EB-5 Visa Processing Time by Country 2024-25

Gain valuable insights into EB-5 Visa Processing Time by Country 2024 worldwide. Navigate the residency journey efficiently with Paperfree's global perspectives on country-specific processing times.

last updated Wednesday, November 13, 2024
#eb5 processing time #eb-5 processing time

---



John Burson

Subscribe

QUICK LINKS

Key Points

• Processing times are varied
  The EB-5 Visa processing time in 2024 differs significantly by country due to varying demand and country caps.
• China has the longest EB5 visa processing time.
  Chinese applicants typically face extended processing times due to high demand and a large backlog.
• Vietnam
  Following China, countries like Vietnam also experience extended processing periods.
• India
  Following China, India also experiences an extended processing period.
• Country Cap Impact
  Each country is subject to a cap, often resulting in longer wait times for nationals from countries with high application volumes.
• Fluctuations
  Processing times are subject to change based on application volume, administrative changes, and policy updates.
• USCIS Updates
  The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) regularly updates processing times, reflecting current trends and backlogs.
• Importance of Regular Checks
  Applicants are advised to check the latest processing times, which vary monthly.

Article Glossary

I-485 is a form  of  application to register permanent residence or adjust status

I-526 is a form of an immigrant petition by a standalone investor

I-526E is an immigrant petition by a regional center investor

NVC is an abbreviation of the National Visa Center

Generic EB5 Visa to Green Card Process

Each EB5 visa applicant has unique circumstances, which result in their journey to a Permanent Green Card. The infographic below shows the high-level process you would follow to obtain a Conditional and Permanent Green Card.

Fig 1. EB5 Green Card Processing

How to Get the EB-5 Visa: Step-by-Step Process Explained

EB5 Wait Time by Country

The primary determinant of visa wait times is the volume of I-526 Petitions By the December 2023 Visa Bulletin.

When even the most hopeful estimates of wait times are excessively lengthy, it becomes crucial to focus on resolving the EB-5 Backlog Issue and pursue the singular potential solution of increasing visa availability.

China EB5 wait time, Analysis as of March 2022.

China wait time	Pending I-526	Pending at Visa Stage (visa application or I-485)	Total
China-born principal applicants in the process	4,823	18,095
[1] Visa demand estimate	≈ 6,000	≈ 39,000	≈ 45,000
[2] Visa supply estimate			≈ 5,600
VISA TIME ESTIMATE Estimated total wait time for a visa for China priority date			≈ 45,000/5,600 ≈ 8 years (i.e. 2029)

Table 1: China I-526 Petitions By December 2023 Visa Bulletin.  Source: https://egov.uscis.gov/processing-times/historic-pt 

Where:

[1] Visa demand estimate

Estimated total Chinese-born applicants (principals + family) who were in the process and who will persevere to get approved for a visa.

The model uses these assumptions to estimate visa demand from data for principal applicants:

• 60% future I-526 survival/approval rate,
• 2.7 visas per principal/investor,
• 80% visa-stage survival/approval rate.

This is consistent with recent history, but the future could differ.

[2] Visa supply estimate

Estimated average annual unreserved visas available to China 2022-2030**

The model assumes all reserved visas in 2022 and EB-5 Visa US 2023 will go unused and carry over; continued low-volume I-526 processing; low incoming demand for unreserved visas; most “otherwise unused” visas go to China; and consular processing keeps up with supply.

India EB5 wait time, analysis as of March 2022.

Table 2: India I-526 Petitions By December 2023 Visa Bulletin

Source: https://travel.state.gov/content/dam/visas/Statistics/Immigrant-Statistics/WaitingList/WaitingListItem_2021vF.pdf 

Where:

[1] Visa demand estimate

Estimated total India-born applicants (principals + family) who were in the process and who will persevere to get approved for a visa.

