May 2025 Visa Bulletin Brings Setback for Indian Green Card Aspirants: Know Details

In a major blow to Indian immigrants seeking permanent residency in the United States, the May 2025 Visa Bulletin from the US Department of State reveals a frustrating lack of movement in several key employment-based visa categories. The bulletin highlights the growing backlog, particularly for Indian nationals under H-1B and EB visa categories, leading to extended wait times and rising uncertainty.

EB-5 Category Faces Severe Retrogression

The most significant setback comes in the EB-5 Unreserved category, where the cutoff date for Indian investors has been pushed back by more than six months, now standing at May 1, 2019. This retrogression drastically delays processing for thousands of Indian investors who were previously eligible for this route.

Only EB-5 applicants with priority dates before May 1, 2019, are now able to proceed with their applications, leaving more recent investors facing an agonizing wait of several additional years.

No Movement in EB-1 and EB-2 for India

In other key employment-based categories, progress remains at a standstill:

EB-1 for India remains stagnant at February 1, 2022.

EB-2 holds firm at January 1, 2013, continuing one of the longest waiting periods in the US immigration system.

EB-3 has seen only minor advancement, with the new cutoff date set at April 15, 2013.

These ongoing delays continue to frustrate skilled Indian professionals, many of whom are already working in the US under H-1B visas and are now caught in multi-decade-long queues for green cards.

EB-4 Category Completely Unavailable

The bulletin also reveals that the EB-4 category is entirely unavailable for all countries, including India, due to the exhaustion of visa numbers for the current fiscal year. There is no timeline for when this category might reopen, adding to the uncertainty for many applicants.

What This Means for Indian Applicants?

For Indian nationals, especially H-1B workers and EB-5 investors, the May 2025 Visa Bulletin signals a prolonged period of uncertainty. The backlogs now extend across years, with some applicants facing waits that could stretch well over a decade. Despite previous attempts at immigration reform, the current system continues to struggle with delays and backlogs.

The stagnation and retrogression underscore deep issues in the US immigration system, including:

Lack of reform to the per-country visa cap.

Excessive processing delays.

Insufficient annual visa allocations for high-demand countries like India.

Strategic Planning Becomes Critical

Given the current challenges, immigration experts are urging applicants to adopt a strategic, long-term approach. Immigration attorneys are advising their clients to:

Monitor the monthly Visa Bulletins closely.

Explore eligibility for family-based or employer-sponsored visa adjustments.

Prepare documentation well in advance to meet priority date eligibility when available.

“The May 2025 Visa Bulletin is a stark reminder that proactive, long-term immigration planning is essential now more than ever,” said a senior immigration analyst.

With no immediate relief in sight, the May 2025 Visa Bulletin has dashed the hopes of thousands of H-1B visa holders and green card applicants seeking faster processing. The situation further emphasizes the urgent need for reform, particularly regarding the per-country visa quotas that continue to disproportionately affect countries like India, which contribute significantly to the US workforce.

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