The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has announced that for October 2025, applicants across all employment-based and family-sponsored preference categories must use the “Dates for Filing” chart as published in the Department of State Visa Bulletin.
This means applicants can submit their Adjustment of Status applications if their priority date is earlier than the date listed in the relevant filing chart.
What is a Priority Date?
The Priority Date is basically the “Received Date” of an I-130 or I-140 Immigrant Petition at USCIS, or when PERM labor certification was filed (if needed). It serves as the applicant’s place in line for immigrant visa (green card) allocation. An applicant can only take further steps (filing Adjustment of Status application or Immigrant Visa application abroad) when their Priority Date is earlier than (i.e. before) the cut-off dates listed in the relevant charts of the Visa Bulletin.
October 2025 Visa Bulletin Key Highlights
- Though India EB-1 Final Action Dates remains the same, February 15, 2022, Dates for Filing jumped by a year, from April 15, 2022 to April 15, 2023
- The Final Action Dates for India EB-2 moved from January 1, 2013 to April 1, 2013.
- Dates for Filing for India EB-2 jumped from February 1, 2013 to December 1, 2013
- Dates for Filing for India EB-3 for Professionals and Skilled Workers and India EB-3 for Other Workers moved up by more than a year, from June 8, 2013 to August 15, 2014
- Similar to Final Action Dates for India EB-2, the Final Action Date for India EB-3 moved forward by a few months, from May 22, 2013 to August 22, 2013
- Final Action Dates for India EB-5 Unreserved Category jumped by over 14 months, from November 15, 2019 to February 1, 2021.
- Dates for Filing for India EB-5 Unreserved Category remains the same, April 1, 2022, as compared to September 2025 Visa Bulletin
- Dates for Filing for China EB-5 Unreserved Category retrogressed by three months, from October 1, 2016 to July 1 2016.
October 2025 Visa Bulletin Dates for Filing Chart – Employment-Based Adjustment of Status Application
| Employment-Based | All Chargeability Areas Except Those Listed | CHINA – mainland born | INDIA | MEXICO | PHILIPPINES |
| 1st | C | 15MAY23 | 15APR23 | C | C |
| 2nd | 15JUL24 | 01DEC21 | 01DEC13 | 15JUL24 | 15JUL24 |
| 3rd | 01JUL23 | 01JAN22 | 15AUG14 | 01JUL23 | 01JUL23 |
| Other Workers | 01DEC21 | 01OCT18 | 15AUG14 | 01DEC21 | 01DEC21 |
| 4th | 15FEB21 | 15FEB21 | 15FEB21 | 15FEB21 | 15FEB21 |
| Certain Religious Workers | U | U | U | U | U |
| 5th Unreserved (including C5, T5, I5, R5, NU, RU) | C | 01JUL16 | 01APR22 | C | C |
| 5th Set Aside: Rural (20%, including NR, RR) | C | C | C | C | C |
| 5th Set Aside: High Unemployment (10%, including NH, RH) | C | C | C | C | C |
| 5th Set Aside: Infrastructure (2%, including RI) | C | C | C | C | C |
October 2025 Visa Bulletin Dates for Filing Chart – Family-Sponsored Adjustment of Status Application
| Family-Sponsored | All Chargeability Areas Except Those Listed | CHINA – mainland born | INDIA | MEXICO | PHILIPPINES |
| F1 | 01SEP17 | 01SEP17 | 01SEP17 | 08OCT06 | 22APR15 |
| F2A | 22SEP25 | 22SEP25 | 22SEP25 | 22SEP25 | 22SEP25 |
| F2B | 01JAN17 | 01JAN17 | 01JAN17 | 15DEC08 | 01OCT13 |
| F3 | 22JUL12 | 22JUL12 | 22JUL12 | 15JUN01 | 01AUG05 |
| F4 | 01MAR09 | 01MAR09 | 15DEC06 | 30APR01 | 01JAN08 |
Applicants should carefully review the charts above and compare them with their individual priority dates before filing. It is strongly recommended to consult with an experienced immigration attorney to ensure proper filing and timely submission of your Adjustment of Status application.
What the Changes Mean?
The use of the Dates for Filing chart by USCIS in October provides some relief: applicants with Priority Dates earlier than the Dates for Filing cutoff (EB-1, EB-2, EB-3, EB-5) can now prepare and submit Adjustment of Status application (Form I-485), even if a visa is not yet available under their category’s Final Action Date. This allows work authorization (EAD) and travel documents (Advance Parole) sooner in many cases.