The model uses these assumptions to estimate visa demand:

• 89%  I-526 survival/approval rate,
• 2.26 visas per principal,
• 83% visa-stage survival/approval rate.

This is consistent with recent history, but the future could differ. 

[2] Visa supply estimate

Estimated average annual unreserved visas available to India 2022-2029

Reserved visa supply under country caps in a typical year for EB-5 waiting times by country is about 10,000*68%*7%=. However, the model assumes a higher number due to higher EB visa limits and carryover of unused reserved visas during the prediction period. The model further assumes continued low-volume “first in, first out” I-526 processing, most “otherwise unused” visas go to China, and that visa issuance keeps up with supply.

Vietnam EB5 wait time, analysis as of March 2022

Table 3: Vietnam I-526 Petitions By December 2023 Visa Bulletin 

Source: https://travel.state.gov/content/dam/visas/Statistics/Immigrant-Statistics/WaitingList/WaitingListItem_2021vF.pdf

Where:

[1] Visa demand estimate

Estimated total Vietnam-born applicants (principals + family) who were in the process and who will persevere to get approved for a visa.

The model multiplies the number of pending I-526 principal applicants by

• 88% I-526 survival/approval rate, 
• 3.81 visas per principal,
• 92% visa-stage survival/approval rate.

This is consistent with recent history, but the future could differ.

[2] Visa supply estimate

Estimated average annual unreserved visas available to Vietnam 2022-2028

Reserved visa supply under country caps in a normal year is about 10,000*68%*7%. However, the model assumes a higher number due to higher EB visa limits and carryover of unused reserved visas during the prediction period. However, the estimated average is lower than the EB 5 processing time in India due to the difference in visas issued in FY2022.

The model further assumes continued low-volume but FIFO I-526 processing, that most “otherwise unused” visas go to China, and that visa issuance keeps up with supply.

The Employment-Based Fifth Preference (EB-5) program is globally renowned as a leading immigrant investor program, highly sought after by affluent international individuals aspiring to achieve the American dream.

Processing Time by Country for EB5 Visa Program

As of November 2023, Chinese applicants have experienced the most extended wait periods for the EB-5 program.

Processing time varies, followed by those from Vietnam. The following durations indicate the years from filing an I-526 petition (as of November 2023, to the anticipated availability of an EB-5 visa.

Country	Waiting time, years
EB5 China wait time	8
EB5 Vietnam wait time	7.2
EB5 timeline for India	5.7
EB5 South Korea wait time	2.2
EB5 Taiwan wait time	1.7
EB5 Brazil wait time	1.5

EB5 Green Card Waiting Times by Country Till 2023

This table displays current EB 5 visa timeline wait times till 2023 for various employment-based EB5 green card categories by country.

