Navigating green card backlogs requires tracking the monthly Department of State releases. The June 2025 Visa Bulletin brought critical shifts for employment-based and family-sponsored applicants, dictating who could move forward with adjustment of status filings. Understanding these movement patterns helps applicants and attorneys strategize filings before fiscal year limits take effect.
For employment-based applicants, USCIS mandated the use of the Final Action Dates chart rather than the Dates for Filing chart. This distinction meant that priority dates had to be fully current under strict cutoffs for applicants to submit Form I-485. Below is a detailed breakdown of how major categories shifted, what rules governed the month, and how applicants responded to these cutoffs.
Employment-Based Preference Categories: Final Action Cutoffs
The June 2025 bulletin introduced modest forward movement across several employment-based categories, though backlogs for high-demand countries like India and China remained severe. USCIS enforcement of final action charts meant fewer applicants qualified to file immediately unless their priority dates beat the published thresholds.
EB-1 Priority Dates and Movement
The employment-based first preference category (EB-1) for individuals with extraordinary abilities, outstanding professors, and multinational executives maintained steady positioning for most regions:
- All Chargeability Areas, Mexico, and Philippines: Remained completely current ("C"), allowing immediate filing for eligible candidates.
- China (mainland born): Held steady at November 8, 2022.
- India: Remained fixed at February 15, 2022.
EB-2 Professionals and Advanced Degrees
The second preference category saw incremental advances for worldwide applicants, offering relief for professionals holding advanced degrees or exceptional ability:
- All Chargeability Areas, Mexico, and Philippines: Advanced forward to October 15, 2023.
- China (mainland born): Moved up two months to December 1, 2020.
- India: Stayed locked at January 1, 2013, illustrating the ongoing multi-decade backlog for Indian nationals in this tier.
EB-3 Skilled Workers and Professionals
The third preference category for skilled workers, professionals, and other workers experienced minor corrections:
- All Chargeability Areas, Mexico, and Philippines: Advanced to February 8, 2023.
- China (mainland born): Inched forward three weeks to November 22, 2020.
- India: Remained unchanged at April 15, 2013.
- Other Workers (Worldwide): Advanced to June 22, 2021, while China stayed at April 1, 2017.
The EB-4 Category Suspension
A major disruption in the June 2025 release affected special immigrants under the EB-4 category. The Department of State announced that the annual statutory limit for EB-4 visas had been fully reached.
Consequently, the EB-4 category became unavailable across all countries starting in June 2025. No immigrant visas or adjustment of status applications could be approved in this category until the new fiscal year reset quotas on October 1, 2025. Applicants awaiting religious worker or special immigrant visa adjudications faced mandatory holds during this window.
Family-Sponsored Visas and Filing Deadlines
While employment-based filings captured widespread attention due to chart switches, family-sponsored preference categories maintained separate cutoff dates under the Department of State Visa Bulletin:
- F1 (Unmarried Sons and Daughters of U.S. Citizens): Worldwide cutoffs held at September 1, 2017, with Mexico at April 1, 2006.
- F2A (Spouses and Children of Permanent Residents): Cutoff dates were set to February 1, 2025, for worldwide chargeability areas.
- F3 (Married Sons and Daughters of U.S. Citizens): Maintained a cutoff of July 22, 2012, for general categories.
- F4 (Brothers and Sisters of Adult U.S. Citizens): Remained heavily backlogged, with worldwide dates fixed at June 1, 2008.
Practical Impact on Adjustment of Status Filings
When USCIS mandates the Final Action Dates chart instead of the Dates for Filing chart, it compresses the window for eligible applicants. Attorneys advising corporate and individual clients emphasized several operational takeaways during this period:
- Strict Cutoff Enforcement: Submitting Form I-485 with a priority date even one day later than the final action cutoff resulted in immediate rejection by lockbox facilities.
- Concurrent Filings: Individuals with approved immigrant petitions whose priority dates became current could file adjustment of status applications concurrently with employment authorization documents (EAD) and advance parole requests.
- Employer Portability: Workers caught in long backlogs utilized AC21 portability rules to change employers once their pending I-485 applications crossed the 180-day mark.
For official updates on ongoing processing trends, applicants frequently cross-reference data with the USCIS Processing Times portal to estimate how long adjudications take after a priority date becomes current.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did USCIS use the Final Action Dates chart in June 2025?
USCIS shifts between the Final Action Dates chart and the Dates for Filing chart based on inventory levels and projected annual visa limits. When demand surges or remaining visa numbers dwindle near the end of a fiscal quarter, agencies restrict filings to prevent over-issuance.
Can I file my green card application if my priority date is current under the Filing chart?
No. Because USCIS explicitly designated the Final Action Dates chart for June 2025 employment-based filings, your priority date had to meet the stricter Final Action cutoff to be accepted.
What happens to pending EB-4 applications during the fiscal year cutoff?
While intake or final approvals pause when a category becomes unavailable, USCIS often continues background checks and preliminary reviews. Formal approvals resume automatically once the annual statutory cap resets.
How do I find my exact priority date?
Your priority date is listed on Form I-797 (Notice of Action) issued by USCIS upon the approval or receipt of your underlying immigrant petition, such as an approved Form I-140 or Form I-130.
