The U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Consular Affairs released its May 2025 Visa Bulletin, revealing no progress in priority dates for employment-based second (EB-2) and third (EB-3) category green cards and immigrant visas. Meanwhile, the first category (EB-1) continues to be “current,” and the fourth category (EB-4) remains unavailable due to exhausted annual visa limits. The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) decision to use final action dates rather than dates for filing for employment-based green card applications in May further complicates the process for applicants.
The EB-1 category, reserved for individuals with extraordinary abilities, outstanding researchers, or multinational executives, remains “current” for May 2025, consistent with prior months. This status allows all eligible applicants, regardless of priority date, to file green card applications or pursue immigrant visas. For those in the U.S., EB-1 applicants can concurrently file an I-140 petition and an I-485 adjustment of status application. For those abroad, no wait is required for visa availability, though significant backlogs at U.S. embassies often delay visa interviews, extending processing times.
For the EB-2 category, which includes professionals with advanced degrees or exceptional abilities, the priority date for filing I-485 applications in the U.S. remains June 22, 2023, unchanged from April 2025. Similarly, for applicants abroad, those with priority dates before June 22, 2023, are eligible for visa interviews and immigrant visas in May. The lack of movement in this category continues to frustrate applicants awaiting progress.
The EB-3 category, covering skilled and unskilled workers, also shows no advancement. For skilled workers, applicants who filed labor certifications before January 1, 2023, and have an approved certification can file I-485 applications in the U.S. or pursue visa interviews abroad in May 2025, consistent with April’s dates. For unskilled workers, the priority date remains May 22, 2021, for both U.S.-based I-485 filings and consular processing abroad, with no changes reported. The static priority dates prolong wait times for EB-3 applicants.
The EB-4 category, which includes special immigrants such as religious workers and certain international organization employees, is unavailable for the remainder of the 2025 fiscal year. The Department of State, in coordination with USCIS, announced that the annual visa cap for EB-4 was reached within the first five months of the fiscal year. Under the Immigration and Nationality Act, EB-4 visas are limited to 7.1% of the total 140,000 employment-based visas available annually, equating to approximately 9,940 visas. This cap also includes country-specific limits.
As a result, U.S. embassies cannot issue additional EB-4 visas until the new fiscal year begins on October 1, 2025, when visa quotas reset. Last year, the EB-4 cap was reached by late August, but this year’s faster exhaustion highlights increased demand. The unavailability affects applicants, including foreign employees recently laid off from the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). These workers, notified via email of their eligibility for special immigrant visas, face delays of up to six years to complete the process.
USCIS’s continued reliance on final action dates rather than dates for filing for employment-based green card applications in May 2025 limits flexibility for applicants. This policy prevents those with earlier priority dates from submitting I-485 applications sooner, adding to processing delays and uncertainty.
The EB-4 category encompasses various programs, including special immigrants who have provided valuable service to the U.S. government. Eligible applicants, such as religious workers or certain international employees, rely on this category for green cards, but the strict annual cap creates bottlenecks. The broader employment-based visa system, capped at 140,000 annually, faces ongoing challenges due to high demand and per-country limits, particularly for countries like India and China.
Applicants in EB-2 and EB-3 categories face prolonged waits due to stagnant priority dates, while EB-1 applicants benefit from immediate filing opportunities. Those in the EB-4 category must wait until the next fiscal year for visa availability. The significant backlogs at U.S. embassies further complicate consular processing for all categories. Applicants are advised to monitor future Visa Bulletins and consult immigration professionals to navigate these constraints.
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Kishor Panthi
View More PostsKishor Panthi is the founder and editor-in-chief of Khasokhas and NepYork. He is the author of three books, “Kampan,” "UNTRANSLATABLE" and “Zero Mile.” He writes about social issues, immigration, and politics.
