USCIS has announced a significant change in the processing of EB-5 petitions, effective March 30, 2026. The new EB-5 Inventory Management Model replaces the previous first-in, first-out (FIFO) system with a three-step priority system aimed at streamlining the review process for investors.
Key Details:
- Step 1: Project gating requires that an investor’s I-526E petition will only be reviewed after the project’s I-956F application is approved.
- Step 2: Rural petitions will be prioritized, with a 20% set-aside translating to approximately 2,000 visas available in FY2026, projected to be processed within 6–9 months.
- Step 3: Reserved sub-queues will follow, prioritizing high unemployment areas (10%), infrastructure projects (2%), and unreserved petitions (68%).
- Processing Times: Rural petitions: 6–9 months; High unemployment: 9–12 months; Unreserved: 18–24+ months, particularly backlogged for applicants from India and China.
This new model allows investors from India, China, and Pakistan to potentially expedite their green card process by filing concurrently for I-485, leading to immediate work authorization. Investors should note that the grandfathering provision under the RIA will expire on September 30, 2026.
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Source: PAPERFREE Investment Visa USA