The U.S. Department of State’s recently released May 2025 Visa Bulletin has sent ripples through the immigration community, particularly for those in the EB-5 category from India. The bulletin, published in mid-April 2025, reveals a significant six-month retrogression for Indian EB-5 applicants, pushing their final action date back to May 1, 2019. This bureaucratic reshuffling of priority dates represents another hurdle in the already complex immigration chess game that defines the path to American residency.
For many applicants, these monthly visa bulletin updates have become a ritual of anticipation and, sometimes, disappointment. The May bulletin brought mixed news across categories, while the F-2A category for spouses and young children of U.S. green card holders advanced by over three months, the EB-5 category for India moved backward by half a year. Meanwhile, the EB-4 category remains unavailable until the new fiscal year begins, having reached its annual limit.
“The visa bulletin shifts represent both opportunity and challenge,” says Matteo Ferretti, CEO of Spynn, whose PR firm specializes in helping EB-1A applicants demonstrate their extraordinary abilities through strategic media coverage. “These changes demand strategic adaptation from applicants seeking the most efficient path to permanent residency.”
When Media Matters
Many visa categories face the stop-and-go traffic of priority dates, while the EB-1A category offers a relatively more accessible path for those who can prove extraordinary ability. For Indian applicants, the EB-1 category cutoff date remains on February 2, 2022, while for China, it is November 8, 2022. All other countries continue to be current in the EB1 category.
Ferretti, whose company has helped numerous clients navigate the complex eb1a visa guide process, explains that media coverage has become increasingly critical in successful applications.
“Publicity and media coverage provide solid evidence of an applicant’s recognition and achievements in their field,” Ferretti notes. “It’s no longer enough to be exceptional you must be perceived as exceptional by credible third parties.”
The statistics support the importance of strong applications. In 2023, the approval rate for EB1A petitions was approximately 72%, highlighting the high standards required for success. For clients of specialized agencies like Spynn, the success rate appears even higher, with the agency reporting that 78% of their clients who applied for EB1A visas over the last two years received approvals, compared to the general EB1A approval rate of around 60%.
Strategic Approaches to Visa Category Shifts
The May 2025 Bulletin’s mixed signals, advancement in some categories and retrogression in others, create a complex situation that requires strategic thinking.
Those affected by the EB-5 retrogression need to understand that alternative pathways are crucial. The EB-1A visa allows recipients to secure U.S. permanent residency based on their exceptional achievements and contributions. Unlike other visa categories, it offers benefits like self-petitioning without needing a job offer or employer sponsorship and no labor certification requirement.
To qualify for the EB-1A visa, applicants must demonstrate sustained national or international acclaim and recognition in their field. This can be achieved through a one-time major award (like a Nobel Prize) or meeting at least three of the ten EB-1A criteria.
Building a Media Strategy for Immigration Success
In today’s digital-first media landscape, establishing extraordinary ability is increasingly happening through strategic media presence. Spynn has adapted to keep up with the latest USCIS standards, adding respected digital platforms and new media channels to its services.
“Media continues to change, and we keep our strategies fresh to help applicants present their unique abilities effectively,” Ferretti explains.
This approach includes targeting industry-specific media, highlighting professional milestones, and participating in conferences that can lead to media coverage. The goal is to build a comprehensive public profile and demonstrate extraordinary ability through regular industry media appearances, collaborations, endorsements, and public recognition.
The Global Media Advantage
A critical aspect of the EB-1A process is the value of international recognition. The statute specifically references national OR international acclaim, making coverage in an applicant’s home country’s leading publications potentially valuable for immigration petitions.
This strategy may be particularly relevant for applicants from countries like India and China, who face longer waits in other visa categories. The May 2025 Visa Bulletin shows that while the EB-5 category for India has retrogressed, the EB-1 category remains more accessible, with a cutoff date of February 2, 2022.
Preparing for Future Shifts
As visa categories continue their monthly dance of advancement and retrogression, a proactive approach that anticipates rather than merely reacts to changes becomes essential.
The May 2025 Bulletin is just one data point in a long-term trend. The EB-5 set-aside categories—rural, high unemployment, and infrastructure—remain current for all countries, including India and China, offering an alternative path with no visa retrogression yet. However, USCIS has indicated that if demand continues to rise, a final action date may soon be introduced for worldwide EB-5 applicants in the unreserved category.
For those navigating this complex landscape, strategic media coverage is a good immigration strategy. At a time when visibility can create opportunity, the extraordinary must also be extraordinarily visible—a reality that Ferretti and his team at Spynn have turned from observation to opportunity, one headline at a time.
Visibility Creates Opportunity
The visa bulletin continues its monthly updates, and those seeking permanent residency in the United States must navigate an increasingly complex system. Most EB-1A applicants’ paths remain clearer than for some other categories, but the bar for proving extraordinary ability remains high.
“In the end, extraordinary ability is more than what you’ve done. It’s now about who knows what you’ve done,” Ferretti concludes. “Strategic media coverage that helps applicants get featured in Forbes and other prestigious publications can make the difference between approval and denial.”
Those caught in the ever-shifting landscape of the visa bulletin should know that visibility might just be the difference between a green card and a red light, a reality that makes strategic PR an increasingly important component of immigration strategy.