EB-1 India Filing Date Stays at 15APR23: Demand Steady

(INDIA) EB-1 India shows a stable picture across two key milestones in the Visa Bulletin: the EB-1 India Dates for Filing remain at 15APR23 in both the November 2025 and December 2025 editions, while the EB-1 India Final Action Date advances from 15FEB22 to 15MAR22. In plain terms, an unchanged Dates for Filing cutoff at 15APR23 paired with a one-month advance in the Final Action Date signals that demand is steady and sufficient at the current filing threshold.

The United States 🇺🇸 Department of State (DOS) appears to consider the EB-1 India pipeline adequately loaded with pending cases up to that filing date, and it’s moving approvals forward at a measured pace without inviting newer priority dates into the queue or pushing the filing gate backward.

Policy Snapshot: November vs. December 2025 for EB-1 India

• EB-1 India Dates for Filing:
  • November 2025: 15APR23
  • December 2025: 15APR23 (no change)
• EB-1 India Final Action Date:
  • November 2025: 15FEB22
  • December 2025: 15MAR22 (advanced by one month)

Both Visa Bulletins also restate the legal framework that shapes how these charts are set:

• The worldwide level for employment-based immigrants is at least 140,000 each year.
• Under INA §202, the per-country limit for family- and employment-based preference immigrants combined is 7% of the total annual limit, which is 25,620 for FY 2026.
• EB-1 falls under INA §203(b) as First Preference (priority workers), receiving 28.6% of the worldwide employment-based level, plus unused numbers from EB-4 and EB-5.

These statutory rules, along with oversubscription and proration mechanics, frame how DOS allocates numbers and calibrates cutoffs for EB-1 India.

How Dates for Filing and Final Action Date Work Together

The Visa Bulletin explains that the Dates for Filing chart reflects a “timeframe justifying immediate action in the application process.” Practically, this date represents the priority date of the first applicant who cannot submit documentation to the National Visa Center (NVC).

• USCIS sometimes allows adjustment applicants to use the Dates for Filing chart when visa availability exceeds known applicants for the fiscal year.
• DOS uses the Dates for Filing chart to shape the pipeline by:
  1. Advancing the DF date to accept more demand into the future approval queue.
  2. Holding the DF date steady when the existing inventory is sufficient.
  3. Retrogressing the DF date to slow new filings when demand exceeds supply.

The Final Action Date is the gate for actual approvals—immigrant visas or adjustment of status cases can be finalized only when an applicant’s priority date is earlier than the listed Final Action Date. The one-month forward move from 15FEB22 to 15MAR22 in December indicates continued, careful allocation of EB-1 visas to India without halting or reversing progress.

Why No Movement in the Filing Date Signals a Balanced Pipeline

Holding EB-1 India Dates for Filing at 15APR23 while pushing the Final Action Date forward by a month conveys:

• Demand is strong enough that DOS does not need to invite more recent priority dates into the system.
• Demand is not so overwhelming that DOS must retrogress the filing date or freeze Final Action Date movement.
• The existing pool of EB-1 India cases with priority dates on or before 15APR23 is adequate to keep approvals moving at the current pace.

Put simply, DOS likely has enough documentarily qualified EB-1 India cases ready or nearly ready to ensure efficient use of numbers without inflating the queue. According to analysis by VisaVerge.com, a steady Dates for Filing cutoff often reflects an adequately loaded pipeline that does not require expansion in the near term.

The “Compression Zone” Between the Two Cutoffs

In December 2025, DOS will finalize cases up to 15MAR22 while allowing filings up to 15APR23. That’s roughly a 13-month “compression zone” between the Final Action Date and the Dates for Filing cutoffs.

This buffer indicates DOS likely has a comfortable volume of pending EB-1 India cases to adjudicate without needing to accelerate filings. It also helps avoid future whiplash: by not overfilling the pipeline now, DOS reduces the risk of later retrogression caused by a surge of cases that outpaces available visa numbers.

Step-by-Step Roadmap: Your EB-1 India Journey Under the Current Cutoffs

1. Confirm your priority date
   • Find the priority date on your approved EB-1 petition. Everything flows from this single date.
2. Compare your date to the current charts
   • For December 2025: Dates for Filing = 15APR23, Final Action Date = 15MAR22.
3. Decide if you can file
   • If your priority date is on or before 15APR23, you’re within the current filing window when USCIS permits use of the Dates for Filing chart.
   • If it’s after 15APR23, wait for a future bulletin that advances the filing date.
4. If eligible to file, assemble and submit your case promptly
   • Applicants within the 15APR23 threshold should act quickly when filing is permitted so DOS and USCIS can treat your case as documentarily qualified at NVC or ready-to-process for adjustment.

