Mexico and Philippines EB Final Action Dates: Oct 2025 vs Sep 2025

Think of the monthly Visa Bulletin as your roadmap and Final Action Dates (FADs) as the traffic signals that control when your green card can actually be issued. For applicants from Mexico and the Philippines, that roadmap changed meaningfully between September 2025 (the final month of FY-2025) and October 2025 (the first month of FY-2026). October 2025 brought a new annual allocation of visa numbers and a recalibration across employment-based categories, which directly affects when you can file, when you can expect approval, and how to plan your next steps. At VisaVerge.com, we help you understand exactly what these changes mean and how to move forward with confidence.

What follows is a comprehensive, step-by-step process guide that walks you through the entire journey—how to read the shifts from September to October 2025, what happens at each stage, what actions are required from you, and what to expect from the authorities managing visa numbers and adjudications.

Understanding the foundation: employment-based preferences and Final Action Dates

• Employment-based preferences: The employment-based (EB) preferences are defined by law and grouped into five broad categories:
  • EB-1 (First Preference): Priority workers—multinational executives, outstanding researchers, and people of extraordinary ability.
  • EB-2 (Second Preference): Advanced degree professionals and individuals with exceptional ability.
  • EB-3 (Third Preference): Professionals and skilled workers, plus a separate “Other Workers” subcategory.
  • EB-4 (Fourth Preference): Certain special immigrants (including religious workers, juveniles, and broadcasters).
  • EB-5 (Fifth Preference): Immigrant investors, including special set-aside allocations for rural, high unemployment, and infrastructure projects.
• Final Action Date (FAD): The FAD is the line that determines whether your green card can be issued or your adjustment of status can be approved. If your priority date is earlier than the listed FAD for your category and chargeability area (here: Mexico or the Philippines), you are eligible for visa issuance or green card adjudication. If your date is later, you wait until the FAD advances.

• Why Mexico and the Philippines matter: Both are oversubscribed chargeability areas, meaning demand exceeds their per-country allocations. Their dates can move differently from “All Chargeability Areas Except Those Listed,” so evaluate their movements independently—especially at the fiscal year reset when visa numbers refresh.

The September 2025 baseline for Mexico and the Philippines

Before the FY-2026 reset in October, the September 2025 Visa Bulletin reflected end-of-year status:

• EB-1: Current for Mexico and the Philippines.
• EB-2: September 1, 2023 for both Mexico and the Philippines.
• EB-3 (Professionals & Skilled Workers):
  • Mexico: April 1, 2023
  • Philippines: February 8, 2023
• EB-3 Other Workers: July 8, 2021 for both countries.
• EB-4: Unavailable worldwide (including Mexico and the Philippines).
• EB-5 (Unreserved): Current for Mexico and the Philippines; EB-5 set-asides current.

This snapshot showed exhaustion of many FY-2025 numbers: EB-4 was unavailable and EB-2/EB-3 for oversubscribed countries were tightly controlled.

The October 2025 reset and what changed

With the FY-2026 reset in October 2025, fresh allocations became available and the October FADs were:

• EB-1: Current for Mexico and the Philippines.
• EB-2: Advanced to December 1, 2023 for both Mexico and the Philippines (three-month jump).
• EB-3 (Professionals & Skilled Workers):
  • Mexico: held at April 1, 2023
  • Philippines: advanced to April 1, 2023 (from Feb 8, 2023)
• EB-3 Other Workers: advanced to July 15, 2021 for both countries (one week forward).
• EB-4: reopened with a cut-off of July 1, 2020 (after being unavailable in September).
• EB-5 (Unreserved): Current for both countries; EB-5 set-asides remained current.

How to use the October 2025 Visa Bulletin: a step-by-step process

1) Identify your exact category and chargeability area
– Determine whether you’re EB-1, EB-2, EB-3 (Professionals/Skilled or Other Workers), EB-4, or EB-5.
– Confirm your chargeability as Mexico or Philippines to use the correct column.

2) Locate your priority date
– For employment-based cases, the priority date is typically when your underlying petition or labor certification was filed.
– Note the exact day—even a one-day difference can control your eligibility within a given month.

3) Compare your priority date with September 2025 FADs
– Use September 2025 as the baseline to see whether October’s movement is incremental or significant for your place in line.

4) Compare your priority date with October 2025 FADs
– If your priority date is earlier than the October 2025 FAD for your category and country, you are eligible for final action in October (assuming all other case elements are ready).
– If your date is later, continue monitoring monthly movements.

5) Determine your readiness for final action
– If eligible in October 2025, ensure your case is fully prepared: documentation aligned with category requirements and the file ready for adjudication.
– If not yet eligible, use observed movements (e.g., EB-2 +3 months; EB-3 Philippines +2 months; EB-3 Other Workers +1 week; EB-4 reopening) to set expectations.

