants. The cutoff date for India advances slightly to April 15, 2013 — a modest but welcomed movement. China sees no change, remaining at November 1, 2020, and for other countries, the date holds at January 1, 2023. -
EB-3 Other Workers:
The pattern mirrors the EB-3 professional category: India’s date also nudges forward to April 15, 2013, while China stays at April 1, 2017.
What This Means for Indian Applicants
For many Indian nationals — especially those on H-1B visas — the May 2025 visa bulletin underscores the growing challenges of securing U.S. permanent residency. The sharp retrogression in the EB-5 Unreserved category throws a wrench into investment-based immigration strategies, leaving applicants to recalibrate their timelines and strategies.
Immigration attorneys and experts warn that the heavy demand, coupled with per-country caps, continues to choke the pipeline for Indian green card seekers across virtually all employment-based categories. Without legislative relief or policy adjustments, Indian applicants could face years, if not decades, of waiting — a reality that is forcing some to explore alternative options, including opportunities in countries like Canada, Australia, and the United Kingdom.
Also Read : China Eases Travel for Indians: Over 85,000 Visas Issued by April 2025