EB-5 visa filings from India hit record high amid Gold Card speculation, visa curbs
The spike comes amid tighter rules for student and work visas, prompting many high-net-worth individuals to secure their American green cards before new policies take effect
- Aug 8, 2025,
- Updated Aug 8, 2025 12:44 PM IST
A surge of Indian investors is turning to the U.S. EB-5 residency route, even as President Donald Trump’s upcoming $5 million “Gold Card” programme looms on the horizon. The spike, the highest in the visa’s history for India, comes amid tighter rules for student and work visas, prompting many high-net-worth individuals to secure their American green cards before new policies take effect.
Data from the American Immigrant Investor Alliance (AIIA) and the United States Immigration Fund (USIF) show a sharp rise in EB-5 filings from India since April 2024, fueled by tighter U.S. student and temporary work visa controls under the Trump administration.
“We at the U.S. Immigration Fund have witnessed a huge spike in the number of Indian investors applying for EB-5 since January 2025. This spike continues to include those who are on an H1-B and F1 Visa in the US,” Akshat Gupta, VP of Business Development – Head India & UAE, told Business Today. He added that EB-5 has moved from a backup to the most preferred route for U.S. permanent residency.
Another driver is the record backlog across other immigration categories, with over 11 million U.S. applications pending. EB-5 is seen as the fastest assured path to a green card. In FY2024, 1,428 EB-5 visas were issued to Indians, up from 815 the previous year. Between October 2024 and March 2025 alone, 649 Indian nationals secured EB-5 visas via consular processing, according to a report by the Indian Express.
What is EB-5?
Created in 1992, EB-5 grants green cards to those investing at least $1,050,000 (₹9 crore), or $800,000 (₹6.88 crore) in Targeted Employment Areas, to create U.S. jobs. It covers the investor, spouse, and unmarried children under 21. Changes in 2022 added flexibility for investors alongside stricter audits of income sources.
U.S. Department of State data shows student visa issuance to India fell 43.5% in the first half of FY2025 compared to the same period last year, further pushing demand for EB-5. Most Indian consular filings are processed in Mumbai, with the city accounting for 543 out of 638 unreserved EB-5 applications between October 2024 and May 2025.
A surge of Indian investors is turning to the U.S. EB-5 residency route, even as President Donald Trump’s upcoming $5 million “Gold Card” programme looms on the horizon. The spike, the highest in the visa’s history for India, comes amid tighter rules for student and work visas, prompting many high-net-worth individuals to secure their American green cards before new policies take effect.
Data from the American Immigrant Investor Alliance (AIIA) and the United States Immigration Fund (USIF) show a sharp rise in EB-5 filings from India since April 2024, fueled by tighter U.S. student and temporary work visa controls under the Trump administration.
“We at the U.S. Immigration Fund have witnessed a huge spike in the number of Indian investors applying for EB-5 since January 2025. This spike continues to include those who are on an H1-B and F1 Visa in the US,” Akshat Gupta, VP of Business Development – Head India & UAE, told Business Today. He added that EB-5 has moved from a backup to the most preferred route for U.S. permanent residency.
Another driver is the record backlog across other immigration categories, with over 11 million U.S. applications pending. EB-5 is seen as the fastest assured path to a green card. In FY2024, 1,428 EB-5 visas were issued to Indians, up from 815 the previous year. Between October 2024 and March 2025 alone, 649 Indian nationals secured EB-5 visas via consular processing, according to a report by the Indian Express.
What is EB-5?
Created in 1992, EB-5 grants green cards to those investing at least $1,050,000 (₹9 crore), or $800,000 (₹6.88 crore) in Targeted Employment Areas, to create U.S. jobs. It covers the investor, spouse, and unmarried children under 21. Changes in 2022 added flexibility for investors alongside stricter audits of income sources.
U.S. Department of State data shows student visa issuance to India fell 43.5% in the first half of FY2025 compared to the same period last year, further pushing demand for EB-5. Most Indian consular filings are processed in Mumbai, with the city accounting for 543 out of 638 unreserved EB-5 applications between October 2024 and May 2025.