September 2025 Visa Bulletin: Philippines F3 and F4 Advance

The September Visa Bulletin remains largely unchanged, except for the F3 and F4 categories for the Philippines. F3 Philippines advances by 15 days, and F4 Philippines advances by 4 months.

The State Department Visa Office expects to reach FY2025 category limits in most employment-based preferences during August and September, due to a steady increase in adjustment and consular processing visa number demand. The State Department has also determined that the FY2025 worldwide family-based visa number limit is 226,000, and the employment-based limit is 150,037.

As new visa numbers will become available on October 1 for the next fiscal year, the cut-off dates in both family-based and employment-based preferences may advance.

AD: Dates for Final Action (Green Card Approval)  

FD: Dates for Filing Applications Only

Family-based		Other Countries	China	India	Mexico	Philippines
F1	AD	07/15/2016	07/15/2016	07/15/2016	04/22/2005	07/15/2012
	FD	09/01/2017	09/01/2017	09/01/2017	06/01/2006	04/22/2015
F2A	AD	09/01/2022	09/01/2022	09/01/2022	02/01/2022	09/01/2022
	FD	06/01/2025	06/01/2025	06/01/2025	06/01/2025	06/01/2025
F2B	AD	10/15/2016	10/15/2016	10/15/2016	01/01/2007	05/01/2012
	FD	01/01/2017	01/01/2017	01/01/2017	04/01/2008	10/01/2013
F3	AD	08/01/2011	08/01/2011	08/01/2011	02/01/2001	05/01/2004
	FD	07/22/2012	07/22/2012	07/22/2012	06/15/2001	05/01/2005
F4	AD	01/01/2008	01/01/2008	11/01/2006	03/15/2001	01/01/2006
	FD	01/01/2009	01/01/2009	12/01/2006	04/30/2001	01/01/2008

1st: Unmarried Sons and Daughters of Citizens (about 23,400 per year).
2A: The 2 “A” preference is for Spouses and Children (under 21 & unmarried) of LPR's.
2B: The 2 “B” Preference is for Unmarried Sons and Daughters (21 or older) of LPR's.
3rd: Married Sons and Daughters of Citizens (about 23,400 per year)
4th: Brothers and Sisters of Adult Citizens. (about 65,000 per year)

Employment-based		Other Countries	China	India	Mexico	Philippines
EB-1	AD	C	11/15/2022	02/15/2022	C	C
	FD	C	01/01/2023	04/15/2022	C	C
EB-2	AD	09/01/2023	12/15/2020	01/01/2013	09/01/2023	09/01/2023
	FD	11/15/2023	01/01/2021	02/01/2013	11/15/2023	11/15/2023
EB-3	AD	04/01/2023	12/01/2020	05/22/2013	04/01/2023	02/08/2023
	FD	05/01/2023	12/22/2020	06/08/2013	05/01/2023	05/01/2023
Other Workers	AD	07/08/2021	05/01/2017	05/22/2013	07/08/2021	07/08/2021
	FD	07/22/2021	01/01/2018	06/08/2013	07/22/2021	07/22/2021
EB-4*	AD	Unavailable	Unavailable	Unavailable	Unavailable	Unavailable
	FD	02/01/2021	02/01/2021	02/01/2021	02/01/2021	02/01/2021
EB-5	AD	C	12/08/2015	11/15//2019	C	C
	FD	C	10/01/2016	04/01/2022	C	C

1st: Priority Workers (Extraordinary ability aliens, multinational companies' executives/managers, outstanding prof./researchers)
2nd: Members of the Professions Holding Advanced Degrees or Persons of Exceptional Ability.
3rd: Skilled Workers, Professionals, and Other Workers (Unskilled.)
4th: “Special Immigrants” (Religious & others)

*Visa numbers for Certain Religious Workers will be "Unavailable" in September.

5th: Employment Creation (Investors)

*China and India EB-5 visa numbers for rural, high unemployment & infrastructure areas/projects are current.

(Immigration laws and policies change regularly.  If you have any questions regarding this article, please visit www.1visa1.com to schedule a legal consultation.)  

Trump Administration to Review 55 Million U.S. Visa Holders

 

On Thursday, the State Department says it is conducting “continuous vetting” of all 55 million people holding valid U.S. visas, looking for any indication of ineligibility—from overstays and certain crimes to security concerns. If a violation is found, the visa can be revoked; if the person is in the U.S., removal may follow. In parallel, the administration paused issuance of worker visas for commercial truck drivers pending a vetting review.   Social-media screening will again be one of the tools used in the vetting process.

