The visa bulletin December 2025 update is now live, bringing the newest set of cut-off dates for family-sponsored and employment-based immigrant categories. This monthly bulletin determines when green-card applicants can file adjustment-of-status paperwork and when final visa approvals may move forward. For many applicants, especially from high-demand countries, the December release offers new clarity on movement, wait times, and filing eligibility as the year heads toward its close.
USCIS has confirmed that all applicants—both family-based and employment-based—must use the Dates for Filing chart in December. This allows many individuals to submit their documents earlier, even if final approval may still take time. With several categories showing mild advancement, applicants now have a clearer path toward preparing their next steps.
Family-Sponsored Categories in December 2025
Family-sponsored preferences continue to reflect long wait times, but the December bulletin provides consistent tracking for each group. These categories operate under annual limits, and many of them remain oversubscribed year after year, especially for countries with high demand.
The primary family-based categories include:
- F1: Unmarried adult sons and daughters of U.S. citizens
- F2A: Spouses and unmarried children under 21 of permanent residents
- F2B: Unmarried adult sons and daughters of permanent residents
- F3: Married sons and daughters of U.S. citizens
- F4: Siblings of adult U.S. citizens
For December 2025, the Final Action Dates for most countries remain in earlier years. For example, F1 remains in late 2016 for general chargeability, while F4 still holds around early 2008 for most applicants. These long-standing backlogs are not new, but the continued use of the Filing Chart provides some relief by allowing individuals to file their adjustment applications sooner than the Final Action Date would otherwise permit.
Although the waiting periods remain extensive, many families gain advantages by being able to file early. Filing earlier allows applicants to obtain work authorization and travel permission while they wait for final processing, significantly easing the burden of the backlog.
Employment-Based Categories Show Gradual Movement
Employment-based applicants continue to watch monthly updates closely, as even small shifts can impact when they may submit critical applications. For December 2025, several categories move forward modestly, providing slight momentum for applicants in long-delayed lines.
- EB-1: Individuals of extraordinary ability, outstanding professors and researchers, and multinational managers
- India advances into early 2022.
- China advances into early 2023.
- All other countries remain current.
- EB-2: Advanced-degree professionals and individuals with exceptional ability
- India moves into mid-2013.
- China reaches mid-2021.
- All other regions move to early 2024.
- EB-3: Skilled workers, professionals, and other workers
- India moves into late 2013.
- China advances to early 2021.
- All other countries move to spring 2023.
- EB-4: Certain special immigrants
- Dates advance to fall 2020.
- Certain religious-worker visas remain extended through January 2026.
- EB-5: Immigrant investors
- India’s unreserved category progresses to mid-2021.
- China’s unreserved category reaches mid-2016.
- All other countries remain current.
These changes reflect slight progress across many categories, particularly for India and China, where high demand continues to push wait times upward. Even small advancements matter, as they indicate movement within heavily oversubscribed categories.
Impact of Using the Filing Chart in December
One of the most important updates in the visa bulletin December 2025 is the continued directive from USCIS requiring the Dates for Filing chart for both major categories. This instruction significantly affects applicants because:
- More individuals can submit adjustment-of-status paperwork earlier.
- Applicants may obtain work permits and travel documents while they wait.
- Families can begin gathering and organizing documents ahead of final approvals.
While the Final Action Date determines the moment when a green card can actually be issued, the Filing Date allows applicants to begin key parts of the process sooner, making this chart crucial for planning.
Because adjustment of status processing can take many months, filing earlier is a major advantage for individuals already present in the United States. International applicants can also benefit by initiating their visa processing sooner through the National Visa Center.
Continuing Challenges for Applicants from High-Demand Regions
Despite some advancement in the December bulletin, applicants from countries with high demand—such as India, China, Mexico, and the Philippines—continue to face long backlogs.
Several factors contribute to these delays:
- Annual visa caps built into immigration law
- High demand from certain regions and categories
- Per-country limits that restrict how many visas can go to one country each year
- Processing delays created by high applicant volume
Even when modest movement appears, many individuals still face multi-year or even decade-long waits. This is particularly true for family-based categories like F3 and F4 and employment-based categories like EB-2 and EB-3 for India.
Still, the December bulletin provides clear visibility into where each category stands and how the backlog is progressing.
What Applicants Should Do Now
For those watching the visa bulletin December 2025, this month’s update offers a clearer picture of eligibility, cut-off dates, and expectations heading into early 2026. Applicants should consider the following action steps:
- Check your priority date against the Filing Chart for December.
- Prepare adjustment-of-status documentation if your date is current under the Filing Chart.
- Gather civil documents such as birth certificates, marriage records, and police records.
- Ensure your employer’s filings are complete if applying under an employment category.
- Stay alert for future bulletins, as movement can change monthly.
Keeping up with monthly bulletins is essential, as cut-off dates may shift forward or backward depending on demand. Retrogression is always possible, especially in categories with heavy oversubscription.
Looking Ahead to Early 2026
As the year approaches its end, the December bulletin helps set expectations for the next few months of immigration processing. Movement in early 2026 will depend on visa usage, demand levels, and how efficiently categories are moving.
While large jumps are unlikely in oversubscribed categories, consistent incremental progression is possible. Applicants should remain prepared, follow document-gathering best practices, and review monthly updates to understand how their place in line may shift.
The Bottom Line
The visa bulletin December 2025 provides essential updates for applicants in both family- and employment-based categories. Though many dates move only slightly, the directive to use the Filing Chart offers meaningful progress for those hoping to file sooner. Understanding the details of this month’s bulletin helps applicants navigate their next steps and stay informed during a complex and often lengthy immigration process.
If you’re following these updates closely, feel free to share your thoughts or questions below—we’d love to hear how this month’s bulletin impacts your plans.