The processing time for a US Green Card has increased for Indians aiming to obtain legal immigrant status in the United States. As per the US visa bulletin for April 2025, the EB-5 visa Unreserved category for Indian green card seekers has regressed by more than two years, shifting the final action date to November 1, 2019, instead of January 1, 2022.
The rise in wait time is primarily attributed to the heightened demand for EB-5 Visas in the unreserved category, especially from India and China. The US Department of State has had to revert the final action dates to remain within the maximum permitted under the annual limits for FY-2025.
The EB-5 visa program mandates that international investors put in a minimum of $800,000 into a US enterprise and generate 10 full-time positions. The program has become popular, particularly with Indians, but the rise in demand has resulted in a backlog of applications being processed.
Retrogression occurs when the cut-off dates that dictate visa availability move earlier instead of later. This indicates that candidates who were once qualified to apply for a green card might now be ineligible, and their applications will be on hold until their priority date is current again.
The effect of this decline is considerable. With more than 1.2 million Indians in line for employment-based green cards, the anticipated wait times are likely to be significant. Actually, the projected wait time for EB-2 India is approximately 12 years and 3 months, while certain categories experience wait times exceeding 134 years.
The US government has created set-aside visas for rural areas, regions with high unemployment, and infrastructure projects, potentially preventing backlogs. Nevertheless, the total demand for EB-5 Visas still exceeds the available supply, resulting in extended wait times for applicants.
Candidates are encouraged to review the US visa bulletin frequently for new information on their priority date. Individuals already in the US might have to think about different alternatives, like seeking an extension of their existing visa or looking into various immigration routes.
The setbacks in the EB-5 visa category highlight the difficulties and intricacies of the US immigration process. With the demand for green cards surpassing the available supply, applicants should brace themselves for delays and challenges.
