The U.S. State Department has released the October 2025 Visa Bulletin. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services announced filings for employment-based visa preference categories must use the Dates for Filing chart in the October bulletin, which shows advancement across EB-1, EB-2 and EB-3 categories.

The Dates for Filing chart indicates who is eligible to submit their application and supporting documents for further processing, even if the green card itself is not available. Review BAL’s employer’s guide to reading the Visa Bulletin to better understand this monthly report.

Dates for Filing chart category movement:

EB-1 visa

  • China EB-1 visa Dates for Filing will advance four-and-a-half months, with a cutoff date of May 15, 2023.
  • India EB-1 visa Dates for Filing will advance one year, with a cutoff date of April 15, 2023.
  • For all other countries under the EB-1 visa category, including Mexico and the Philippines, Dates for Filing will remain current.

EB-2 visa

  • China EB-2 visa Dates for Filing will advance 11 months, with a cutoff date of Dec. 1, 2021.
  • India EB-2 visa Dates for Filing will advance 10 months, with a cutoff date of Dec. 1, 2013.
  • For all other countries under the EB-2 visa category, including Mexico and the Philippines, Dates for Filing will advance eight months, with a cutoff date of July 15, 2024.

EB-3 visa

  • China EB-3 visa Dates for Filing will advance a little over a year, with a cutoff date of Jan. 1, 2022.
  • India EB-3 visa Dates for Filing will advance over a year and two months, with a cutoff date of Aug. 15, 2014.
  • For all other countries under the EB-3 visa category, including Mexico and the Philippines, Dates for Filing will advance two months, with a cutoff date of

    July 1, 2023.

Dates for Filing Chart for Employment-Based Visa Applications

Preference Category All chargeability areas except those listed China – mainland born India Mexico Philippines
EB-1 visa Current May 15, 2023 April 15, 2023 Current Current
EB-2 visa July 15, 2024 Dec. 1, 2021 Dec. 1, 2013 July 15, 2024 July 15, 2024
EB-3 visa July 1, 2023 Jan. 1, 2022 Aug. 15, 2014 July 1, 2023 July 1, 2023

Additional Information: The State Department guidance on designating the Dates for Filing chart states, “The chart reflects dates for filing visa applications within a timeframe justifying immediate action in the application process. Applicants for immigrant visas who have a priority date earlier than the application date in the chart may assemble and submit required documents to the Department of State’s National Visa Center, following receipt of notification from the National Visa Center containing detailed instructions.

“The application date for an oversubscribed category is the priority date of the first applicant who cannot submit documentation to the National Visa Center for an immigrant visa. If a category is designated ‘current,’ all applicants in the relevant category may file, regardless of priority date. The ‘C’ listing indicates that the category is current, and that applications may be filed regardless of the applicant’s priority date. The listing of a date for any category indicates that only applicants with a priority date which is earlier than the listed date may file their application.”

Regarding when it will designate the use of either the Dates for Filing chart or the Final Action Dates chart per each monthly Visa Bulletin, USCIS states, “If USCIS determines there are more immigrant visas available for a fiscal year than there are known applicants for such visas, we will state on this page that you may use the Dates for Filing chart. Otherwise, we will indicate on this page that you must use the Final Action Dates chart to determine when you may file your adjustment of status application.

“However, if a particular immigrant visa category is ‘current’ on the Final Action Dates chart or the cutoff date on the Final Action Dates chart is later than the date on the Dates for Filing chart, applicants in that immigrant visa category may file using the Final Action Dates chart during that month.”

Final Action cutoff dates for issuance of an immigrant visa or approval of an adjustment of status application for the October Visa Bulletin can be found here.

This alert has been provided by the BAL U.S. Practice Group.

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