Country	Subregion	Rank	Green Card Waiting Time F2A	Green Card Waiting Time EB5
India	Southern Asia, South Central Asia	1	09-01-2023	04-01-2022
China	Eastern Asia	2	09-01-2023	01-01-2017
Indonesia	South-Eastern Asia	4	09-01-2023	Current
Pakistan	Southern Asia, South Central Asia	5	09-01-2023	Current
Nigeria	Western Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa	6	09-01-2023	Current
Brazil	South America, Latin America	7	09-01-2023	Current
Bangladesh	Southern Asia, South Central Asia	8	09-01-2023	Current
Russia	Eastern Europe	9	09-01-2023	Current
Mexico	Central America, Latin America	10	09-01-2023	Current
Ethiopia	Eastern Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa	11	09-01-2023	Current
Japan	Eastern Asia	12	09-01-2023	Current
Philippines	South-Eastern Asia	13	09-01-2023	Current
Egypt	Northern Africa, The Middle East	14	09-01-2023	Current
DR Congo	Middle Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa	15	09-01-2023	Current
Vietnam	South-Eastern Asia	16	09-01-2023	Current
Iran	Southern Asia, The Middle East	17	09-01-2023	Current
Turkey	Western Asia, The Middle East	18	09-01-2023	Current
Germany	Western Europe	19	09-01-2023	Current
Thailand	South-Eastern Asia	20	09-01-2023	Current
United Kingdom	Northern Europe	21	09-01-2023	Current
Tanzania	Eastern Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa	22	09-01-2023	Current
France	Western Europe	23	09-01-2023	Current
South Africa	Southern Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa	24	09-01-2023	Current
Italy	Southern Europe	25	09-01-2023	Current
Kenya	Eastern Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa	26	09-01-2023	Current
Myanmar	South-Eastern Asia	27	09-01-2023	Current
Colombia	South America, Latin America	28	09-01-2023	Current
South Korea	Eastern Asia	29	09-01-2023	Current
Uganda	Eastern Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa	30	09-01-2023	Current
Sudan	Northern Africa	31	09-01-2023	Current
Spain	Southern Europe	32	09-01-2023	Current
Argentina	South America, Latin America	33	09-01-2023	Current
Algeria	Northern Africa	34	09-01-2023	Current
Iraq	Western Asia, The Middle East	35	09-01-2023	Current
Afghanistan	South Central Asia, Southern Asia	36	09-01-2023	Current
Poland	Eastern Europe	37	09-01-2023	Current
Canada	Northern America	38	09-01-2023	Current
Morocco	Northern Africa	39	09-01-2023	Current
Saudi Arabia	Western Asia, The Middle East	40	09-01-2023	Current
Ukraine	Eastern Europe	41	09-01-2023	Current
Angola	Middle Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa	42	09-01-2023	Current
Uzbekistan	Central Asia, South Central Asia	43	09-01-2023	Current
Yemen	Western Asia, The Middle East	44	09-01-2023	Current
Peru	South America, Latin America	45	09-01-2023	Current
Malaysia	South-Eastern Asia	46	09-01-2023	Current
Ghana	Western Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa	47	09-01-2023	Current
Mozambique	Eastern Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa	48	09-01-2023	Current
Nepal	Southern Asia, South Central Asia	49	09-01-2023	Current
Madagascar	Eastern Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa	50	09-01-2023	Current
Ivory Coast	Western Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa	51	09-01-2023	Current
Venezuela	South America, Latin America	52	09-01-2023	Current
Cameroon	Middle Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa	53	09-01-2023	Current
Niger	Western Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa	54	09-01-2023	Current
Australia	Australia and New Zealand	55	09-01-2023	Current
North Korea	Eastern Asia	56	09-01-2023	Current
Taiwan	Eastern Asia	57	09-01-2023	Current
Mali	Western Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa	58	09-01-2023	Current
Burkina Faso	Western Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa	59	09-01-2023	Current
Syria	Western Asia, The Middle East	60	09-01-2023	Current
Sri Lanka	Southern Asia, South Central Asia	61	09-01-2023	Current
Malawi	Eastern Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa	62	09-01-2023	Current
Zambia	Eastern Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa	63	09-01-2023	Current
Romania	Eastern Europe	64	09-01-2023	Current
Chile	South America, Latin America	65	09-01-2023	Current
Kazakhstan	Central Asia	66	09-01-2023	Current
Chad	Middle Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa	67	09-01-2023	Current
Ecuador	South America, Latin America	68	09-01-2023	Current
Somalia	Eastern Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa	69	09-01-2023	Current
Guatemala	Central America, Latin America	70	09-01-2023	Current
Senegal	Western Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa	71	09-01-2023	Current
