US hits pause on EB-5 Green Card route till September 30
The EB-5 visa category, a pathway for foreign investors seeking US green cards, has reached its annual limit for FY 2025. This halt impacts unreserved visas, with issuance suspended until the quota resets on October 1, 2025. Indian investors, a si...
By ET Online |
Agencies
The Employment-Based Fifth Preference (EB-5) visa category, which allows foreign investors to obtain a US green card, has also reached its annual allocation for FY 2025, as announced by The US State Department. The limit includes 68% of visas available in unreserved categories (C5, T5, I5, R5, RU, NU), plus unused reserved visas carried over from FY 2023 as permitted under the EB-5 Reform and Integrity Act of 2022.
US embassies and consulates will not issue EB-5 unreserved visas for the remainder of FY 2025.
The quota will reset on October 1, 2025, allowing new applications to be processed.
What is the EB-5 category
The EB-5 category, also known as the Employment Creation or investor visa, is an employment-based preference that allows foreign nationals to obtain a US green card by investing in the country and creating jobs.
It accounts for 7.1% of the global employment-based visa allocation and is divided to promote targeted investments: 20% for rural areas, 10% for high-unemployment regions, and 2% for infrastructure projects, while the remaining 68% is open to other eligible investors. The program is offered to attract diverse talent and capital to the US, supporting economic growth and job creation, and offers a pathway for investors and their families to gain permanent residency.
What this means for Indian investors
The EB-5 program is a popular route for Indian investors seeking permanent residency in the US through investment.
For India, the Final Action Date for EB-5 (unreserved) moved forward significantly in the October 2025 Visa Bulletin, from November 15, 2019, to February 1, 2021, providing some relief for applicants who had already filed their petitions.
The EB-5 category includes set-aside visas for targeted investments:
US embassies and consulates will not issue EB-5 unreserved visas for the remainder of FY 2025.
The quota will reset on October 1, 2025, allowing new applications to be processed.
What is the EB-5 category
The EB-5 category, also known as the Employment Creation or investor visa, is an employment-based preference that allows foreign nationals to obtain a US green card by investing in the country and creating jobs.
It accounts for 7.1% of the global employment-based visa allocation and is divided to promote targeted investments: 20% for rural areas, 10% for high-unemployment regions, and 2% for infrastructure projects, while the remaining 68% is open to other eligible investors. The program is offered to attract diverse talent and capital to the US, supporting economic growth and job creation, and offers a pathway for investors and their families to gain permanent residency.
What this means for Indian investors
The EB-5 program is a popular route for Indian investors seeking permanent residency in the US through investment.
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For India, the Final Action Date for EB-5 (unreserved) moved forward significantly in the October 2025 Visa Bulletin, from November 15, 2019, to February 1, 2021, providing some relief for applicants who had already filed their petitions.
The EB-5 category includes set-aside visas for targeted investments:
- Rural investments: 20%
- High unemployment areas: 10%
- Infrastructure projects: 2%
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