Green Card Hopes Dim for Indians as June 2025 Visa Bulletin Shows Continued Oversubscription

For thousands of hopeful immigrants from India, the long wait for U.S. permanent residency continues with little reprieve. The June 2025 Visa Bulletin for Indian Applicants, released by the U.S. Department of State, shows Final Action Dates remaining largely unchanged across key family- and employment-based immigration categories—an update that comes as yet another reminder of the systemic bottlenecks affecting Indian nationals under the per-country cap.

Despite persistent demand and growing frustration, this month’s bulletin fails to deliver progress. For Indian applicants, the immigration queue seems stuck in slow motion.

No Major Advances in Family-Based Categories

In the family-sponsored immigration categories, India remains severely oversubscribed, a long-standing reality that continues to delay reunification for countless families.

• F4 Category (Brothers and Sisters of U.S. Citizens): Final Action Date is 15 June 2006

• F1 Category (Unmarried Sons and Daughters of U.S. Citizens): Final Action Date is 8 June 2016

These dates reflect the immense backlog Indian applicants face—particularly in the F4 category, where families have waited nearly two decades to move forward.

Employment-Based Applicants Face Similar Stagnation

Under employment-based preferences, India also sees little to no movement:

• EB-2 Category (Advanced Degree Holders/Exceptional Ability): 1 January 2013

• EB-3 Category (Skilled Workers and Professionals): 15 April 2013

These categories continue to be heavily backlogged, despite Indian nationals being among the most qualified and in-demand professionals globally. The June 2025 Visa Bulletin for Indian Applicants reiterates the structural limits imposed by the 7% per-country cap, which disproportionately affects high-supply countries like India.

Final Action Dates Chart in Effect — But No Dates for Filing

In June, the USCIS has confirmed that applicants must use the Final Action Dates chart for both family- and employment-based applications. This means that even those who might qualify under the more generous “Dates for Filing” chart cannot yet submit their adjustment of status applications, stalling their path to permanent residency further.

The Per-Country Cap and Prorating Provisions: A Structural Challenge

India remains one of four nations — alongside China, Mexico, and the Philippines — subject to visa prorating provisions under the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA). The INA enforces a 7% cap per country, translating to a maximum of 25,620 visas annually across both family and employment categories for each country.

This cap has remained unchanged for decades, despite India’s rising population and demand, and is now a key contributor to the years-long delays plaguing Indian green card hopefuls.

Understanding the Visa Bulletin: A Lifeline for Applicants

For aspiring immigrants, especially from oversubscribed nations like India, understanding the Visa Bulletin is critical. It comprises two primary sections:

• Dates for Filing: Indicates the earliest date applicants may submit their documents.

• Final Action Dates: Signify when USCIS or consulates can issue visas and adjust status.

As of June 2025, only Final Action Dates are active, effectively freezing progress for many whose priority dates fall in the gap between the two charts.

Family-Based Preference Categories Recap

The bulletin structures family-sponsored immigration into four main preferences, each with specific criteria:

1. F1: Unmarried adult children of U.S. citizens

2. F2: Spouses, children, and unmarried adult children of permanent residents

   • F2A: Spouses and minor children

   • F2B: Unmarried adult children

3. F3: Married children of U.S. citizens

4. F4: Siblings of U.S. citizens

Applicants are served in order of priority dates, but when demand overshoots annual limits, cut-off dates are retrogressed, pushing many into an extended limbo.

Employment-Based Preference Structure and Allocations

Each employment-based category has a predefined share of the annual cap:

1. EB-1 (Priority Workers): 28.6% of the global EB cap

2. EB-2 (Advanced Degrees/Exceptional Ability): 28.6% + leftovers from EB-1

3. EB-3 (Skilled/Professional/Other Workers): 28.6% + leftovers from EB-2

4. EB-4 (Special Immigrants): 7.1%

5. EB-5 (Investors): 7.1% (with set-asides for rural and high-unemployment areas)

This structure aims to balance economic, humanitarian, and diversity goals—but offers little flexibility when high-skill immigration pipelines like India’s become clogged.

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