What does it mean?

Thus far, there has been no written policy guidelines on this review process. The State Department states verbally that it is reviewing more than 55 million valid visa holders for potential rule violations, framing this as an extension of “continuous vetting” that already applied to subsets of travelers (notably students) and now encompasses everyone with a visa—tourists, workers, and students alike. The government emphasized that if post-issuance information emerges showing ineligibility, consular officers can revoke a visa—and if the person is present in the U.S., they can be placed in removal proceedings. 

Consular officers have long had authority to revoke visas based on new derogatory information, often without a hearing. What’s new is the asserted universal scope and the promise to use a wider set of data sources, on a continuing basis, to trigger those revocations. 

Who is affected?

Nearly all nonimmigrant visa holders are within scope (tourist B visas, students F/M/J, workers H/L/O, etc.).  The 55 million number indicates the sweep also includes people outside the U.S. who hold multi-entry visas and may seek to return in the future.  

Most travelers from Visa Waiver Program countries (roughly 40 nations) are not affected because they don’t need visas for short stays—though they face their own ESTA screening. 

The State Department has not specifically mentioned permanent residents.  However, since permanent residents are also holders of immigration visas, hence it would not surprising that the vetting process may also cover them.  Typically, a green card holder who has been found to have committed a deportable offense will be placed in removal proceedings. 

What counts as a “deportable” or revocable violation?

According to the State Department, screeners are looking for indicators of ineligibility such as overstays (remaining beyond an authorized period), criminal activity and threats to public safety, and terrorism involvement or material support to designated groups.  If such information surfaces, visas may be revoked, and those present in the U.S. can be removed. 

How will the expanded vetting work?

Officials say the reviews will include law-enforcement and immigration records and a broadened review of social media. Coverage this summer documented State Department guidance that student/exchange visa applicants must make social-media accounts public for review; major outlets also reported posts may be assessed for hostile or extremist content. 

What to expect?

Recently, the State Department has revoked serveral thousands of student visas, most commonly tied to overstays, DUI/assault, or terrorism-related indicators. Under the current heightened vetting policy, students and researchers will be subject to heightened social-media scrutiny, processing delays, administrative processing, or revocations.  Professional workers and employers should expect more RFEs (requests for evidence) from USCIS and 221(g) notices form consulates.  Tourists and business visitors will find it more difficult and expensive to obtain temporary visitor visas. 

(Immigration laws and policies change regularly.  If you have any questions regarding this article, please visit www.1visa1.com to schedule a legal consultation.)  

Applying for a U.S. Visa is getting Expensive

 

If you plan to visit America, expect to pay higher fees. Additionally, applicants from certain countries may have to post a visa bond of up to $15,000 in order to secure a visa.

In a move that has reignited debate over U.S. visa policy, the U.S. Department of State has announced a 12-month visa bond pilot program targeting certain B-1 (business) and B-2 (tourism) visa applicants. Scheduled to begin on August 20, 2025, the program authorizes U.S. consular officers to require visa applicants from certain countries to post a refundable bond of up to $15,000 as a condition of visa issuance.

Pilot Program - Visa Bond

Beginning August 20, 2025, the U.S. Department of State will launch a 12-month pilot program requiring certain applicants for B‑1 (business) and B‑2 (tourist) visas to post a bond—ranging from $5,000 to $15,000—as a condition of visa issuance. Bonds are refundable if applicants comply with their visa terms and depart on time; otherwise, the bond is forfeited.
Who must post the visa bond?

According to the U.S. government, countries with high U.S. visa overstay rates based on FY 2023 DHS data and deficient document screening or vetting practices are targeted. Further, countries that offer citizenship-by-investment programs with no residency requirement are also likely targeted by the State Department. Applicants from Visa Waiver Program (VWP) countries are exempt.

The State Department is supposed to announce the specific list of countries on their website. As of August 5, 2025, the State Department website only lists two countries that are subject to the visa bond - Malawi and Zambia. However, additional countries are expected to be added to the list later on.


Visa Integrity Fee

Additionally, starting October 1st, 2025, nonimmigrant visa applicants must pay a visa integrity fee of $250, on top of the regular visa application fee. This new fee was enacted by President Trump's One Big Beautiful Bill on July 4, 2025.
The $250 visa integrity fee must be paid by applicants of most nonimmigrant visas, such as tourists (B1/B2), students (F/M), exchange visitors (J), workers (H1B, L1, O1, R1, etc.). Each dependent with a separate visa stamp (e.g., H‑4, F‑2, J‑2) must also pay the fee. So a family of four would have to pay $1,000 in integrity fees alone.