Netherlands	Western Europe	72	09-01-2023	Current
Cambodia	South-Eastern Asia	73	09-01-2023	Current
Zimbabwe	Eastern Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa	74	09-01-2023	Current
Guinea	Western Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa	75	09-01-2023	Current
Rwanda	Eastern Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa	76	09-01-2023	Current
Benin	Western Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa	77	09-01-2023	Current
Burundi	Eastern Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa	78	09-01-2023	Current
Tunisia	Northern Africa	79	09-01-2023	Current
Bolivia	South America, Latin America	80	09-01-2023	Current
Haiti	Caribbean	81	09-01-2023	Current
Belgium	Western Europe	82	09-01-2023	Current
Jordan	Western Asia, The Middle East	83	09-01-2023	Current
Dominican Republic	Caribbean	84	09-01-2023	Current
Cuba	Caribbean	85	09-01-2023	Current
South Sudan	Middle Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa	86	09-01-2023	Current
Sweden	Northern Europe	87	09-01-2023	Current
Honduras	Central America, Latin America	88	09-01-2023	Current
Czech Republic	Eastern Europe	89	09-01-2023	Current
Azerbaijan	Western Asia	90	09-01-2023	Current
Greece	Southern Europe	91	09-01-2023	Current
Papua New Guinea	Melanesia	92	09-01-2023	Current
Portugal	Southern Europe	93	09-01-2023	Current
Hungary	Eastern Europe	94	09-01-2023	Current
Tajikistan	Central Asia, South Central Asia	95	09-01-2023	Current
United Arab Emirates	Western Asia, The Middle East	96	09-01-2023	Current
Belarus	Eastern Europe	97	09-01-2023	Current
Israel	Western Asia, The Middle East	98	09-01-2023	Current
Togo	Western Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa	99	09-01-2023	Current
Austria	Western Europe	100	09-01-2023	Current
Switzerland	Western Europe	101	09-01-2023	Current
Sierra Leone	Western Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa	102	09-01-2023	Current
Laos	South-Eastern Asia	103	09-01-2023	Current
Hong Kong	Eastern Asia	104	09-01-2023	Current
Serbia	Southern Europe	105	09-01-2023	Current
Nicaragua	Central America, Latin America	106	09-01-2023	Current
Libya	Northern Africa	107	09-01-2023	Current
Paraguay	South America, Latin America	108	09-01-2023	Current
Kyrgyzstan	Central Asia, South Central Asia	109	09-01-2023	Current
Bulgaria	Eastern Europe	110	09-01-2023	Current
Turkmenistan	Central Asia, South Central Asia	111	09-01-2023	Current
El Salvador	Central America, Latin America	112	09-01-2023	Current
Republic of the Congo	Middle Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa	113	09-01-2023	Current
Singapore	South-Eastern Asia	114	09-01-2023	Current
Denmark	Northern Europe	115	09-01-2023	Current
Slovakia	Eastern Europe	116	09-01-2023	Current
Central African Republic	Middle Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa	117	09-01-2023	Current
Finland	Northern Europe	118	09-01-2023	Current
Norway	Northern Europe	119	09-01-2023	Current
Liberia	Western Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa	120	09-01-2023	Current
Palestine	Western Asia, The Middle East	121	09-01-2023	Current
Lebanon	Western Asia, The Middle East	122	09-01-2023	Current
New Zealand	Australia and New Zealand	123	09-01-2023	Current
Ireland	Northern Europe	125	09-01-2023	Current
Mauritania	Western Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa	126	09-01-2023	Current
Oman	Western Asia, The Middle East	127	09-01-2023	Current
Panama	Central America, Latin America	128	09-01-2023	Current
Kuwait	Western Asia, The Middle East	129	09-01-2023	Current
Croatia	Southern Europe	130	09-01-2023	Current
Eritrea	Eastern Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa	131	09-01-2023	Current
Georgia	Western Asia	132	09-01-2023	Current
Mongolia	Eastern Asia	133	09-01-2023	Current
Moldova	Eastern Europe	134	09-01-2023	Current
Uruguay	South America, Latin America	135	09-01-2023	Current
Puerto Rico	Caribbean	136	09-01-2023	Current
Bosnia and Herzegovina	Southern Europe	137	09-01-2023	Current
Albania	Southern Europe	138	09-01-2023	Current
Jamaica	Caribbean	139	09-01-2023	Current
Armenia	Western Asia	140	09-01-2023	Current
Gambia	Western Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa	141	09-01-2023	Current
Lithuania	Northern Europe	142	09-01-2023	Current
Qatar	Western Asia, The Middle East	143	09-01-2023	Current
Botswana	Southern Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa	144	09-01-2023	Current
Namibia	Southern Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa	145	09-01-2023	Current
Gabon	Middle Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa	146	09-01-2023	Current
Lesotho	Southern Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa	147	09-01-2023	Current
