The U.S. Department of State has released the December 2025 Visa Bulletin, indicating notable advancements in final action dates for several employment-based visa categories. However, the Dates for Filing remain largely unchanged for most categories, except for certain exceptions involving religious workers and the EB-5 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 this month.
Final Action Dates Show Modest Progress
The December 2025 Visa Bulletin shows incremental progress in final action dates compared to the previous month. For the EB-1 category, all countries remain current, with the exception of China and India. China’s final action date has progressed by one month to January 22, 2023, while India advances to March 15, 2022.
In the EB-2 category, advancements are also noted; all countries move forward by two months to February 1, 2024. However, specific progress is seen for China, which advances to June 1, 2021, and India, which moves ahead six weeks to May 15, 2013. The EB-3 category has slightly improved as well, with a two-week advancement for most countries to April 15, 2023. China and India see a one-month advance to April 1, 2021 and September 22, 2013, respectively.
For certain religious workers, the status has changed from unauthorized to September 1, 2020, indicating a potential avenue for those seeking to apply under this category. The EB-5 category remains current for most countries, but China sees a substantial advancement of seven months to July 15, 2016, while India progresses by five months to July 1, 2021.
Dates for Filing Status Remains Mostly Unchanged
Regarding the Dates for Filing, the December bulletin reflects minimal changes. The only significant adjustment involves the EB-5 unreserved category for China, which has moved forward by three weeks to July 22, 2016. The Dates for Filing remain the same for most other employment-based categories, including the fourth preference for certain religious workers, which changed to February 15, 2021 for all countries.
For applicants who became eligible to file their adjustment requests in November 2025 under the Dates for Filing Chart, there is now an extension of at least one additional month to submit their applications. This update provides some relief to applicants navigating the complexities of the U.S. immigration system.
Overall, while the December 2025 Visa Bulletin reflects advancements in final action dates for several categories, the lack of significant changes in the Dates for Filing may prompt applicants to strategize their submissions carefully. The nuances of these updates highlight the ongoing complexities within the U.S. immigration framework, impacting thousands of individuals seeking permanent residency in the United States.