6) Monitor month-by-month and plan with your employer and attorney
– The Department of State adjusts FADs based on demand, category limits, and per-country allocations. Movements may be cautious or more generous.
– At VisaVerge.com, we provide ongoing guidance so you can act quickly when your date becomes eligible.

Important: The Visa Bulletin is dynamic—monitor monthly and coordinate with counsel and your employer so you can respond promptly to Requests for Evidence or other adjudicative steps.

What to expect from authorities at each stage

• When your date is not current: No final action can be taken; you remain in the queue while the Department of State observes demand and adjusts FADs.
• When your date becomes current: You are eligible for immigrant visa issuance or adjudication of your green card. Approval can follow if everything in your file is ready.
• When a category is unavailable (“U”): No visas can be issued in that category for anyone, regardless of priority date. (EB-4 was “U” in September 2025.)

Category-by-category deep dive: changes, actions, and timelines

EB-1: Still Current for Mexico and the Philippines

• Change: No change—remains Current.
• Implication: Favorable. Priority workers face no backlog pressure from FADs in October 2025.
• Action: If your EB-1 file is ready, prepare for adjudication now.
• Timeline: Controlled by case readiness and processing rather than Visa Bulletin position.

EB-2: Three-month advancement to December 1, 2023

• Change: September 1, 2023 → December 1, 2023.
• Who benefits: Applicants from Mexico and the Philippines with fall 2023 priority dates.
• Action:
  • If your date is earlier than Dec 1, 2023, ensure case readiness for October adjudication.
  • If your date is Dec 2023 or later, watch subsequent bulletins—you’re close.
• Timeline: Department of State appears to anticipate manageable EB-2 demand early in FY-2026; practical wait depends on how near your date is to Dec 1, 2023.

EB-3 (Professionals & Skilled Workers): Diverging stories

• Mexico: No change—remains April 1, 2023.
  • Action: If earlier than April 1, 2023, prepare for adjudication; otherwise, continue monitoring.
• Philippines: Advanced to April 1, 2023 (from Feb 8, 2023).
  • Implication: Nearly two-month advancement reopens eligibility for more applicants.
  • Action: If your date is before April 1, 2023, prepare for final action and reply quickly to any notices.
• Timeline: Philippines applicants with early-2023 dates can move forward; Mexico applicants still face unchanged FADs.

EB-3 Other Workers: One-week advancement to July 15, 2021

• Change: July 8, 2021 → July 15, 2021.
• Why cautious: This category is limited globally (about 10,000 visas) and reduced by NACARA offsets, prompting conservative movement.
• Action: If your date is earlier than July 15, 2021, ensure readiness; otherwise, remain patient but vigilant.
• Timeline: Multi-year backlog—small forward moves are expected but incremental.

EB-4: From Unavailable to July 1, 2020

• Change: U (Unavailable) → July 1, 2020 cut-off.
• Implication: Reopening is progress, but the cut-off indicates a substantial backlog—over five years in many cases.
• Action: If your date is earlier than July 1, 2020, final action may resume; if not, continue tracking monthly.
• Timeline: Expect extended waits; movement depends on demand and allocations across FY-2026.

EB-5 (Unreserved) and set-asides: Current across the board

• Change: No change—Current for Mexico and the Philippines, including set-asides.
• Implication: Demand is within limits; investors and projects get predictability.
• Action: If otherwise eligible, proceed; queue-related delay under FADs is not a factor.
• Timeline: Driven by case preparation and adjudication processing.

Practical planning scenarios (applying October 2025 shifts)

• EB-2 (Mexico/Philippines), priority date Oct 20, 2023
  • Sept 2025: Not current (cut-off Sept 1, 2023)
  • Oct 2025: Now current (cut-off Dec 1, 2023)
  • Action: Prepare for final action in October 2025.
• EB-3 (Philippines), priority date Mar 15, 2023
  • Sept 2025: Not current (cut-off Feb 8, 2023)
  • Oct 2025: Now current (cut-off Apr 1, 2023)
  • Action: Prepare for adjudication activity and respond promptly.
• EB-3 (Mexico), priority date May 2, 2023
  • Sept 2025: Not current (cut-off Apr 1, 2023)
  • Oct 2025: Still not current (unchanged)
  • Action: Continue monitoring; coordinate with employer and counsel.
• EB-3 Other Workers (Mexico/Philippines), priority date Jul 10, 2021
  • Sept 2025: Not current (cut-off Jul 8, 2021)
  • Oct 2025: Now current (cut-off Jul 15, 2021)
  • Action: Prepare for final action steps without delay.
• EB-4 (Mexico/Philippines), priority date Jun 1, 2020
  • Sept 2025: Category unavailable—no final action.
  • Oct 2025: Not current (cut-off Jul 1, 2020)
  • Action: Very close to eligibility—track monthly bulletins and be ready.