Slovenia	Southern Europe	149	09-01-2023	Current
North Macedonia	Southern Europe	150	09-01-2023	Current
Latvia	Northern Europe	151	09-01-2023	Current
Equatorial Guinea	Middle Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa	152	09-01-2023	Current
Trinidad and Tobago	Caribbean	153	09-01-2023	Current
Bahrain	Western Asia, The Middle East	154	09-01-2023	Current
Timor-Leste	South-Eastern Asia	155	09-01-2023	Current
Estonia	Northern Europe	156	09-01-2023	Current
Mauritius	Eastern Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa	157	09-01-2023	Current
Cyprus	Eastern Europe, The Middle East	158	09-01-2023	Current
Eswatini	Southern Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa	159	09-01-2023	Current
Djibouti	Eastern Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa	160	09-01-2023	Current
Reunion	Eastern Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa	161	09-01-2023	Current
Fiji	Melanesia	162	09-01-2023	Current
Comoros	Eastern Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa	163	09-01-2023	Current
Guyana	South America, Latin America	164	09-01-2023	Current
Bhutan	Southern Asia, South Central Asia	165	09-01-2023	Current
Solomon Islands	Melanesia	166	09-01-2023	Current
Macau	Eastern Asia	167	09-01-2023	Current
Luxembourg	Western Europe	168	09-01-2023	Current
Montenegro	Southern Europe	169	09-01-2023	Current
Suriname	South America, Latin America	170	09-01-2023	Current
Cape Verde	Western Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa	171	09-01-2023	Current
Western Sahara	Northern Africa	172	09-01-2023	Current
Malta	Southern Europe	173	09-01-2023	Current
Maldives	Southern Asia, South Central Asia	174	09-01-2023	Current
Brunei	South-Eastern Asia	175	09-01-2023	Current
Bahamas	Caribbean	176	09-01-2023	Current
Belize	Central America, Latin America	177	09-01-2023	Current
Guadeloupe	Caribbean, Latin America	178	09-01-2023	Current
Iceland	Northern Europe	179	09-01-2023	Current
Martinique	Caribbean, Latin America	180	09-01-2023	Current
Mayotte	Eastern Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa	181	09-01-2023	Current
Vanuatu	Melanesia	182	09-01-2023	Current
French Guiana	South America, Latin America	183	09-01-2023	Current
French Polynesia	Polynesia	184	09-01-2023	Current
New Caledonia	Melanesia	185	09-01-2023	Current
Barbados	Caribbean	186	09-01-2023	Current
Sao Tome and Principe	Middle Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa	187	09-01-2023	Current
Samoa	Polynesia	188	09-01-2023	Current
Curacao	Caribbean	189	09-01-2023	Current
Saint Lucia	Caribbean	190	09-01-2023	Current
Guam	Micronesia	191	09-01-2023	Current
Kiribati	Micronesia	192	09-01-2023	Current
Grenada	Caribbean	193	09-01-2023	Current
Micronesia	Micronesia	194	09-01-2023	Current
Jersey	Northern Europe, Sub-Saharan Africa	195	09-01-2023	Current
Tonga	Polynesia	196	09-01-2023	Current
Seychelles	Eastern Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa	197	09-01-2023	Current
Aruba	Caribbean	198	09-01-2023	Current
Antigua and Barbuda	Caribbean	201	09-01-2023	Current
Isle of Man	Northern Europe	202	09-01-2023	Current
Andorra	Southern Europe	203	09-01-2023	Current
Dominica	Caribbean	204	09-01-2023	Current
Cayman Islands	Caribbean	205	09-01-2023	Current
Bermuda	Northern America	206	09-01-2023	Current
Guernsey	Northern Europe	207	09-01-2023	Current
Greenland	Northern America	208	09-01-2023	Current
Faroe Islands	Northern Europe	209	09-01-2023	Current
Northern Mariana Islands	Micronesia	210	09-01-2023	Current
Saint Kitts and Nevis	Caribbean	211	09-01-2023	Current
Turks and Caicos Islands	Caribbean	212	09-01-2023	Current
Sint Maarten	Caribbean	213	09-01-2023	Current
American Samoa	Polynesia	214	09-01-2023	Current
Marshall Islands	Micronesia	215	09-01-2023	Current
Liechtenstein	Western Europe	216	09-01-2023	Current
Monaco	Western Europe	217	09-01-2023	Current
San Marino	Southern Europe	218	09-01-2023	Current
Gibraltar	Southern Europe	219	09-01-2023	Current
Saint Martin	Caribbean, Latin America	220	09-01-2023	Current
British Virgin Islands	Caribbean	221	09-01-2023	Current
Palau	Micronesia	222	09-01-2023	Current
Cook Islands	Polynesia	223	09-01-2023	Current
Anguilla	Caribbean	224	09-01-2023	Current
Nauru	Micronesia	225	09-01-2023	Current
Wallis and Futuna	Polynesia	226	09-01-2023	Current
Tuvalu	Polynesia	227	09-01-2023	Current
Saint Barthelemy	Caribbean, Latin America	228	09-01-2023	Current
Saint Pierre and Miquelon	Northern America	229	09-01-2023	Current
Montserrat	Caribbean	230	09-01-2023	Current
Falkland Islands	South America, Latin America	231	09-01-2023	Current
Niue	Polynesia	232	09-01-2023	Current
Tokelau	Polynesia	233	09-01-2023	Current
Vatican City	Southern Europe	234	09-01-2023	Current

