Visa Bulletin for March 2025

What the State Department said

Retrogression in the employment-based fourth preference (EB-4) category

Due to high demand and number use throughout the first half of the fiscal year, it has become necessary to retrogress the final action date in the EB-4/SR categories for the month of March to keep issuances within the annual limit. Further, it may be necessary to make the category “Unavailable” in the coming months, possibly as soon as April. Note that the quarterly limits established in INA 201(a)(2) apply to the overall employment-based limit, and thus a specific category may become unavailable prior to the end of a fiscal year if demand and issuance rates for that category would otherwise exceed its annual limit. The situation will be continually monitored, and any necessary adjustments made accordingly. In the event that the category becomes “Unavailable,” EB-4/SR visa numbers will be available on October 1 with the start of FY-2026.

Scheduled expiration of the employment fourth preference religious workers (SR) category

H.R. 10545, signed on December 21, 2024, extended the Employment Fourth Preference Certain Religious Workers (SR) category until March 14, 2025. No SR visas may be issued overseas, or final action taken on adjustment of status cases, after midnight March 13, 2025. Visas issued prior to that date will be valid only until March 13, 2025, and all individuals seeking admission in the non-minister special immigrant category must be admitted (repeat, admitted) into the United States no later than midnight March 13, 2025.

The SR category is available and subject to the same final action dates as the other Employment Fourth Preference categories per applicable foreign state of chargeability for March. In the event there is no legislative action extending the category beyond March 14, 2025, the category will immediately become “Unavailable” as of March 14, 2025. In the event there is legislative action extending the category beyond March 14, the published dates will continue to be in effect for the remainder of March.

U.s. government employee special immigrant visas (SIVS)

The National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2024, signed into law on December 22, 2023, may affect certain current and former employees of the U.S. Government abroad, as well as certain surviving spouses and children of deceased employees of the U.S. government abroad, applying for SIVs or adjustment of status, as described in section 101(a)(27)(D) of the INA. This does not affect certain Iraqis and Afghans applying for SQ and SI SIVs. Applicants should contact the consular section at which they filed their Form DS‑1884 for further information on the impact of that law on their case.