Employment based and Family based visa predictions 2025

Summary

In this video, an immigration attorney provides predictions for U.S. visa movements in 2025, focusing on both family and employment-based categories. The attorney discusses how unused family-based visas from 2024 will likely be rolled over into employment-based categories, resulting in faster visa processing. While backlogs persist, especially in family-based categories, there’s hope for continued progress in 2025. The prediction includes an average 10-month movement forward in visa processing times, with some improvement in categories like F2A. Overall, the message is one of cautious optimism, with a call for viewers to stay informed and seek assistance when needed.

Takeaways

• 😀 Family-based visa categories underutilized in 2024, with unused visas likely rolled over to employment-based categories in 2025.
• 😀 2025 will see a higher number of employment-based visas, continuing the trend of utilizing more visas after the pandemic.
• 😀 The Visa Bulletin is predicted to move forward by 10 months in 2025, an increase from 8 months in 2024.
• 😀 The U.S. State Department is dedicated to processing as many employment-based visas as possible in fiscal year 2025.
• 😀 Family-based categories will still be hindered by backlogs, especially in countries like India, Pakistan, and Nigeria.
• 😀 F2A category (spouses of green card holders) expected to see a decrease in wait times by 15-20% in 2025.
• 😀 F3 category (married children of U.S. citizens) will likely experience slight movement, around 10%, due to backlog issues.
• 😀 EB3 category (employment-based third preference) might see up to six months of progress in 2025, aided by unused visas.
• 😀 Although family-based visa processing improves slightly, the F4 category (siblings) will continue to see slow movement due to limited visas and backlog.
• 😀 While 2025 promises progress in visa movements, backlogs at consulates and embassies will still affect the processing times for many applicants.

Q & A

What are the predictions for the movement of visas in 2025?

The prediction for 2025 is that the movement of visas will continue to be positive, with an average of 10 months of forward movement in the Visa Bulletin, which is about 2 months more than in 2024.

What caused the underutilization of family-based visas in 2024?

The underutilization of family-based visas in 2024 was due to country backlogs and delays at specific embassies and consulates, leading to unused visas in family-based categories.

How will unused family-based visas affect employment-based categories in 2025?

Unused family-based visas will likely be rolled over to the employment-based categories in 2025, increasing the number of available visas and potentially speeding up visa processing for employment-based applicants.

How many employment-based visas were used in 2024?

In 2024, approximately 161,000 employment-based visas were used, out of the 220,000 family-based visas, with many of the excess family-based visas being redirected to the employment categories.

What is the predicted movement in the F2A family-based category for 2025?

The F2A category, which includes spouses of green card holders, is predicted to see a 15-20% reduction in wait times for 2025, indicating some progress in processing, although not a significant change.

What is the expected movement in the F3 family-based category for 2025?

In the F3 category (adult children of U.S. citizens), only slight movement is expected in 2025, with an estimated 10% advancement, continuing the trend from 2024 due to ongoing backlogs.

Why is there little movement expected in the F4 category in 2025?

The F4 category, which includes siblings of U.S. citizens, is expected to see little movement due to a shortage of available visas and a persistent backlog that is unlikely to be significantly addressed in 2025.

What is the predicted movement in the EB3 employment-based category for 2025?

The EB3 employment-based category may see a slight improvement, with an estimated advancement of about 6 months, thanks to the roll-over of unused family-based visas.

What are the predicted challenges for family-based immigration in 2025?

The main challenge for family-based immigration in 2025 will be ongoing backlogs, particularly at embassies and consulates, and a shortage of available visas, which will continue to delay processing.

How can people stay informed about the latest visa bulletin updates?

To stay informed about the latest visa bulletin updates, individuals can regularly check the Department of State's website, subscribe to immigration news sources, or consult immigration attorneys for advice and analysis.