(INDIA) The EB-1 India Final Action Date moved forward by exactly one month in the Visa Bulletin from November to December 2025. In November 2025, EB-1 India stood at 15FEB2022; in the December 2025 Visa Bulletin, it advanced to 15MAR2022. That one-month change matters because Final Action Dates control when the United States 🇺🇸 can actually issue an immigrant visa or approve an adjustment of status case. If your priority date is earlier than the cut-off, your case can move to approval; if it’s on or after the cut-off, you must wait for a later bulletin.
Immediate Movement Overview and What It Means
The headline movement is clear: EB-1 India advanced from 15FEB2022 to 15MAR2022. In calendar terms, that’s one month. In date-range terms, it opens an extra 28 days of priority dates (from 16FEB2022 through 14MAR2022) that were not eligible in November but are eligible in December—provided all other steps are complete.
Final Action Dates use an “earlier than” rule. This means a case is current only if the priority date is before the cut-off. So with a cut-off of 15MAR2022 in December, a priority date of 14MAR2022 is eligible, but 15MAR2022 is not.
How Final Action Dates Work for EB-1 India
Final Action Dates indicate the month when the government can take final steps on your green card case. The rule stated in both November and December bulletins is: numbers are authorized for issuance only for applicants whose priority date is earlier than the listed date. This applies across consular processing and adjustment of status.
This designation does not guarantee approval; it simply means the government may finish your case if everything else is ready.
Key points about EB-1:
– EB-1 is the first employment-based preference and receives 28.6% of the worldwide employment-based level.
– EB-1 can also receive unused numbers from EB-4 and EB-5.
– A 7% per-country limit applies, and India is identified as an oversubscribed chargeability area. That is why EB-1 India has a cut-off while most of the world is “Current.”
November vs December 2025: Side-by-Side Impact
November 2025 Employment-Based Final Action Dates:
– All Chargeability Areas Except Those Listed: Current
– China–mainland born: 22DEC2022
– India: 15FEB2022
– Mexico: Current
– Philippines: Current
December 2025 Employment-Based Final Action Dates:
– All Chargeability Areas Except Those Listed: Current
– China–mainland born: 22JAN2023
– India: 15MAR2022
– Mexico: Current
– Philippines: Current
Two key movements:
– EB-1 India: 15FEB2022 → 15MAR2022 (one-month advance)
– EB-1 China–mainland born: 22DEC2022 → 22JAN2023 (one-month advance)
Step-by-Step: Check If You’re Eligible in December 2025
Use this process to determine if your EB-1 India case can get final action in December 2025:
- Find your priority date.
- This is the priority date on your approved immigrant petition. For EB-1, that is usually your I-140 filing date.
- Compare your date with the December 2025 EB-1 India cut-off.
- The cut-off is 15MAR2022.
- Apply the “earlier than” rule: your priority date must be before 15MAR2022.
- Decide which group you fall into:
- Earlier than 15FEB2022: Eligible in November and remain eligible in December.
- 16FEB2022 to 14MAR2022: Newly eligible in December.
- On or after 15MAR2022: Not current in December.
- Check case readiness.
- If your I-140 is approved and other parts of your case (like security checks and medicals) are complete, you can expect final action when your date is current.
- Track the bulletin monthly.
- Movement can be forward or flat. Your eligibility depends on the cut-off each month.
What Happens If You Are Current in December
If your EB-1 India priority date is earlier than 15MAR2022 in December:
- You can receive final approval if your case is documentarily complete.
- If you are processing at a consulate, you can be scheduled for an interview or have a visa issued if your file is ready.
- If you filed adjustment of status and all checks and medicals are done, USCIS can approve the green card.
- If any piece is missing, your case cannot finish even if you are current. Make sure your I-140 is approved and that you’ve responded to any government requests.
Important: Being “current” means the government has a visa number available for you this month; it does not replace eligibility checks.
What Happens If You’re Not Yet Current
If your priority date is 15MAR2022 or later, you remain behind the cut-off:
- You cannot receive a final decision in December 2025.
- Your case may remain in a queue waiting for the cut-off date to pass your priority date.
- Keep your records updated and ready so your case can move as soon as your date becomes current.
This one-month shift is still helpful because it moves the line forward. It’s progress, even if it doesn’t reach your date yet.
Who Benefits and Who Waits: Real-World Scenarios
Four common EB-1 India scenarios based on the November and December 2025 cut-offs:
- Applicant A: Priority date 14FEB2022
- November: Eligible (earlier than 15FEB2022)
- December: Still eligible (earlier than 15MAR2022)
- Outcome: Could have been approved in November or December if the case was ready.
- Applicant B: Priority date 20FEB2022
- November: Not eligible
- December: Newly eligible
- Outcome: December opens the door for final action if the file is complete.
- Applicant C: Priority date 15MAR2022
- November: Not eligible
- December: Not eligible (date is not earlier than 15MAR2022)
- Outcome: Still waiting for a future bulletin.
- Applicant D: Priority date 01APR2022
- November: Not eligible
- December: Not eligible
- Outcome: Will need further forward movement.
This shows how a one-month advance converts directly into action for people with priority dates in that newly opened 28-day span.
Position of EB-1 India vs China and Rest of World
Most EB-1 chargeability areas are Current, meaning no backlog in Final Action Dates. China–mainland born and India show cut-offs in both months, and both advanced by one month between November and December 2025.