Visitors from 42 countries in the Visa Waiver Program (VWP) (e.g. United Kingdom, Japan, Germany) who enter via ESTA are exempt from the new visa integrity fee. However, their ESTA fee will increase from $21 to $40. Canadians are also exempt as they are allowed to enter the United States visa-free.

The integrity visa fee is supposed to be refundable if the applicant abides by the rules and does not work illegally. However, actually getting a refund is expected to be difficult due to administrative and procedural hurdles.

 

 

(Immigration laws and policies change regularly.  If you have any questions regarding this article, please visit www.1visa1.com to schedule a legal consultation.)  

July 2025 Visa Bulletin: F2A Advances Globally

 

In  July, F2A priority date advanced by eight months globally. F-2B dates also moved forward, with Mexico advancing by one year. 

For Employment-Based , China EB-2 advanced by two weeks, and EB-3 by nine days. India EB-3 advances by 7 days. 

USCIS will continue to accept Family-Based I-485 applications based on filing dates and Employment-Based I-485 applications based on final action dates.

AD: Dates for Final Action (Green Card Approval)  

FD: Dates for Filing Applications Only

Family-based		Other Countries	China	India	Mexico	Philippines
F1	AD	07/15/2016	07/15/2016	07/15/2016	04/22/2005	07/15/2012
	FD	09/01/2017	09/01/2017	09/01/2017	06/01/2006	04/22/2015
F2A	AD	09/01/2022	09/01/2022	09/01/2022	02/01/2022	09/01/2022
	FD	03/01/2025	03/01/2025	03/01/2025	03/01/2025	03/01/2025
F2B	AD	10/15/2016	10/15/2016	10/15/2016	01/01/2007	04/15/2012
	FD	01/01/2017	01/01/2017	01/01/2017	04/01/2008	10/01/2013
F3	AD	08/01/2011	08/01/2011	08/01/2011	02/01/2001	12/01/2003
	FD	07/22/2012	07/22/2012	07/22/2012	06/15/2001	12/01/2004
F4	AD	01/01/2008	01/01/2008	07/08/2006	03/15/2001	01/01/200    6
	FD	09/08/2008	09/08/2008	12/01/2006	04/30/2001	01/01/2008

1st: Unmarried Sons and Daughters of Citizens (about 23,400 per year).
2A: The 2 “A” preference is for Spouses and Children (under 21 & unmarried) of LPR's.
2B: The 2 “B” Preference is for Unmarried Sons and Daughters (21 or older) of LPR's.
3rd: Married Sons and Daughters of Citizens (about 23,400 per year)
4th: Brothers and Sisters of Adult Citizens. (about 65,000 per year)

Employment-Based		Other Countries	China	India	Mexico	Philippines
EB-1	AD	C	11/15/2022	02/15/2022	C	C
	FD	C	01/01/2023	04/15/2022	C	C
EB-2	AD	10/15/2023	12/15/2020	01/01/2013	10/15/2023	10/15/2023
	FD	11/15/2023	01/01/2021	02/01/2013	11/15/2023	11/15/2023
EB-3	AD	04/01/2023	12/01/2020	04/22/2013	04/01/2023	02/08/2023
	FD	05/01/2023	12/22/2020	06/08/2013	05/01/2023	05/01/2023
Other Workers	AD	07/08/2021	05/01/2017	04/22/2013	07/08/2021	07/08/2021
	FD	07/22/2021	01/01/2018	06/08/2013	07/22/2021	07/22/2021
EB-4*	AD	Unavailable	Unavailable	Unavailable	Unavailable	Unavailable
	FD	02/01/2021	02/01/2021	02/01/2021	02/01/2021	02/01/2021
EB-5	AD	C	01/22/2014	05/01/2019	C	C
	FD	C	10/01/2016	04/01/2022	C	C

1st: Priority Workers (Extraordinary ability aliens, multinational companies' executives/managers, outstanding prof./researchers)
2nd: Members of the Professions Holding Advanced Degrees or Persons of Exceptional Ability.
3rd: Skilled Workers, Professionals, and Other Workers (Unskilled.)
4th: “Special Immigrants” (Religious & others)

*Visa numbers for Certain Religious Workers will be "Unavailable" in July.

5th: Employment Creation (Investors)

*China and India EB-5 visa numbers for rural, high unemployment & infrastructure areas/projects are current.

(Immigration laws and policies change regularly.  If you have any questions regarding this article, please visit www.1visa1.com to schedule a legal consultation.)