Visa Bulletin
August 2025 Bulletin
The August 2025 Visa Bulletin shows the priority dates for All Chargeability Areas, Mexico, and the Philippines for the EB-3 category have remained the same as last month's bulletin.
EB-3 Dates for All Chargeability Areas and Mexico
April 1, 2023
EB-3 Dates for the Philippines
February 8, 2023
What Is The Visa Bulletin ?
The Visa Bulletin is a monthly update published by the U.S. Department of State. It tells you when you can move forward in the green card process based on your visa category, priority date, and country of birth.
Why Is It Important ?
The U.S. places annual limits on how many green cards it issues, both by category (like employment-based or family-based) and by country. That means not everyone can get a green card right away—even if their application has been approved. The Visa Bulletin helps manage this by showing who is eligible to proceed next.
Understanding The Visa Bulletin?
If you're in the process of getting a green card, the Visa Bulletin is something you’ll want to get familiar with. Here’s what you need to pay attention to when reading the Visa Bulletin.
What’s a Priority Date?
Think of this as your place in line. Your priority date is the day your petition (like an I-130 or I-140) was officially filed. The earlier your priority date, the sooner you’ll be eligible to move forward.
What’s the Cut-Off Date in the Bulletin?
Each month, the Visa Bulletin lists a cut-off date for each visa category and country. If your priority date is earlier than that cut-off date, congrats, you’re eligible to take the next step.
If it’s not earlier yet, you’ll have to keep waiting until it is. This process is called "waiting for your date to become current."
Why Are Some Countries Listed Separately?
Countries like India, China, Mexico, and the Philippines usually have higher demand for visas, so they’re listed separately because their waiting lines are often longer. Everyone else falls under "All Chargeability Areas Except Those Listed."
What You Should Do Each Month?
Just check the Visa Bulletin once a month and see:
Has your priority date moved forward? Is it now earlier than the cut-off date listed for your category and country? If yes, you’re in business! That means it’s time to take the next step in the green card process (like filing for adjustment of status or getting your visa issued).
Visa Supply for Employment- Based Green Cards
If you’ve applied for a U.S. green card through a job offer, you’re in the employment-based (EB) category.
Every year, the U.S. government sets a cap (or limit) on how many green cards it gives out through employment-based immigration. Right now, it’s about 140,000 EB green cards annually. Family members (spouse and kids) of the applicant are included in that 140,000 limit.
Each country is limited to using no more than 7% of the total number of employment-based green cards issued each year, regardless of how large or small the country’s population is. Because of this cap, countries with high demand like India and China often see their visa supply run out quickly, leading to long wait times and growing backlogs.
Visa Allocation Basics
Priority Date
The priority date is the date an individual's immigrant petition is filed usually. It determines your place in the visa queue. If your priority date is earlier than the cut-off date in the Visa Bulletin, you can move forward in the visa process. If it's later, you must wait. Your priority date is finalized once your immigration petition is approved.
Preference Category
Each green card application falls into a specific preference category based on the type of job and your qualifications. For instance, the EB-3 category is designated for skilled workers, professionals, and certain other workers. The category you're in plays a big role in your wait time, since demand and visa availability vary for each group.
Country of Chargeability – Where You Were Born
The country of chargeability is usually your country of birth, and it plays a big role in how fast your green card is processed.
Why? Because the U.S. puts a limit on how many green cards can be issued to people from each country every year—about 7% per country. So, if you’re from a country with high demand (like India, China, or the Philippines), you may face a longer wait due to backlogs. In some cases, you can use your spouse’s country of birth instead. This is called “cross-chargeability” and it can sometimes help speed up your case.
Visa Retrogression
Sometimes, the cut-off date moves backward instead of forward. This is called retrogression. It happens when there are more people waiting for visas than there are visas available that month.
If your date was current and then suddenly isn’t, don’t panic—it just means a temporary pause. You’ll need to wait for it to become current again. Every year on October 1, the U.S. government resets the visa count for the new fiscal year, which often pushes those cut-off dates forward again, which means your turn could come back up soon. This is why it’s important to check the Visa Bulletin regularly. It tells you where things stand and helps you track when it’s your turn to move forward.
Monthly Visa Bulletin
Retrogression FAQs
What Does EB-3 Retrogression Mean?
EB-3 retrogression happens when there are more people applying for EB-3 green cards than there are visas available in that category. When this occurs, the Visa Bulletin cut-off dates move backward, which means applicants, especially from countries with high demand, may have to wait longer before they can continue with their green card process.
Does retrogression affect when my I-140 can be filled?
Retrogression doesn’t stop you from filing the I-140. But it can slow things down after your I-140 is approved, since you’ll need to wait longer for a visa number to become available.
How does retrogression impact my documentary qualification status?
Retrogression puts your visa application on hold—even if your documents are already submitted. Everything stays in the system, but processing won’t move forward until your priority date is current again.
What happens to I-485 (Adjustment of Status) after retrogression?
If your I-485 is filed and retrogression hits, your case is paused until your priority date is current again. In the meantime, you can still get your EAD and Advance Parole, allowing you to work and travel while you wait.
Can you be retrogressed after having your interview?
Yes, retrogression can happen even after your interview. If visa numbers run out before yours is issued, your case will be paused until your priority date becomes current again—meaning a bit more waiting, even if your interview went well.
Can I work in the US while waiting for my priority date to become current?
Yes, you can work in the U.S. while waiting for your priority date—if you're on a visa that allows employment, like an H-1B. But if you're on a visitor visa, working isn’t allowed.
What if my English test expires while waiting for retrogression to resolve? Do I need to retake it?
If your English test expires while you're waiting for retrogression to clear, you might need to retake it. Immigration usually needs a valid score when it's time to finalize your visa, so it's a good idea to keep track of the test’s validity and plan ahead just in case.
Immigration Process FAQs
What is the process of EB-3 for nurses?
The EB-3 process for nurses starts with getting a job offer from a U.S. employer. Next, once the nurse has all the required credentialing documents and civil documents and verified information submitted to VSH, the U.S. petitioning employer then submits the I-140 petition. After that, you wait for your priority date to become current before moving on to either adjustment of status (if you're in the U.S.) or consular processing (if you're abroad).
What happens after my I-140 petition is approved?
Once your I-140 is approved, the next step is to wait for your priority date to become current based on the Visa Bulletin. When it does, you can move forward with either filing the I-485 (if you're in the U.S.) or start consular processing (if you're outside the U.S.)
What is premium processing?
Premium processing is a paid service from USCIS that speeds up the review of certain employment-based visa petitions, including EB-1, EB-2, EB-3, and H1-B. For an extra fee, you can get a decision much faster—often within a couple of weeks—instead of waiting months.
Can I bring my dependents to the U.S. with an EB-3 visa?
Many of the nurses we work with are able to bring their dependents with them to the U.S. Dependents include legal spouse and minor children. As a part of our program, we help all our nurses find the best path for them to bring their family.
Legal Disclaimer: This is for informational purposes only and should not be construed as legal advice of any kind. Nothing contained therein should be interpreted as creating an attorney-client relationship. If you have legal questions, you should seek the advice of an attorney licensed to practice law in your jurisdiction. All references to the Immigration laws or regulations of the United States generally refer to the laws and regulations in place at the time of writing. Be advised that US immigration laws and regulations change regularly.
Visit USCIS.gov for further information.