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1CY46tuLSM1BJVg-_QGI88Lf_lDeuYCOtKz0yNOQH0Q0/edit?usp=sharing

Source: https://worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/green-card-waiting-time-by-country

The Green Card Waitlist Explained 

"Priority Dates" and "Application Dates" and how do they Interact?

Many individuals apply for green cards yearly, leading to wait times for months or even years for most categories. To better manage applicants' expectations and facilitate smoother processing, the U.S. Department of State employs a waitlist system for Green Card Waiting Time by Country centered around two key dates: the priority date and the application date.

• Priority date
  Signifies the applicant's position in the virtual line. The priority date is given to the applicant when the USCIS accepts their initial immigrant petition.
• Application date
  Symbolizes the virtual waiting line itself. The application date, typically a past date and varies eb5 processing time for each country and eligibility class (like India F3), progressively advances as applications are processed. The U.S. Department of State issues a monthly visa bulletin detailing the current application dates for each category and country of origin.

The coordination of priority dates and application dates is essential. When the application date progresses enough to match or surpass an applicant's priority date, it signals that the applicant has reached the front of the virtual queue. At this point, an immigrant visa number becomes available, and the applicant can submit further documentation to USCIS, specifically to the Department of State's National Visa Center, to continue their application process.

The information below represents the application dates for each EB-5 waiting time by country and category as of November 2023. However, these dates are subject to monthly changes. Those interested are advised to regularly check the U.S. State Department Visa Bulletin page for the latest updates.

Green Card Backlogs. November 2023 Bulletin.

