The U.S. State Department’s September 2025 Visa Bulletin brings a window of opportunity for Indian green card holders seeking to reunite with their families. For the final month of the fiscal year, the F2A category which covers spouses and minor children of lawful permanent residents remains open for new filings. Applicants can submit adjustment of status requests right away, even though final approvals will only move forward once visa numbers become available.
Indian permanent residents still have the green light to file green card petitions for their spouses and minor children under the F2A category, as the Dates for Filing remain current (01JUN25) for all countries through September 2025. This means adjustment of status applications can be submitted now, even though the Final Action Date is set at 01SEP22 — “meaning approvals will follow only when visa numbers are available.”
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The U.S. Visa Office has also warned that “most employment-based (EB) annual limits may be reached in August and September 2025.” Should that happen, those EB categories would become “unavailable” until October 1, 2025, when the new fiscal year begins and visa numbers are reset. Officials say the expected shortfall is due to strong demand and steady usage of employment-based immigrant visas throughout the year.
On the other hand, the return of Donald Trump to the White House has reignited debates over America’s immigration policies, this time extending beyond the border crisis to include scrutiny of green card holders. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has repeatedly stressed that permanent residency is not a guaranteed privilege, warning that the government will revoke green cards if holders commit unlawful acts while in the country.
With the Permanent Resident Card serving as documentation of their status, green card holders enjoy the freedom to live and work in the United States for as long as they choose. Approximately 13 million individuals nationwide currently possess green cards, making up a sizeable portion of the immigrant population. But they are coming under more and more scrutiny. As the Trump administration intensifies its attempts to deport unauthorized immigrants. Those with green cards in particular need to be mindful of several hazards that might impact their status.
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Failing to fully disclose income on tax filings is one example that could put a green card holder’s residency at risk. In Ohio, lawmakers are also weighing a proposal that would limit property purchases by green card holders and other foreign nationals in key areas of the state. The bill seeks to block foreign ownership of land near military bases, infrastructure sites, and especially farmland, part of a wider national push to address security concerns tied to foreign land acquisitions.
In August, U.S. immigration authorities rolled out updated guidelines aimed at bringing more clarity and detail to family-based green card petitions. The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) revised its Policy Manual to strengthen screening and vetting measures, ensuring a more thorough review process for these applications.