(INDIA) Indian investors seeking a U.S. green card through the EB-5 route received an unexpected boost as the October 2025 U.S. Visa Bulletin pushed the EB-5 unreserved Final Action Date for India forward by nearly 15 months, from November 15, 2018, to February 1, 2021. The change takes effect with the start of the new U.S. fiscal year and means many Indian applicants who have waited for years are now closer to green card issuance.
The movement covers cases with priority dates earlier than February 1, 2021, unlocking long-stalled immigrant visas and speeding up decisions for investors who filed their EB-5 petitions years ago. According to analysis by VisaVerge.com, the October update represents the largest forward jump for Indian EB-5 applicants in years and ends a period of little to no movement that frustrated many families.
Why the October change matters
The improvement arrives as the new fiscal year 2026 begins on October 1, 2025, when the Department of State updates visa number availability for all categories. The October Visa Bulletin is the first release of the year and sets the tone for how visas may flow in the coming months.
For India, the EB-5 movement stands out:
- There is no retrogression.
- The new Final Action Date of February 1, 2021 signals visas are available to clear a meaningful slice of the backlog.
- Indian investors with priority dates before this line can now see case approvals, immigrant visa issuance abroad, or green card approvals in the U.S., assuming all other steps are complete.
Immigration attorneys and EB-5 regional centers say the new date gives eligible investors a narrow but important window to move their cases, while warning that monthly Visa Bulletin updates can still shift based on demand and usage.
Other category movements in October 2025
The October signal was not limited to EB-5. Other employment- and family-based categories for India also advanced:
- EB-2 Final Action Date: moved forward by 3 months, from January 1, 2013 to April 1, 2013.
- EB-3: advanced by 3 months.
- F2A (spouses and children of permanent residents): advanced 17 months, from September 1, 2022 to February 1, 2024.
There was no backward movement for India in these categories. These advances suggest an effort to use available visa numbers at the start of the fiscal cycle and, in the near term, reduce pressure in long backlogs.
Why India faces long waits (caps and limits)
The EB-5 program grants permanent residence to foreign investors who invest in a U.S. business that creates jobs. The real barrier for many Indian applicants has been the wait caused by statutory caps:
- Worldwide annual employment-based preference floor: at least 140,000.
- Family-sponsored limit for fiscal year 2026: 226,000.
- Per-country limit: 7% of combined family + employment totals → 25,620 visas for India across both streams.
- EB-5 annual worldwide limit: at least 14,000; India’s rough share ≈ 980 visas per year.
When demand from India exceeds these per-country shares, backlogs form and movement becomes slow. The October forward movement does not change these caps; it reflects visa number allocation at the start of the fiscal year.
Important: The per-country caps are fixed by law. If demand rises quickly, the government can slow or reverse dates later in the year.
Recent context and why this is a break from the past
The October 2025 bulletin follows a September 2025 bulletin that showed no change in EB-5 final action dates for India. In September, the Dates for Filing were April 1, 2022, while Final Action Dates remained behind. The October move to February 1, 2021 therefore breaks the recent status quo and meaningfully advances older Indian cases.
Stakeholders offer possible reasons for the sudden improvement: better visa number management, lower demand, or more efficient issuance in the prior fiscal year freeing up numbers for the new cycle. While no single official cause was published, immigration lawyers say the absence of retrogression offers short-term stability and signals better balance between EB-5 visa demand and supply for India—at least for now.
Practical steps for investors now that dates moved forward
If your EB-5 priority date is earlier than February 1, 2021, your case may now move to approval and immigrant visa issuance, provided all other checks are clear.
Key actions to prepare:
- Check your EB-5 priority date. If it is before February 1, 2021, your case may be ripe for approval, visa issuance, or adjustment of status.
- Gather and update documents:
- Confirm the full investment remains at risk as required.
- Ensure job-creation evidence is complete.
- Verify dependents’ passports and civil documents are valid.
- If inside the U.S. and eligible, prepare to file Form I-485, Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status, once your date is current. The form and instructions are available on USCIS here.
