The EB-5 investor visa for the unreserved category is now unavailable to Indian applicants for the rest of fiscal year 2026.
The State Department announced the freeze in its July 2026 Visa Bulletin.
Employment-based Green Cards are subject to annual numerical limits set by Congress. While visas are generally available worldwide, no single country can receive more than approximately 7% of the total employment-based immigrant visas allocated each fiscal year. Demand from Indian applicants was so high that India reached its annual limit for the E-B5 unreserved category, causing it to become unavailable until the new fiscal year begins on October 1.
What changed?
In the new bulletin, India’s EB-5 unreserved category is marked “U,” which means unavailable. No Indian applicant can move forward to a Green Card in this category until October 2026, at the start of the federal government’s fiscal year.
Why did this happen?
As Manifest Law reported in April, Indian demand for EB-5 has surged. Filings nearly tripled in two years as people stuck in long Green Card backlogs looked for a faster path.
What happens in October?
October starts a new fiscal year, which brings a fresh set of visas. The State Department said the cutoff date may move forward then, possibly back to where it stood in May. But that depends on how much Indian demand returns and how many visas are available in 2027.
The EB-2 category for India hit the same wall earlier this year, when the U.S. Department of State made an announcement that India had reached its per country limit.
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Senior Staff Writer
Myles Ma is a veteran editor and journalist who has spent his career untangling complicated, sometimes unpleasant topics to help readers make smarter decisions. His reporting and insights have been featured in major outlets including the Washington Post, PBS, and CNBC.
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Immigration Lawyer to Manifest Law
Ana Gabriela Urizar is an award-winning immigration attorney licensed in Arizona and New York. With nearly a decade of experience, she advises global corporations on complex U.S. immigration matters. Originally from Guatemala, Ana Gabriela previously spent close to ten years at the world’s largest immigration firm, managing business immigration matters for leading technology, science, and financial companies. She has been recognized by Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch and Negocios Now’s Tri-State 40 Under 40.
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