A realistic timeline mindset for FY-2026

• Immediate opportunities:
  • EB-1 and EB-5: Current—move forward if your file is ready.
  • EB-2: Meaningful three-month advance opens doors for fall-2023 dates.
  • EB-3 Philippines: Notable advancement.
  • EB-3 Other Workers: Small but important advance.
• Near-term watchlist:
  • EB-2 applicants with late-2023 dates.
  • EB-3 Mexico applicants just beyond April 1, 2023.
• Long-term patience zones:
  • EB-4: July 1, 2020 cut-off implies a multi-year queue.
  • EB-3 Other Workers: Highly constrained, moving incrementally due to statutory caps and NACARA.

What actions should applicants, attorneys, and employers take now?

• Establish your baseline:
  • Write down your category, chargeability (Mexico or Philippines), and exact priority date.
  • Compare to September 2025 and October 2025 FADs.
• If eligible in October 2025:
  • Ensure case readiness: evidence aligned with the relevant EB standard, medicals, civil documents, and supporting employer materials as applicable.
• If not yet eligible:
  • Create a monthly monitoring plan—small moves matter. The Department of State releases the Visa Bulletin monthly.
• Coordinate as a team:
  • Synchronize timing among applicant, attorney, and employer to avoid delays when dates advance.
• Seek clarity and updates:
  • VisaVerge.com provides plain-English guidance on interpreting the Visa Bulletin, FADs, and planning responses to movement or unavailability.

Managing expectations: benefits, risks, and outcomes

• Benefits of October 2025:
  • Fresh FY-2026 allocations allowed EB-2 to advance three months for both countries, EB-3 to advance for the Philippines, and EB-3 Other Workers to nudge forward. EB-1 and EB-5 stability provides predictability.

• Risks to watch:
  • Categories can remain static (e.g., EB-3 Mexico) or be tightly managed due to demand and statutory limits. EB-4 reopening with a July 1, 2020 cut-off shows availability can resume alongside a very deep backlog.
• Practical outcomes:
  • If your priority date is earlier than the October 2025 FAD, expect movement toward adjudication now.
  • If your date is close but not yet earlier, you are in a near-term opportunity zone—vigilance is key.
  • For heavily backlogged categories (EB-4, EB-3 Other Workers), plan for gradual progress and long waits.

Mexico: winners, neutrals, and constraints

• Winners: EB-2 (+3 months); EB-3 Other Workers (+1 week).
• Neutrals: EB-1 and EB-5 remain Current.
• Constraints: EB-3 remained stagnant at Apr 1, 2023; EB-4 reopened but with a large backlog.

Philippines: solid gains with mindful caution

• Winners: EB-2 (+3 months); EB-3 (+nearly 2 months); EB-3 Other Workers (+1 week).
• Neutrals: EB-1 and EB-5 remain Current.
• Constraints: EB-4 cut-off at Jul 1, 2020 indicates long queues despite reopening.

Your next steps, simplified

1. Confirm your priority date and category (EB-1, EB-2, EB-3, EB-3 Other Workers, EB-4, EB-5).
2. Compare your date to the October 2025 Final Action Dates for Mexico or the Philippines.
3. If earlier than the FAD: prepare for final action; if later: set a monthly tracking cadence.
4. Coordinate with your employer and legal team so readiness aligns with Visa Bulletin movements.
5. Use expert resources to stay informed—VisaVerge.com helps translate each month’s Visa Bulletin into clear, actionable steps.

Conclusion: turning October 2025 movements into a plan you can execute

October 2025—the first Visa Bulletin of FY-2026—delivers cautious optimism for Mexico and the Philippines. EB-2 advanced by three months for both countries, EB-3 advanced for the Philippines, EB-3 Other Workers ticked forward, and EB-1 and EB-5 remained Current. EB-4’s reopening transforms “Unavailable” into a defined backlog—progress, but with long waits.

The practical takeaway: verify whether your priority date is now earlier than the October 2025 FAD for your category. If yes, prepare for adjudication; if no, assess how close you are to the line and monitor monthly.

The Visa Bulletin is dynamic and FADs are managed to balance demand, oversubscription, and annual limits. By approaching October 2025 changes with a structured, step-by-step plan and realistic timelines, you can move from uncertainty to readiness. For month-by-month interpretation and strategy, VisaVerge.com provides authoritative, plain-English guidance so you can act quickly when opportunity opens.