India EB-5 Unreserved: Closed, With a Set-Aside Exit

The eb5 india unreserved retrogression is now complete. After holding at 01MAY22 through early 2026, the category retrogressed to U (Unavailable) by the July 2026 bulletin and stayed there in August. For an India-born investor in the unreserved pool, the line is simply closed. The one door that stays open is the EB-5 set-aside program, which sits outside the per-country backlog.

Verified India unreserved EB-5 Final Action Dates

The India unreserved EB-5 cutoff swung inside a 2019–2022 band before closing outright. The jump from 01MAY22 in May to U in July is a textbook retrogression: the year’s numbers for the category were spent.

The set-aside escape

Under the EB-5 Reform and Integrity Act of 2022, a fixed share of EB-5 visas is reserved each year and is exempt from the per-country backlog:

An eligible India investor who qualifies under a reserved category — rural, high-unemployment, or infrastructure — is not bound by the U status on the unreserved line. That exemption is the difference between a frozen case and one that can actually move.

Investment amounts (2022 Act)

For new EB-5 filings the statutory minimums are $1,050,000 standard and $800,000 for a Targeted Employment Area (TEA). These apply to both reserved and unreserved investments.