August Visa Bulletin Includes Updates, Retrogressions, Predictions

The Department of State’s (DOS) Visa Bulletin for August 2025 includes the following updates:

Retrogression in EB-2 category for Rest of World, possible unavailability soon. The EB-2 final action date for Rest of World countries has been retrogressed. The bulletin notes that the annual limit likely will be reached in August, if not sooner. If the limit is reached, the preference category will become unavailable.

Visa availability in EB-3 and Other Workers categories. Visa issuance totals for the EB-3 and EW (Other Workers) categories are approaching the annual limits for FY-2025 in those categories. The bulletin states that either retrogression of the final action dates or making the categories “Unavailable” in September, if not sooner, is likely.

Visa availability in EB-5 Unreserved category for China. The August bulletin notes that in the April 2025 bulletin, the EB-5 Unreserved final action date for China was retrogressed. In the months that followed, EB-5 number use has not materialized to the degree that was expected. Consequently, the EB-5 Unreserved final action dates for China have advanced to allow continued EB-5 Unreserved number use. The bulletin notes that if the annual limit is reached, the preference category will become unavailable.

Visa availability in EB-5 Unreserved category for India. Similar to the Unreserved category for China, the August bulletin notes that in the April 2025 bulletin, the EB-5 Unreserved final action date for India was retrogressed. DOS expects that India will have unused family sponsored preference numbers that “can fall down for use in the employment-based categories, including EB-5 Unreserved.” As a result, the final action date for EB-5 Unreserved has been advanced to use these available numbers. The bulletin notes that if the annual limit is reached, the preference category will become unavailable.