1. Monitor Final Action Date progress monthly
   • Approvals occur only when the Final Action Date reaches your priority date. Movement can be forward, steady, or retrogress—watch the monthly bulletin closely.
2. Expect measured progress, not sudden leaps
   • The November→December move shows a one-month forward step in final action—indicative of careful allocation rather than abrupt change.
3. Stay documentarily qualified
   • Keep your case ready with required evidence so it can move when your priority date becomes current for final action.

What to Expect From Authorities Month to Month

In these two consecutive bulletins, EB-1 India displays a pattern of stability for filing and gentle forward motion for approvals. That suggests DOS is fine-tuning monthly flow to match statutory limits without extremes.

Each new month can bring one of three outcomes:
– A forward move,
– No change, or
– Retrogression.

Between November and December 2025, EB-1 India moved forward at the approval stage while holding steady at the filing stage. Applicants should check each bulletin as soon as it’s released and align their next steps with the published dates.

Practical Scenarios Based on Your Priority Date

• If your EB-1 India priority date is on or before 15APR23
  • You’re inside the current filing window, assuming USCIS permits use of the Dates for Filing chart that month.
  • Filing now positions your case in the queue DOS intends to keep steadily moving.
  • The Final Action Date has advanced from 15FEB22 to 15MAR22, signaling continued approvals.
• If your EB-1 India priority date is after 15APR23
  • You are outside the current filing window.
  • DOS did not advance the filing date between November and December 2025, meaning it does not need additional cases beyond 15APR23 to meet near-term visa usage.
  • Monitor future bulletins for any movement.

Interpreting Stability Across Other Categories Mentioned

The broader charts reinforce this reading:

• EB-2 India Dates for Filing: 01DEC13 (unchanged)
• EB-3 India Dates for Filing: 15AUG14 (unchanged)
• EB-1 China Dates for Filing: 15MAY23 (unchanged)

That pattern underscores a cautious approach: DOS is holding multiple India filing dates steady, and EB-1 China also remains unchanged, signposting a wider judgment that current EB-1 pipelines for major oversubscribed chargeability areas are adequately loaded.

The Legal Backdrop: Why DOS Manages the Pipeline This Way

Key statutory points to remember:

• Under INA §202, the per-country limit is 7% of the total annual limit, equating to 25,620 for FY 2026.
• Under INA §203(b), EB-1 receives 28.6% of the worldwide employment-based level and can use unused EB-4 and EB-5 numbers.

When EB-1 India is oversubscribed, DOS uses the Dates for Filing to build a pipeline and the Final Action Date to pace approvals, balancing real demand against statutory supply.

The Demand Signal From an Unchanged Filing Date

No movement in EB-1 India Dates for Filing from 15APR23 alongside a one-month advance in Final Action Date points to demand that is:

• Strong enough for DOS not to invite more recent priority dates;
• Steady and manageable, not requiring retrogression;
• Indicative that DOS has adequate pending cases at or before 15APR23 to meet projected visa usage.

For applicants, the best strategy is to keep cases ready, keep documentation current, and respond quickly to any agency requests. The system is moving—deliberately—without dramatic swings.

Where to Check Official Monthly Updates

The Visa Bulletin is the authoritative source for these cutoffs. Review the monthly charts for employment-based categories at the Department of State’s official page: U.S. Department of State Visa Bulletin.

Each edition repeats the principles discussed here: the role of Dates for Filing in setting a filing window that justifies immediate action, and the role of the Final Action Date in controlling the pace of approvals. Staying aligned with the published dates is the most reliable way to manage expectations and plan your steps.

Action Checklist to Stay Ready Under the Current Cutoffs

• Track the Visa Bulletin monthly, focusing on EB-1 India Dates for Filing (currently 15APR23) and Final Action Date (advanced to 15MAR22 in December).
• If your priority date is on or before 15APR23, prepare and file promptly when USCIS permits using the filing chart.
• If your priority date is after 15APR23, continue monitoring; the unchanged filing date indicates DOS does not yet need additional cases from later priority dates.
• Expect measured progress—the one-month advance in the Final Action Date from November to December shows steady allocation.
• Keep your case documentarily qualified so DOS and USCIS can act when your priority date falls within the Final Action Date window.

Taken together, the November and December 2025 Visa Bulletins tell a consistent story for EB-1 India: the filing threshold at 15APR23 is holding because the pipeline is already well stocked, and approvals are ticking forward as DOS manages visa numbers within the legal limits governing employment-based immigration.