- If outside the U.S., monitor your case status with the National Visa Center and prepare for consular interview scheduling.
- Keep checking the monthly Visa Bulletin. EB-5 availability can change month-to-month.
- Stay in close touch with counsel to act promptly when your date is current.
Typical post-bulletin sequence (summary table)
| Step | What to do |
|---|---|
| 1. Verify priority date | Confirm it is before Feb 1, 2021 |
| 2. Documentation | Update investment proof, job creation evidence, dependents’ civil docs |
| 3. In U.S. | Prepare and file Form I-485 if eligible |
| 4. Abroad | Watch NVC notices and attend consular interview |
| 5. Monitor | Check monthly Visa Bulletin and case status |
| 6. Counsel | Coordinate with immigration attorney for timing and responses |
Human impact and practical benefits
The removal of uncertainty helps real people:
- Indian parents with teenagers can better time moves for U.S. college planning.
- Professionals and entrepreneurs can move forward with long-term business and career planning.
- Family members who paused careers or schooling can plan around expected approvals.
Attorneys report increased updates and readiness checks from clients near the new cutoff. Regional centers say forward movement may prompt some investors who paused their plans to resume, though they emphasize that timing depends on monthly bulletins.
Continued cautions and expert advice
Experts reiterate the limitations and cautions:
- The per-country limit is a hard ceiling; the October movement does not remove it.
- Future demand spikes could slow or reverse movement later in the year.
- Investors should act promptly when dates are current—file and attend interviews without delay.
- Communication with dependents matters—biometrics, medicals, and forms should be completed quickly to avoid age-out risks.
Broader numeric context (key figures)
- Worldwide employment-based floor: 140,000
- Family-based cap (FY2026): 226,000
- Per-country limit: 7%, yielding 25,620 visas for India across family + employment
- EB-5 annual worldwide limit: at least 14,000 → India’s share ≈ 980
These numbers do not change month to month and help explain why early fiscal-year allocation often sets the pace for the first few bulletins.
Where to track official updates
- Department of State Visa Bulletin (monthly): https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/legal/visa-law0/visa-bulletin.html
- USCIS Form I-485 page and instructions: https://www.uscis.gov/i-485
USCIS also announces which chart—Dates for Filing or Final Action Dates—applicants inside the U.S. should use each month for adjustment of status filings.
Bottom line
The October 2025 Visa Bulletin delivers a meaningful step forward for many Indian EB-5 investors:
- EB-5 unreserved Final Action Date for India: now February 1, 2021 (up from November 15, 2018) — nearly 15 months forward.
- EB-2 and EB-3 advanced by 3 months each.
- Family-based F2A advanced 17 months to February 1, 2024.
- No retrogression for India in these tracks.
For Indian EB-5 applicants now appearing current, two steps stand out: confirm your priority date is before the new cut-off, and prepare to complete consular processing or adjustment of status promptly. The October shift does not solve every backlog, but for many families it is the difference between waiting indefinitely and moving to the final stages of a long journey. The next few months will show whether this pace holds, but the October 2025 bulletin gives Indian investors something concrete: a current Final Action Date they can act on, and a realistic chance to complete the process they started years ago.
Frequently Asked Questions
This Article in a Nutshell
The October 2025 Visa Bulletin advanced India’s EB-5 unreserved Final Action Date to February 1, 2021 (from November 15, 2018), a nearly 15-month jump that allows many long-waiting Indian investors to move toward green card issuance. EB-2 and EB-3 both advanced three months, while family-based F2A advanced 17 months to February 1, 2024. The shifts took effect with fiscal year 2026 on October 1, 2025, and reflect early-year visa number allocation rather than changes to statutory per-country caps. Investors with priority dates before February 1, 2021 should verify their dates, update investment and job-creation evidence, prepare Form I-485 if eligible, or await consular processing. Experts caution that monthly Visa Bulletin updates can change and advise prompt action and close coordination with counsel to avoid delays or age-out risks for dependents.