Family-Based Green Card Backlogs

• F-1: Unmarried Children (21 and Older) of U.S. Citizens
  • General: 01-Sep-2017
  • China (mainland): 01-Sep-2017
  • India: 01-Sep-2017
  • Mexico: 01-Apr-2005
  • Philippines: 22-Apr-15
• F-2A: Spouses and Unmarried Children (under age 21) of U.S. Green Card Holders
  • General: 01-Sep-2023
  • China (mainland): 01-Sep-2023
  • India: 01-Sep-2023
  • Mexico: 01-Sep-2023
  • Philippines: 01-Sep-2023
• F-2B: Unmarried children (age 21 or older) of U.S. Green Card Holders
  • General: 01-Jan-2017
  • China (mainland): 01-Jan-2017
  • India: 01-Jan-2017
  • Mexico: 01-Aug-2004
  • Philippines: 01-Oct-2013
• F-3: Married Children of U.S. Citizens
  • General: 01-Mar-2010
  • China (mainland): 01-Mar-2010
  • India: 01-Mar-2010
  • Mexico: 15-June-2001
  • Philippines: 08-Nov-2003
• F-4: Siblings of U.S. Citizens
  • General: 01-Mar-2008
  • China (mainland): 01-Mar-2008
  • India: 22-Feb-2006
  • Mexico: 14-Apr-2001
  • Philippines: 01-Mar-2008

Employment-Based Green Card Backlogs

• EB-1: Executives Green Card Backlogs
  Extraordinary People, Outstanding Researchers and Professors, and Multinational Executives and Managers
  • General: No wait
  • China (mainland): 01-Aug-2022
  • Central America: No wait
  • India: 01-Jul-2019
  • Mexico: No wait
  • Philippines: No wait
• EB-2: Advanced Degree Holders Green Card Backlogs
  Exceptional People and Advanced Degree Holders
  • General: 01-Jan-2023
  • China (mainland): 01-Jan-2020
  • Central America: 01-Jan-2023
  • India: 05-May-2012
  • Mexico: 01-Jan-2023
  • Philippines: 01-Jan-2023
• EB-3(A&B): Skilled Workers Green Card Backlogs
  Bachelor’s Degree Holders, Skilled and Professional Workers
  • General: 01-Jan-2023
  • China (mainland): 01-Sep-2020
  • Central America: 01-Jan-2023
  • India: 01-Aug-2012
  • Mexico: 01-Feb-2023
  • Philippines: 01-Jan-2023
• EB-3(C): Unskilled Workers Green Card Backlogs
  Unskilled/Other Workers
  • General: 15-Dec-2020
  • China (mainland): 01-Jun-2017
  • Central America: 15-Dec-2020
  • India: 01-Aug-2012
  • Mexico: 15-Dec-2020
  • Philippines: 15-May-2020
• EB-4: Immigrants Green Card Backlogs
  Special Immigrants
  • General: 01-Mar-2019
  • China (mainland): 01-Mar-2019
  • Central America: 01-Mar-2019
  • India: 01-Mar-2019
  • Mexico: 01-Mar-2019
  • Philippines: 01-Mar-2019
  • Vietnam: 01-Mar-2019
• EB-5: Investment-Based Green Card Backlogs
  Investors
  • General: No wait
  • China (mainland): 01-Jan-2017
  • Central America: No wait
  • India: 01-Apr-2022
  • Mexico: No wait
  • Philippines: No wait
  • Vietnam: No wait

* Categories starting with 'F' are family-related (involving spouses, children, and siblings), while those beginning with 'EB' are employment-based. 

Note: Given the high demand for green cards, involving thousands of applicants annually, the system is streamlined by assigning a 'priority date' to each applicant upon submitting their initial immigrant petition (as described in Steps 1 and 2). This date secures the applicant's position of eb-5 processing time by country in the queue powered by paperfree.com.

As new immigrant visa numbers are released, the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) updates the 'application date' in each category for EB5 wait time by country. Once an applicant's priority date aligns with or becomes more recent than the application date, their turn arrives, allowing them to advance in the application process (as outlined in Step 3).

