September USCIS Visa Bulletin: Key Green Card Changes for Ukrainians

The September 2025 USCIS Visa Bulletin sets the tone for the final month of the fiscal year, and for Ukrainians seeking Green Cards it brings a mixed picture: family‑sponsored applicants may use the Dates for Filing chart to submit adjustment packages, while employment‑based categories show no forward movement and EB‑4 remains unavailable. The Diversity Visa 2025 program also sunsets on September 30, 2025, setting hard deadlines for remaining cases.

Monthly chart guidance and what it means

USCIS has directed all family‑sponsored preference applicants, including Ukrainians, to follow the Dates for Filing chart in September. That rule allows people to file adjustment packages even when the final approval line (the Final Action Date) has not yet reached their priority date.

In contrast, employment‑based applicants must follow the Final Action Dates chart. For September there is no advancement from August, signaling continued backlogs through the month’s end.

• Family applicants: use Dates for Filing (can submit I‑485 now if your priority date is earlier than the cutoff).
• Employment applicants: use Final Action Dates (must wait until the final date reaches your priority date before final approval).

USCIS and the Department of State manage visa number use each month and release the Visa Bulletin showing when immigrant visas are available. USCIS also announces which chart to use for filing inside the U.S. For September, that notice confirms Dates for Filing for family and Final Action for employment. Track the monthly decisions at the official USCIS Visa Bulletin information page: https://www.uscis.gov/visabulletininfo.

Dates for Filing open the door to submit Form I‑485 while you wait for a visa number. Final Action Dates mark when USCIS or a consulate can finally approve the case and issue the Green Card.

Key movements and restrictions

• F2A (spouses and children of permanent residents): advances by two months for all countries, creating earlier filing windows for spouses and children of permanent residents.
• Other family categories: broadly steady, no retrogression reported.
• Employment‑based: EB‑1, EB‑2, and EB‑3 show no advancement for September.
• EB‑4: remains unavailable because the annual cap is already reached.
• Diversity Visa 2025: processing must finish by September 30, 2025.

According to analysis by VisaVerge.com, the lack of employment movement reflects tight visa number use as the government closes the fiscal year — a pattern seen in previous Septembers.

Diversity Visa 2025 — hard deadline

The Diversity Visa 2025 program closes on September 30, 2025. Ukrainians selected in DV‑2025 must complete interviews and issuance before that date. Cases not issued by the deadline do not carry into the next year; this rule is strict regardless of regional events or staffing limits.

Context: humanitarian relief vs. immigrant system

Since the full‑scale war began in 2022, the U.S. has offered relief such as Temporary Protected Status and humanitarian parole to many Ukrainians. Those measures help people stay, work, and keep families together during crisis. However, Green Cards still follow the Visa Bulletin rules and yearly numerical limits. That explains why humanitarian pathways can be faster while immigrant visa categories remain slow.

What Dates for Filing vs. Final Action Dates mean (quick primer)

• Dates for Filing: open the opportunity to submit Form I‑485 — https://www.uscis.gov/i-485 — and obtain work and travel authorization while waiting for a visa number.
• Final Action Dates: indicate when USCIS or consular posts can finally approve and issue the immigrant visa/Green Card.

Impact on applicants and recommended next steps

For Ukrainians already in the U.S. with approved petitions, the filing window matters. If you have an approved Form I‑130 (https://www.uscis.gov/i-130) (family) or Form I‑140 (https://www.uscis.gov/i-140) (employment), compare your priority date to the September 2025 Visa Bulletin charts.

Recommended actions:
1. Confirm your priority date (found on the receipt notice for your approved petition).
2. Verify which chart applies for your category (USCIS announced Dates for Filing for family and Final Action Dates for employment in September).
3. If eligible, prepare and file a complete I‑485 packet (https://www.uscis.gov/i-485) with fees and supporting documents.

Practical filing steps for family applicants using Dates for Filing:
– Gather civil records, medical examination, and proof of lawful entry.
– File Form I‑485 (https://www.uscis.gov/i-485) with required fees and supporting documents.
– Include applications for work (EAD) and travel (Advance Parole) if needed.

Notes for employment‑based applicants:
– Even if you filed earlier in the year, final approval requires your priority date to be current under Final Action Dates.
– Employment categories show no movement in September, so many applicants will continue to wait.

For those abroad:
– Consular processing proceeds only when your case is current under Final Action Dates.
– When current, the National Visa Center (NVC) will request fees and civil documents, then schedule a medical exam and an interview at a U.S. embassy or consulate.
– If your date is not current in September, keep documents ready to respond quickly once numbers open.

Practical checklist for September filings

• Confirm your priority date.
• Verify the applicable chart (family = Dates for Filing; employment = Final Action Dates).
• Prepare a complete packet to reduce Requests for Evidence (RFEs) and delays.
• For consular processing: keep civil documents and medical records ready; respond promptly to NVC requests.

Final timing note

New visa numbers open on October 1, 2025. Until then, September’s gains are concentrated on family categories — notably F2A’s two‑month jump — while employment‑based approvals remain largely paused.

Important deadline: DV‑2025 cases must be issued by September 30, 2025 — no exceptions.