WASHINGTON (Diya TV) — The United States has exhausted all available EB-5 unreserved immigrant visas for applicants from India for fiscal year 2026, the State Department said. The move stops new visa issuance in key EB-5 categories for Indian investors until the next fiscal year begins on Oct. 1. Officials said demand rose sharply and exceeded the available supply. The development affects investors seeking permanent residency through the U.S. EB-5 investment program, which links immigration benefits to job-creating business investments.
The State Department confirmed that all EB-5 unreserved visas for Indian applicants reached their annual limit as of June 5, 2026. U.S. embassies and consulates will not issue additional visas in affected categories for the rest of the fiscal year. The suspension applies to unreserved EB-5 classifications, including C5, T5, I5, R5, RU, and NU categories.
Officials said strong demand from Indian applicants drove the early exhaustion of available visa numbers. The EB-5 program remains one of the most sought-after pathways for investors who want a U.S. green card through capital investment.
The EB-5 program grants lawful permanent residency to foreign investors who invest in U.S. businesses that create or preserve jobs. Applicants must meet minimum investment thresholds and comply with program requirements under U.S. immigration law.
The program allocates 7.1% of worldwide employment-based immigrant visas to EB-5 applicants. About 68% of those visas fall under unreserved categories. These unreserved visas often see higher demand because they are not tied to specific set-aside groups.
Indian applicants have shown sustained interest in the EB-5 program over the past several years. The State Department said this demand, combined with annual per-country limits, led to faster exhaustion of available visas.
U.S. law caps each country at roughly 7% of total employment-based and family-sponsored immigrant visas each year. This limit creates a backlog when demand rises quickly, especially in high-interest countries like India and China.
Officials also noted that unused reserved EB-5 visas from fiscal year 2024 were added to the unreserved pool for fiscal year 2026 under the EB-5 Reform and Integrity Act of 2022. Even with these additional numbers, Indian demand still outpaced supply.
The exhaustion of EB-5 visas means Indian applicants in unreserved categories must now wait until the next fiscal year. U.S. embassies and consulates cannot issue these visas until new allocations become available.
Many investors who have already completed documentation and interviews may face delays. The pause does not cancel applications, but it delays final visa issuance. Immigration attorneys expect longer wait times for Indian nationals due to continued high demand and strict annual caps. Applicants may also see increased competition once new visa numbers open in fiscal year 2027.
The annual visa limit will reset on Oct. 1, 2026, when fiscal year 2027 begins. At that time, U.S. embassies and consulates may resume issuing EB-5 unreserved immigrant visas, subject to availability.
The State Department had already warned in its May and June 2026 Visa Bulletins that rising demand could trigger retrogression or early exhaustion. That warning proved accurate as demand from India surged ahead of projections.
The EB-5 program continues to attract global investors seeking U.S. permanent residency through job-creating investments. However, annual caps and per-country limits continue to shape access and processing timelines.
