USCIS has published the quarterly statistics for the third quarter of FY2025, including the latest data on pre-RIA I-526 cases as well as post-RIA I-526E (regional center EB-5 investors) and I-526 (direct EB-5 investors) petitions.
I-526, Immigrant Petition by Standalone Investor, is a form used by a standalone investor to petition U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) for status as an immigrant to the United States.
To be considered for an E5 immigrant investor visa, an applicant must file Form I-526, Immigrant Petition by Alien Entrepreneur, with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).
The Form I-526 petition must be approved by the USCIS before applying for an immigrant visa at a U.S. Embassy or Consulate outside the United States.
According to Invest In the USA (IIUSA), an industry trade association for the EB-5 Regional Center Program, I-526E approvals have surged in Q3.
USCIS approved a record 1,047 I-526E petitions in Q3 FY2025, the largest quarterly total since the enactment of the RIA. This sharp increase in case approvals is expected to support a greater number of uses of the reserved visas in the second half of FY2025.
If you are an investor pooling your investment with one or more qualified immigrants participating in the Regional Center Program, Form I-526 is to be used to petition U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) for status as an immigrant to the United States.
A regional center investor may also use Form I-526E to report any amendments necessary to establish ongoing eligibility if the regional center, new commercial enterprise, or job-creating entity in which the investor has invested is terminated or debarred from participation in the Regional Center Program.
Overall EB-5 demand has remained strong in 2025. During the first three quarters of FY2025 alone, 5,089 EB-5 investor petitions were filed—already exceeding the total for all of FY2024 and representing over $4.1 billion in new EB-5 investment.
There has been a consistently high I-526E approval rate. In the first three quarters of 2025. The average approval rate for I-526E petitions adjudicated in FY2025 has remained consistently high at 94%, even as adjudication volumes increased significantly.
Employment-based immigrant investor visa cases take additional time because they are in numerically limited visa categories. The length of time varies from case to case and cannot be predicted for individual cases with any accuracy
The US EB-5 visa program, often known as the Golden Visa, is a popular option for affluent foreigners seeking permanent US residency through an investment in the US economy and a path to acquiring a Green Card.
To get a green card under the EB5-Visa, persons must invest a specific amount in the United States, which can be done through Regional Centers and privately owned economic units with USCIS permission.
To receive an EB-5 visa, foreign investors must invest $800,000 in a Targeted Employment Area or $1,050,000 in other areas and create or retain at least 10 full-time jobs for American workers.
The I-526 petition grants two years of conditional residency in the United States as part of the EB-5 visa application procedure. To become an EB-5 visa holder and permanent resident, file an I-829 petition before the conditional residency period expires, which takes 22-45 months.
