As of September 9, 2025, the U.S. Department of State has confirmed that all available employment-based immigrant visas under the EB-1, EB-2, and EB-3 categories for fiscal year 2025 have been used up. This means individuals applying in these categories will face a halt in visa issuance until the annual quota resets on October 1, 2025, when the new fiscal year begins.
The employment-based (EB) visa system operates on strict annual quotas, and once these are reached, visa numbers cannot be issued until the start of the next fiscal year regardless of applicant demand or priority date.
Impact on Applicants
For those currently in the process, this temporary unavailability means that U.S. embassies and consulates worldwide cannot issue any additional EB-1, EB-2, or EB-3 immigrant visas until after September 30, 2025.
However, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will continue to accept adjustment of status applications from within the U.S. if the applicant’s priority date is current according to the September 2025 Visa Bulletin.
Applicants scheduled for adjustment of status interviews should still attend their appointments, but they should be aware that, due to the unavailable visa numbers, their cases cannot be finalized until the start of FY 2026. In certain circumstances, USCIS officers may opt to reschedule interviews because they recognize that no visa slots can be granted at this time.
Additional Information
Employment-based visa categories often reach their annual caps, leading to similar pauses late in each fiscal year. The reset of annual limits on October 1 aligns with the start of the federal government’s financial calendar, providing new visa numbers for each preference category as fiscal year 2026 begins.
Individuals affected by this pause should prepare for possible delays but continue to monitor the Visa Bulletin and maintain all scheduled appointments to ensure prompt processing when visas become available again.
