The US Department of State has released the Visa Bulletin for December 2025, bringing some relief for Indian applicants in both family-based and employment-based green card categories.
For family-sponsored visas, all preference categories for India remain unchanged, meaning the processing timelines stay the same.
The F2A category, which includes spouses and minor children of permanent residents, also continues with the latest date unchanged.
Changes in Family and Employment Categories
According to the bulletin:
F1 category remains at November 8, 2016.
F2B category remains at December 1, 2026.
Employment-based categories have seen slight movement for Indian applicants:
EB-1 (Priority Workers) has moved forward by one month.
EB-2 (Advanced Degree Professionals) has also moved ahead.
EB-3 and Other Worker categories have moved up by around one month.
EB-4 and Religious Worker categories show some progress.
EB-5 Unreserved category has seen a noticeable improvement, offering a small advantage for Indian investors.
Overall, progress for Indian applicants is steady but slow, especially in employment-based categories, while family-sponsored applicants may continue to experience longer wait times.
How to Read the Visa Bulletin?
Understanding the Visa Bulletin helps green card applicants know when they can file and when their cases may be approved. It includes two key sections:
Filing Dates:
These dates show the earliest time an applicant can submit their adjustment of status or immigrant visa application.
They help applicants plan when to apply based on their country and visa category.
Final Action Dates:
These dates represent when the US government can finally approve applications and issue green cards.
They indicate how long applicants may need to wait for their case to be processed.