What Adjustment of Status Applicants Should Do?
Given this bulletin, applicants (or those representing them) should consider the following strategic steps:
- Check your Priority Date carefully: Determine exactly when your petition / PERM was filed. Compare that date to the cutoffs in both the Dates for Filing and the Final Action Dates chart, for your category (EB-1, EB-2, EB-3, or EB-5) and your country .
- Prepare Adjustment of Status Application if your Priority Date is before the Dates for Filing cutoff (for your category) : Prepare to file your Adjustment of Status application (Form I-485), even if the Final Action Date is not yet current. Because USCIS is honoring the Dates for Filing chart in October, this gives you the chance to move forward early with paperwork, EADs, travel documents.
- Avoid submitting Adjustment of Status Application without Sealed Medical: Submitting your Adjustment of Status application (Form I-485) without the required sealed Form I-693, Report of Medical Examination and Vaccination Record, may lead to rejection or nonacceptance of the filing as incomplete. According to the USCIS Policy Manual and the official Form I-485 Instructions, USCIS requires that the medical examination be submitted in a sealed envelope completed by a designated civil surgeon along with Adjustment of Status application. If the I-693 is missing or improperly submitted (for example, opened or unsealed), USCIS may reject the Adjustment of Status application filing or issue a Request for Evidence (RFE), causing unnecessary delays. To ensure acceptance and avoid setbacks, applicants should always include the sealed medical examination at the time of initial submission.
- Watch for final action date advancement: Especially in EB-2 and EB-3 for India, China, Mexico and Philippines, it’s likely that movement will be gradual. But policy changes, visa number availability, and demand can influence how quickly Final Action Dates move.
- Communicate and Consult with Immigration Lawyer: To confirm that your potential Adjustment of Status application qualifies, because sometimes there are “chargeability” or country issues, and priority dates might be counted differently depending on subcategories or special set-asides, it is imperative that Adjustment of Status Applicants should communicate and consult with an experienced Immigration Lawyer
October 2025 Visa Bulletin: Broader Implications & Trends
- The fact that USCIS is again recognizing the Dates for Filing chart in October suggests that visa number usage is under control (or at least that demand isn’t exceeding supply to the point where they must restrict filings only to those whose Final Action Dates are current). It’s a positive indicator for those waiting, because it provides earlier access to document submission and benefits associated (EAD, AP).
- Nonetheless, the employment-based preference system remains severely backlogged for Indian nationals in EB-2, and to some extent EB-3. The per-country ceilings continue to constrain availability, meaning even as Dates for Filing move, Final Action Dates trail significantly. This dual-chart lag is a regular feature for India.
What the October 2025 Visa Bulletin Doesn’t Do
- It doesn’t make Final Action Dates current for most India employment-based categories beyond older Priority Dates. Even with the Dates for Filing chart being used, those with more recent priority dates cannot yet receive a green card unless the Final Action Date becomes current.
- It doesn’t reduce the backlog in years for many applicants. The years-long waits (especially in EB-2 and EB-3 for India) persist.
- It doesn’t guarantee that future bulletins will continue to allow use of Dates for Filing charts for filing Adjustment of Status application; USCIS could revert to using only Final Action Dates depending on visa number usage. Applicants should stay attentive to each month’s Visa Bulletin and to USCIS announcements.
Conclusion
The October 2025 Visa Bulletin offers a meaningful opportunity for many employment- and family-based Adjustment of Status applicants, as USCIS is using the Dates for Filing chart for the month. This allows applicants with Priority Dates earlier than the cutoff to submit their Adjustment of Status application, potentially gaining earlier access to work authorization (EAD) and travel documents (Advance Parole). While this is encouraging, significant backlogs remain—particularly for India in EB-2 and EB-3 categories—meaning Final Action Dates continue to trail behind Dates for Filing.
Applicants should carefully review their Priority Dates against both the Dates for Filing and Final Action Dates charts, ensure all required documentation—especially the sealed medical Form I-693—is included, and consult with an experienced immigration attorney to optimize filing strategies for Adjustment of Status applications. The continued use of the Dates for Filing chart reflects positive visa number management, but the long waits for certain categories highlight that patience and strategic planning remain essential for prospective green card applicants.
Contact HSD Immigration Lawyer for expert guidance if you are considering filing your Adjustment of Status application.
At HSD Immigration Lawyer, we specialize in handling complex employment-, investment-, and family-based immigration matters.