The Visa Bulletin is a monthly publication issued by the U.S. Department of State that provides updated information on the availability of immigrant visa numbers for individuals seeking permanent residency (green cards) in the United States. It is primarily used by people applying for family-sponsored and employment-based immigration, providing them with “priority dates” that determine their place in line for a visa, based on their application category and country of origin. The bulletin includes two main charts: one for “final action dates,” which indicates when visas may be issued, and one for “dates for filing,” which shows when applicants can submit their green card applications. The Visa Bulletin helps applicants track their progress toward receiving a visa amidst the U.S.’s limited annual quotas.

October starts the federal government’s fiscal year, and this first Visa Bulletin of FY2025 left many visa applicants disappointed with its limited progress and in some cases retrogression. For example, EB-3 China Final Action retrogresses five months from September 1, 2020, to April 1, 2020. Similarly, EB-3 China Dates for Filing retrogresses from July 1, 2021, to November 15, 2020. However, some categories such as EB-3 worldwide Final Action jumped ahead nearly two years. The October 2024 Visa Bulletin does not provide guidance on expectations for the remainder of the fiscal year, but does reset visa availability for the fiscal year. This year’s conservative start has many applicants bracing themselves for longer and longer wait times.