The January 2025 Visa Bulletin is generating a lot of anticipation, especially for those navigating the immigration process. While we won’t have a full view until the year progresses, we already have some key updates to consider—particularly for family-based immigration.
Progress in the Employment-Based and Family-Based Categories
As always, the Visa Bulletin shows movement in both the employment-based and family-based categories, but not all categories are progressing at the same rate.
Employment-Based Categories For those in the employment-based immigration process, the news is mixed. The EB2 India category saw a modest advance of two months, while EB3 India moved forward by three weeks. However, progress in these categories has been slow, and larger advancements are not expected until spring 2025.
Family-Based Categories On a more positive note, the family-based categories are showing a small bit of progress."
- The F1 category (unmarried sons and daughters of U.S. citizens) for the Philippines has moved forward by one week.
- The F3 category (married sons and daughters of U.S. citizens) for the Philippines advanced by two months.
- The F4 category (brothers and sisters of U.S. citizens) for the Philippines moved forward by three months.
These cases still are going to take 10, 15, sometimes 20 years to be complete, so while some updates and movement is good, the delays are still way too long.
Efficiency Improvements at the National Visa Center (NVC)
Looking ahead, there is reason to believe that processing times may improve in 2025. The National Visa Center (NVC) has been actively working to address the backlog by hiring additional contractors to help expedite the scheduling of interviews. This is good news for those who have been waiting for updates, as it could mean fewer delays and a more streamlined process overall.
What Does This Mean for You?
For anyone currently in the immigration process, now is a good time to review your documents and make sure everything is in order. While family-based categories are seeing more substantial progress, employment-based applicants may still face some delays. Preparing in advance can help you avoid further setbacks.
Looking Forward
The January 2025 Visa Bulletin brings both hope and challenges. The slow movement in employment-based categories remains a concern, but the faster pace in family-based immigration offers optimism for those waiting for their turn. With continued improvements at the NVC, 2025 could be a year of increased efficiency and faster processing times.
The delays in the preference category and visa bulletin cases are so bad, that they are just another demonstration of how critical our need for immigration legal reform truly is.
Stay informed and prepared, as we continue to monitor the Visa Bulletin’s updates throughout the year.