FY 2025 EB-3 Visa Cap Reached: Issuance Suspended Until October

The U.S. government has reached the annual numerical limit for EB-3 employment-based immigrant visas for fiscal year 2025, resulting in an immediate suspension of new visa issuances under this category. This cap, set by Congress, limits the total number of EB-3 green cards that can be issued each fiscal year across all countries of chargeability. For EB-3 applicants whose priority dates are current, this suspension means that even approved petitions cannot proceed to visa issuance or adjustment of status approval until the new fiscal year begins on October 1, 2025, when a fresh allocation of visas becomes available. This cap-out is particularly significant for applicants from high-demand countries such as India, China, Mexico, and the Philippines, where backlogs are already severe. Applicants in the "rest of world" category may also experience delays if they were expecting to complete their cases before fiscal year-end. Affected applicants should work with their immigration attorneys to monitor the October 2025 Visa Bulletin for priority date movements and to ensure all required documentation is in order so they can act quickly when visa numbers become available in the new fiscal year.