New EB-5 Visa Categories: No Backlog for Indian Applicants

Over the years, the US EB-5 immigration investor program, a program which allows an investor, the investor’s spouse, and children under 21 years of age at the time the application is submitted, to obtain their US Green Cards through a fast-track process – has become popular amongst Indian nationals.

What is Visa Retrogression for Indian Nationals for the EB5 Program?

Since each nationality participating in the EB-5 investor immigration program is allotted 7% of the 10,000 US EB-5 visas issued each fiscal year, those nationalities with the highest number of applicants will surpass the 7% allotment, and when the number of applications exceeds the number of visas available, the government sets a cut-off date, a process known as a retrogression or backlog. This backlog applicant must wait until a visa becomes available in a queue to land in the US as a permanent resident and citizen. It is important to note that this only applies to Indian nationals born in India.

How can you Avoid Indian Retrogression Delay?

Before March 2022, the EB-5 visa program only consisted of one visa category, which is now termed “unreserved visas”. On March 15, 2022, the US government introduced new “reserved visas” split into three set-aside visa categories: high-unemployment targeted employment areas (TEA), rural, and infrastructure projects. Since each of these reserve categories will be processed in its queue, the allotment of visas has not yet been surpassed. Therefore, this important new legislative change to the US EB-5 investment program now allows Indian-born applicants to bypass retrogression.

Cutoff Dates for India Visa Bulletin

Below is the most current visa bulletin released by the US government. This bulletin is released each month to show approximate processing times or backlogs. As we can see in the 5th category (EB-5) set aside “rural” and “high-unemployment” we see that the chart indicates C. The letter C indicates current, meaning that processing times in those categories for all nationalities are current and being processed as per normal processing time, if not faster. Investors should not wait to invest in these reserve categories, as it is reasonable to assume they will also become backlogged in the future.

Source: Travel.state.gov

What are the Benefits for Indian Nationals of Applying for an EB-5 Visa Now?

The benefits for Indian nationals applying for an EB-5 visa include faster processing times, lower investment amounts, and the opportunity to secure a U.S. green card for themselves and their immediate family, allowing for residency and potential future citizenship in the United States. Additionally, as the EB-5 program undergoes periodic changes, and applying sooner may help avoid any future regulatory adjustments that could impact eligibility or investment requirements.

EB-5 Capital Investment for Indian Investors

To participate, individuals must invest a minimum of $900,000 in a targeted employment area (TEA) or $1.8 million in a non-TEA project, creating or preserving at least 10 full-time jobs for qualifying U.S. workers. This investment provides Indian investors and their immediate family members with the opportunity to become lawful permanent residents of the United States. The EB-5 visa immigration program can be an attractive option for Indian investors seeking to diversify their investments and gain access to the economic opportunities and educational resources available in the United States.

How to Begin the EB-5 Process?

The US licensed lawyers and immigration specialists at Step Global DMCC provide you with active guidance through the entire immigration process. With a 100% track record of approvals over 10 years in the GCC, Step Global has assisted hundreds of families from the region to successfully obtain US green cards and avail all the benefits of permanent residency in the US.

Step Global offers a wide range of exclusively reserved category projects, including high-quality rural and high-unemployment (TEA) projects with a strong capital structure and ample potential for job creation. These may provide a secure fast-track option to EB-5 approval and a US Green Card, as well as eventual US citizenship.

The Start-up Visa Program has been a successful immigration program over the past years and continues to be an opportunity for prosperity for Canada.