September 2025 Visa Bulletin: What EB-5 Investors Need to Know
The U.S. Department of State has released the September 2025 Visa Bulletin. For EB-5 investors, the news is mostly about stability, but it also comes with a warning as the government’s fiscal year ends on September 30.
For unreserved EB-5 visas, the cut-off dates have not changed since last month. Investors born in mainland China can move forward if their priority date is before December 8, 2015, and Indian investors can move forward if their priority date is before November 15, 2019. All other countries remain “current,” which means there is no backlog.
For the newer reserved EB-5 categories, rural projects, high-unemployment areas, and infrastructure, the news is even better. These visas are still “current” for every country. That means anyone investing in qualifying reserved projects can move ahead right away without waiting for a cut-off date. However, if you’re thinking of gaining a ‘reserved’ visa category, at some point, they will run out, and the queues will become much longer for China, India, and perhaps Vietnam. It would be prudent to act sooner.
The Dates for Filing chart, which sometimes lets applicants submit earlier, also remains unchanged. However, USCIS has confirmed that only the Final Action Dates chart can be used in September. This means investors must wait until their priority date is officially current before filing.
Because September is the last month of the government’s fiscal year, there is also a possibility that EB-5 visa numbers will run out before the month ends. If that happens, the category could temporarily become “unavailable” until October, when the new year’s supply of visas is released. Investors who are eligible now should move quickly to avoid delays.
The big takeaways for EB-5 investors are:
- No changes from last month for China and India, which remain backlogged.
- Most other countries stay current, with no wait times.
- Reserved categories are wide open and remain the fastest option.
- Act fast before year-end, since visas could run out in September.
Ready to Explore Your EB-5 Options?
If you’re considering the EB-5 path to U.S. permanent residency, timing and strategy are critical. At The American Legal Center, we specialize in navigating the complexities of the EB-5 process, from project selection to petition filing and beyond.