EB-5 Quota Limits

According to the EB-5 Processing Time Estimates annually, 7.1% of the 140,000 immigrant visas are allocated to the EB-5 category.

Within this quota, 3,000 visas are reserved explicitly for investors in Targeted Employment Areas (TEA) and another 3,000 for those investing through regional centers. In total, there are 10,000 EB-5 visas available each year, which includes visas for the investors' family members.

Other EB-5 Program Considerations

EB5 Visa Categories and Minimum Investment

The EB-5 immigrant investor category has next subcategories and minimum investments required:

Investment Category	Description	Minimum Investment
C5	Direct investment In areas not designated as Targeted Employment Areas.	$1,800,000
T5	Direct investment In areas designated as Targeted Employment Areas.	$800,000
R5	Investment through the Regional Center In areas not designated as Targeted Employment Areas.	$1 million
I5	Investment through the Regional Center In areas designated as Targeted Employment Areas.	$900,000 to $1,050,000

Table 4: EB5 Visa Minimum Investment

Related content: EB 5 investment amount and total cost of EB 5 visa.

Latest Updates s on EB-5 Processing Time By Country - 2024

The EB-5 visa processing times and updates for 2024 have seen some notable changes due to legislative improvements and increased efficiency in handling applications.

Here’s a summary of the latest developments:

Processing Times and Trends

In the first half of fiscal year 2024, over 5,000 EB-5 visas were issued, marking a significant increase from the previous year. Chinese and Vietnamese investors have been leading in terms of visa issuances. Despite a large number of visas being allocated, the backlog remains substantial, particularly among Chinese investors​.

Legislative Impacts

The EB-5 Reform and Integrity Act of 2022 has led to streamlined processing standards, enhancing transparency and accountability. These changes have contributed to more predictable timelines for investors​.

Country-Specific Insights | EB5 Wait Time By Country

Each country is subject to a cap, which limits the number of visas to 7% of the total available. This cap quickly fills up for high-demand countries, leading to longer wait times and the phenomenon of visa retrogression, where priority dates can move backward, extending wait times further.

Current processing times for some of the major countries:

• China
  Chinese applicants face the longest wait times, currently around 8 years, primarily due to high demand and significant backlogs.
• Vietnam
  Vietnamese applicants experience wait times around 7.2 years, also affected by high demand and the number of pending applications at various stages of the process.
• India
  Indian applicants have a comparatively shorter wait time of about 5.7 years. This is still substantial and is influenced by the number of applications and the pace at which the U.S. consulates can process these applications.
• South Korea and Taiwan
  These countries have much shorter wait times, with South Korea at about 2.2 years and Taiwan at approximately 1.7 years.
• Brazil
  Brazilian applicants face one of the shortest wait times at about 1.5 years.

These variations are due to several factors, including the volume of applications from each country, the efficiency of local U.S. consular offices, and the specific administrative and legal challenges that might be more prevalent in some regions. The EB-5 visa program itself is subject to complex rules that can change, further affecting processing times.

Investment Projects

Processing times can vary based on the type of investment project. Projects in urban areas often see quicker reviews, whereas rural and high-unemployment projects may experience delays. Investments in set-aside categories for rural or high-unemployment areas can expedite processing due to prioritization.

Resource Allocation

USCIS has increased its efficiency through better resource allocation, including hiring additional staff and enhancing its IT infrastructure. This has helped reduce the backlog and shorten processing times significantly for new filings.

For investors and their advisors, staying informed about these updates is crucial as they navigate the complexities of the EB-5 processing time by country. Regular monitoring of the USCIS and State Department's updates, as well as strategic investment decisions, are essential to managing expectations and timelines effectively.

Sources

https://egov.uscis.gov/processing-times/

 
 
 

Subscribe to Paperfree Magazine