- China’s cut-off: 22JAN2023
- India’s cut-off: 15MAR2022
This indicates India is more retrogressed within EB-1 compared to China. For applicants born outside India and China, EB-1 being Current means final action can occur regardless of priority date, if the case is ready.
Where EB-1 Fits Against EB-2 and EB-3 India
December 2025 chart:
– EB-1 India: 15MAR2022
– EB-2 India: 15MAY2013
– EB-3 India: 22SEP2013
Comparatively, EB-1 India is far ahead of EB-2 and EB-3 for India—by many years. Even though EB-1 India isn’t Current, it’s the fastest of the major employment-based tracks for many Indian professionals who qualify for EB-1 criteria. That’s why EB-1 remains attractive for those who meet the statute’s groups: persons of extraordinary ability, outstanding professors and researchers, and certain multinational managers and executives.
Why This One-Month Move Was Possible
The Visa Bulletin explains the structure behind these movements:
- EB-1 gets 28.6% of the worldwide employment-based numbers, with possible extra numbers from EB-4 and EB-5 if those are unused.
- A 7% per-country limit applies across family and employment-based categories.
- India is listed as oversubscribed, which is why EB-1 India has a cut-off.
The one-month advance from 15FEB2022 to 15MAR2022 signals that enough numbers were available to open an extra 28 days of priority dates for EB-1 India without breaching those limits. The same one-month forward pattern occurred for EB-1 China as well.
Practical Checklist for EB-1 India Applicants
If your priority date is earlier than 15MAR2022 in December 2025, focus on readiness so your case can be approved once a number is available. Checklist:
- Confirm your priority date and compare it with the 15MAR2022 cut-off.
- Ensure your immigrant petition is approved:
- Verify your I-140 approval notice. For details, see the official USCIS page for I-140 Immigrant Petition for Alien Workers.
- Make sure background checks and medicals are complete and valid, if applicable.
- Respond promptly to any government requests for evidence.
- If you’re at a consulate, confirm your case is documentarily qualified so an interview or issuance can happen when a number is available.
- If you filed adjustment of status, keep your address updated and watch for notices.
If you’re not current yet (priority date on or after 15MAR2022):
– Keep documents organized so you’re ready when the cut-off moves past your date.
– Track each monthly Visa Bulletin closely to spot changes as soon as they post.
– Understand that a move from 15FEB2022 to 15MAR2022 means an added 28 days of eligible priority dates; your date might be next.
Understanding the “Earlier Than” Rule With Examples
This rule is strict and often causes confusion. In December:
- Eligible examples: 14MAR2022, 01MAR2022, 20FEB2022
- Not eligible examples: 15MAR2022, 16MAR2022, 01APR2022
Think of the cut-off as a gate that closes exactly at the listed date. Dates before the gate can pass; the date printed on the gate and any date after it must wait for the next opening.
Day-by-Day View: What the 28 Days Mean
The move from 15FEB2022 to 15MAR2022 covers exactly 28 days because February 2022 had 28 days. That adds a fresh slice of cases—often many files—into the approval window.
According to analysis by VisaVerge.com, even a one-month advance like this can let a meaningful number of families finish their process, because the new window includes everyone whose priority dates fall within those 28 days, assuming their cases are ready.
EB-1: Who Qualifies and Why It Matters Here
EB-1 includes:
– Persons of extraordinary ability
– Outstanding professors and researchers
– Certain multinational managers and executives
EB-1’s share of worldwide numbers and its ability to draw unused numbers from EB-4 and EB-5 help it move at times—even when per-country limits slow specific nations. For India, high demand keeps a cut-off in place, but the December 2025 movement shows space opened to advance early 2022 cases by one month.
What to Expect From Authorities When You’re Current
When you’re current under the EB-1 India Final Action Date:
– The Department of State can allocate a number to your case that month.
– If you’re at a consulate, issuance may follow once your file is complete and cleared.
– If you’re adjusting in the United States, USCIS can approve your case when all reviews are done and a number is available.
When you’re not current:
– Your case stays in line until a later bulletin advances the cut-off past your date.
– The government doesn’t deny the case due to the cut-off; it waits for numbers.
How to Keep Track and Prepare for Next Month
- Watch the monthly Visa Bulletin release. The official page explains the charts and cut-offs clearly: U.S. Department of State Visa Bulletin.
- Compare both the Final Action Dates chart and any Dates for Filing guidance that may apply to your situation.
- Keep your documentation updated so your case can be approved as soon as it becomes current.
Bottom Line for December 2025
- The EB-1 India Final Action Date advanced by one month: 15FEB2022 → 15MAR2022.
- Newly eligible in December: priority dates from 16FEB2022 through 14MAR2022.
- Still waiting: 15MAR2022 and later.
- EB-1 is Current for most regions. China–mainland born moved one month to 22JAN2023, and EB-1 India remains ahead of EB-2 and EB-3 India, which stand at 2013 dates in December 2025.
This one-month move may feel modest, but for the people whose dates sit inside that 28-day window, it can mean life-changing approvals—green cards in hand and long waits finally ending.
Frequently Asked Questions
This Article in a Nutshell
The December 2025 Visa Bulletin advanced EB-1 India Final Action Date from 15FEB2022 to 15MAR2022, adding 28 days (16FEB2022–14MAR2022) of newly eligible priority dates. EB-1 remains current for most countries, while China and India retain cut-offs that also moved one month forward. Eligibility depends on the strict “earlier than” rule. Applicants should confirm I-140 approval, ensure documentary completeness, and track monthly bulletins to act when their priority date becomes current.
