Washington, D.C. — October 17, 2025: The U.S. State Department has released the November 2025 Visa Bulletin, offering little progress for green card applicants across most categories. While a few family-based visa categories saw slight advancements, employment-based applicants continue to face a stagnant backlog.
According to the latest bulletin, the Final Action Dates (FAD) and Dates for Filing (DOF) for employment-based categories remain unchanged from October. This includes the high-demand EB-2 and EB-3 categories for India and China, where priority dates continue to move at a slow pace due to visa number limitations.
In contrast, certain family-sponsored categories saw marginal improvements. The F2A category — covering spouses and children of permanent residents — moved forward by one month across all major countries, while the F2B category for India advanced by just over a week. Similar minor shifts were observed for Mexico and the Philippines in categories F1 and F3, though the overall impact remains limited.
Immigration experts say the lack of movement reflects ongoing demand pressures and limited annual visa allocations. “Backlogs have been building for years, and until legislative or administrative changes occur, many applicants will continue to face long waiting periods,” said an immigration analyst based in Washington.
The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will continue using the Dates for Filing chart for adjustment of status applications in November. Applicants whose priority dates fall before the published dates are eligible to submit their applications during this period.
For many families and skilled professionals waiting in line, the November update offers little immediate hope. The next visa bulletin, expected in mid-November, will determine whether any year-end adjustments could bring movement before 2026.
