The EB-5 visa offers a pathway to US permanent residency (a green card) for investors and their immediate family members
Only 512 EB-5 visas were granted to Indians between October 1, 2023, and May 31, 2024
The biggest increases are for EB-5 investors - the investment linked green card programme.
In the year 2022, the US issued a total of 10,885 EB-5 visas and Indians were the second largest applicants after Chinese nationals. China accounts for 90 per cent of EB-5 visas
H1-B visa requires a sponsor for the immigrant to stay in the US but no such sponsorship is needed in the EB-5 scheme
H-1B visa petitioners would also need to pay $215 in pre-registration fees, up from the current $10 fee
The Golden or EB-5 visa allows foreign investors to fast-track their application for permanent residency in the US
It is often used by start-ups as a way to expand their business into the US market
Under the new rules, individuals need to invest $900,000 in a Targeted Employment Area, as against $500,000 earlier
The visa promises foreign citizens a faster route to permanent residency in the US; 10,000 are up for grabs every year