US Bulletin Visa For December 2025 update

This bulletin outlines immigrant visa number availability for the month of December US Bulletin Visa, covering both Final Action Dates and Dates for Filing Applications. These charts indicate when applicants should begin preparing and submitting documentation to the National Visa Center.

Unless otherwise noted on the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) webpage at www.uscis.gov/visabulletininfo, individuals wishing to submit adjustment of status applications to USCIS must follow the “Final Action Dates” tables below to determine filing eligibility. If USCIS determines that more immigrant visas remain available for the fiscal year than there are applicants, it will announce on its site that applicants may instead rely on the “Dates for Filing” chart contained in this bulletin.

1. Procedures for Establishing Dates

Consular posts are required to report to the Department of State all documentarily complete applicants for categories with numerical limitations, while USCIS reports applicants for adjustment of status. Visa number allocations shown in the charts below were completed—whenever possible—in priority-date order for demand received by November 3rd. When demand exceeds supply, the relevant category or country becomes oversubscribed. The final action date listed for that category represents the priority date of the earliest applicant who could not be accommodated.If it is necessary to retrogress a cut-off date during the monthly allocation process, additional visa number requests will be honored only if the applicant’s priority date falls within the newly announced date. If an annual limit is reached at any point, the category will immediately become “unavailable” and no additional number requests will be granted.

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2. Fiscal Year 2026 Numerical Limits for US Bulletin Visa

In accordance with Section 201 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA):

• The FY-2026 limit for family-sponsored preference immigrants is 226,000.

• The worldwide employment-based annual minimum remains 140,000.

• Section 202 sets the per-country cap at 7% of the combined family-sponsored and employment-based total, or 25,620.

• The dependent area limit is 2%, equaling 7,320

3. Priority and Allocation Rules for US Bulletin Visa

Section 203(e) of the INA dictates that both family-sponsored and employment-based preference visas be issued according to the filing date of the underlying petition. Under Section 203(d), spouses and children of principal beneficiaries receive the same classification and priority order.

Section 202(e) prorating applies when visa issuances to a specific country or dependent area exceed the per-country cap. At present, this applies to the following oversubscribed chargeability areas: China (mainland-born), India, Mexico, and the Philippines.

4. Family-Sponsored Immigrant Categories (INA 203(a))

FAMILY-SPONSORED PREFERENCES

First (F1): Unmarried adult sons and daughters of U.S. citizens — 23,400, plus any unused first-preference numbers.

Second (F2): Spouses, children, and unmarried adult sons and daughters of permanent residents — 114,200, plus any amount exceeding the worldwide family-sponsored cap, plus any unused F1 numbers.

• F2A: Spouses and minor children of permanent residents — 77% of all F2 numbers, of which 75% are exempt from per-country caps.

• F2B: Unmarried adult children of permanent residents — 23% of the F2 total.

Third (F3): Married sons and daughters of U.S. citizens — 23,400, plus any remaining F1 and F2 numbers.

Fourth (F4): Brothers and sisters of adult U.S. citizens — 65,000, plus any unused numbers from F1–F3.

A. FINAL ACTION DATES FOR FAMILY-SPONSORED CASES

A date in the chart indicates oversubscription;
C = Current (all qualified applicants are eligible)
U = Unavailable (no numbers authorized)

Numbers may be issued only to applicants with priority dates earlier than the listed cut-off.

B. DATES FOR FILING FAMILY-SPONSORED VISA APPLICATIONS

This chart identifies filing dates that permit applicants to begin submitting documents to the National Visa Center. Those with priority dates earlier than the listed dates may assemble and file required documentation after receiving NVC instructions.

5. Employment-Based Immigrant Categories (INA 203(b))

EMPLOYMENT-BASED PREFERENCES

• EB-1: Priority Workers — 28.6% of the worldwide level, plus unused EB-4 and EB-5 numbers.

• EB-2: Professionals with advanced degrees and persons of exceptional ability — 28.6%, plus unused EB-1 numbers.

• EB-3: Skilled workers, professionals, and “other workers” — 28.6%, with up to 10,000 allocated to Other Workers.

• EB-4: Certain special immigrants — 7.1%.

• EB-5: Immigrant investors — 7.1%, with 32% reserved for:

  • 20% rural

  • 10% high-unemployment

  • 2% infrastructure
    The remaining 68% is unreserved.

A. FINAL ACTION DATES FOR EMPLOYMENT-BASED CASES

NACARA note maintained exactly as in original, rephrased for clarity.

B.  DATES FOR FILING OF EMPLOYMENT-BASED VISA APPLICATIONS

DIVERSITY IMMIGRANT (DV) CATEGORY — DECEMBER

Section 203(c) of the INA provides up to 55,000 Diversity Visas annually for nationals of countries with historically low immigration rates. NACARA-related allocations reduce the DV-2026 limit to roughly 52,000.

December DV availability by region is as follows (visas available only for case numbers below the specified cut-off):

DV-2026 eligibility ends September 30, 2026. No DV-2026 visas may be issued after that date.

C.  THE DIVERSITY IMMIGRANT (DV) CATEGORY RANK CUT-OFFS WHICH WILL APPLY IN JANUARY

For January, immigrant numbers in the DV category are available to qualified DV-2026 applicants chargeable to all regions/eligible countries as follows. When an allocation cut-off number is shown, visas are available only for applicants with DV regional lottery rank numbers BELOW the specified allocation cut-off number:

D. EXTENSION OF THE FOURTH-PREFERENCE RELIGIOUS WORKERS (SR) PROGRAM

H.R. 5371, enacted November 12, 2025, extends the non-minister SR category until January 30, 2026. No SR visas may be issued, nor may final adjudication occur, after 11:59 p.m. January 29, 2026.
For December, the SR final action date is 01SEP20 for all chargeability areas.

E. SPECIAL IMMIGRANT VISAS — U.S. GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES

The FY-2024 National Defense Authorization Act may affect certain SIV applicants who are current or former employees of the U.S. Government abroad, or their eligible surviving dependents. (This does not affect Iraqi or Afghan SQ/SI applicants.) Applicants should contact the consular post where they submitted Form DS-1884 for case-specific guidance.

F. LATEST VISA PROCESSING INFORMATION

For the most current updates regarding visa operations at U.S. embassies and consulates worldwide, please visit: travel.state.gov

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