The U.S. Department of State has released the Visa Bulletin for October 2025, the first bulletin of the new fiscal year. This monthly publication provides important information for immigrant investors and professionals awaiting their Green Card. The bulletin establishes two key charts: Final Action Dates, which determine when immigrant visas can be issued, and Dates for Filing, which indicate when applicants may submit adjustment of status applications if permitted by USCIS.
For October 2025, USCIS has confirmed that all employment-based applicants must use the Dates for Filing chart when determining eligibility to file adjustment of status.
Below is a review of the October 2025 movement in employment-based categories, with particular attention to the EB-5 immigrant investor program.
Final Action Dates
- EB-1
- EB-2
- EB-3 Professionals and Skilled Workers
- EB-4 and Religious Workers
- EB-5 Unreserved and Set-Asides
Dates for Filing
What This Means for EB-5 Investors
EB5AN Can Guide You Through the EB-5 Green Card Process
Final Action Dates
The Final Action Dates chart shows when immigrant visas may actually be issued through consular processing abroad, and when USCIS may approve adjustment of status applications filed in the United States. Applicants must monitor this chart closely to determine whether their priority date is current under their specific employment-based category and country of chargeability. The October 2025 Visa Bulletin brings the following changes.
EB-1
- China advanced by five weeks, to December 22, 2022.
- India remained unchanged at February 15, 2022.
- All other countries remain current.
EB-2- China advanced by three and a half months to April 1, 2021.
- India advanced by almost three months to April 1, 2013.
- All other countries advanced by three months to December 1, 2023.
EB-3 Professionals and Skilled Workers
- China advanced by three months to March 1, 2021.
- India advanced by two and a half months to August 22, 2013.
- The Philippines advanced by seven weeks to April 1, 2023.
- All other countries advanced by two months to April 1, 2023.
EB-3 Other Workers
- China remained at December 1, 2017.
- India remained at August 22, 2013.
- All other countries are set at July 15, 2021.
EB-4 and Religious Workers
- EB-4 remains at July 1, 2020, across all countries.
- The Certain Religious Workers subcategory will become unavailable beginning October 1, 2025, unless Congress reauthorizes the program for the new fiscal year.
EB-5 Unreserved and Set-Asides
- In the EB-5 unreserved category, China remains at December 8, 2015, India advances significantly by almost 15 months to February 1, 2021, and all other countries remain current.
- The set-aside categories (rural, high unemployment, and infrastructure) remain current for all countries.
Dates for Filing
While Final Action Dates control when Green Cards can actually be issued, the Dates for Filing chart is also important. As is the case with October 2025, USCIS sometimes allows applicants already in the United States to file their adjustment of status applications using this chart, even if their Final Action Date is not yet current.
The October 2025 Dates for Filing chart reflects several important movements across the employment-based categories.
In EB-1, China remains at May 15, 2023, and India remains at April 15, 2023, while all other countries continue to be current.
EB-2 also holds steady for China at December 1, 2021, and for India at December 1, 2013, with all other countries remaining at July 15, 2024.
More notable changes appear in the EB-3 categories: the professional and skilled worker cutoff for China advanced to January 1, 2022, India advanced to August 15, 2014, and all other countries advanced to July 1, 2023.
For EB-3 other workers, China remains at October 1, 2018, India remains at August 15, 2014, and all other countries advanced to December 1, 2021.
EB-4 continues to remain at February 15, 2021 for all countries, while the Certain Religious Workers category remains unavailable without congressional reauthorization.
In EB-5, the unreserved category for China retrogressed by three months to July 1, 2016, India remains at April 1, 2022, and all other countries remain current. The rural, high-unemployment, and infrastructure set-aside categories are fully current worldwide.
What This Means for EB-5 Investors
The October 2025 Visa Bulletin highlights several important trends for EB-5 applicants. The set-aside categories remain current across all countries, confirming that these options continue to offer a fast pathway to a U.S. Green Card. For investors from India, the forward movement in the unreserved category is a welcome sign of progress, although waiting times are still present for those choosing non-rural projects. By contrast, China’s EB-5 unreserved cutoff date remains unchanged in the Final Action Dates chart, but the three-month retrogression in the Dates for Filing chart highlights the continued demand and limited availability in this category.
Because there is no retrogression in the set-aside categories, these remain a particularly strong option for investors already living in the United States on other visas. Eligible applicants can file for adjustment of status immediately, which allows them to secure lawful status while their Green Card application is in processing. Adjustment of status also provides access to benefits such as employment authorization and advance parole, which enable applicants and their families to work legally, remain in the United States, and travel abroad while waiting for their Green Card approval. For many families, this creates stability and flexibility that would not otherwise be possible in their U.S. immigration process.
For investors outside China and India, all EB-5 categories remain current, ensuring that the path to a Green Card continues to be as direct as possible.
EB5AN Can Guide You Through the EB-5 Green Card Process
The October 2025 Visa Bulletin shows modest but meaningful forward movement across employment-based categories. For China, ongoing limits and retrogression in Dates for Filing reflect continuing demand in the unreserved category, while the set-aside categories remain open worldwide. Now is a great time for investors to begin the EB-5 process, as taking early action can secure a place in the queue and maximize the benefits of working with an experienced team that understands the latest visa trends.
If you are considering an EB-5 investment or want to understand how the October Visa Bulletin may affect your immigration strategy, EB5AN can help. Our team provides accurate updates, detailed analyses, and access to projects that align with your goals. Schedule a free consultation with our expert team today to learn more about securing your U.S. Green Card through the EB-5 program.
