The U.S. Department of State has released the September 2025 Visa Bulletin, which provides an update on the availability of immigrant visas for both consular processing and adjustment of status applications for the month of September 2025. The bulletin includes both the Final Action Dates and the Dates for Filing for employment-based and Family-Based immigrant visa categories. In addition, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announces each month which chart applicants should use to file their Adjustment of Status (AOS) applications.
Below is a summary of the key developments in the September 2025 Visa Bulletin:
Family-Based Categories
For September 2025, USCIS has announced that applicants in the Family-Based immigrant visa categories should refer to the Dates for Filing chart when submitting adjustment of status applications. This month’s bulletin reflects minor forward movement in the F-2A category and moderate retrogression in the F-3 category.
In the F-1 category, which includes unmarried sons and daughters (21 years or older) of U.S. citizens, the Dates for Filing remain unchanged for all categories. For the F-2A category, which encompasses spouses and unmarried children (under age 21) of U.S. green card holders, the Dates for Filing for all countries advanced by two months to June 1, 2025. In the F-2B category, which covers unmarried children (age 21 or older) of a U.S. green card holder, the Dates for Filing for every country so no changes from last month.
In the F-3 category, which includes the married children of U.S. citizens, the Dates for Filing for the Philippines retrogressed by five months to May 1, 2005. The Dates for Filing for China, India, Mexico, and all other countries have not changed. The F-4 category, which includes brothers and sisters of U.S. citizens, saw no change for any countries from the previous month.
Additionally, the Final Action Dates chart for family-sponsored categories shows moderate changes. In the F-2B category, the Final Action Dates for Mexico advanced by four months to April 1, 2007. The Final Action Dates for the Philippines advanced by fifteen days to May 1, 2012. In the F-3 category, the Final Action Dates for the Philippines advanced by six months to May 1, 2004. There were no changes to the Final Action Dates of any other categories.
Employment-Based Categories
As part of its regular monthly announcement, USCIS confirmed that applicants filing under the employment-based categories must use the Final Action Dates chart for September. The bulletin shows no movement from the previous month for the EB-1, EB-2, EB-5, and both EB-3 categories. The EB-4 category remains unavailable due to the annual visa cap being reached, and will become an available categories at the start of the new fiscal year on October 1, 2025.
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