Recent reports have provided a comprehensive update on the EB-5 unreserved visa category, detailing FY26 Q1 I-485 inventory reports and FY25 consular visa issuance. The data also sheds light on the volume of approved I-526 petitions currently awaiting visa availability, offering a clearer picture of the current backlog and processing pipeline.
This update primarily affects pre-RIA EB-5 investors and those who invested in non-targeted employment areas (unreserved categories). From a legal perspective, understanding the volume of approved I-526 petitions versus available visa numbers is crucial for predicting priority date movements in upcoming Visa Bulletins. A large pipeline of pending I-485s and consular cases often signals continued retrogression or slow forward movement for countries facing per-country caps, particularly for investors born in China and India.