Retrogression in EB-5 and minimal movement in other employment-based categories signal growing challenges for Indians amid Trump’s renewed immigration crackdown.
April 14, 2025: Washington:
The hopes of thousands of Indian professionals and investors seeking permanent residency in the US have been dealt another blow. The US Department of State’s May 2025 Visa Bulletin reveals a sharp retrogression in the EB-5 unreserved visa category for India, while other employment-based categories remain stagnant or show only marginal progress.
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The EB-5 visa category, which allows investors to obtain green cards in exchange for significant investments in the US economy, has moved backwards by over six months for Indian applicants to May 1, 2019. In contrast, China’s cutoff date remains at January 22, 2014.
“High demand from Indian applicants, combined with increased usage by the rest of the world, has made it necessary to retrogress India’s final action date to stay within the annual visa limits,” the bulletin noted.
Breakdown of Other Key Visa Categories:
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- EB-1 (Extraordinary Ability & Managers):
- India: No change; cutoff remains February 2, 2022
- China: No change; cutoff remains November 8, 2022
- Other Countries: Current
- EB-2 (Advanced Degree Holders):
- India: No change; cutoff remains January 1, 2013
- China: October 1, 2020
- Others: June 22, 2023
- EB-3 (Skilled Workers):
- India: Slight advancement; cutoff moves to April 15, 2013
- China: November 1, 2020
- Others: January 1, 2023
- EB-3 Other Workers:
- India: Matches EB-3 general at April 15, 2013
- China: April 1, 2017
- Others: May 22, 2021
What is Visa Retrogression?
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Visa retrogression occurs when more applications are received than the number of visas available for that country or category. This causes the cutoff date to move backward, delaying eligibility for applicants. The US immigration system allocates 7% of the total annual visa cap per country, regardless of population size.
Trump’s Return and Its Impact
Since returning to the White House in January 2025, President Donald Trump has intensified immigration controls under the “America First” doctrine. While the focus is primarily on illegal immigration, high-skilled workers and investors are also facing tighter visa timelines, slower approvals, and uncertain cutoffs.
The Bottom Line
With India’s EB-2 and EB-3 categories still stuck in early 2013, and EB-5 visas now pushed back even further, Indians chasing the American dream through legal means may find the wait growing more excruciating. Experts warn that unless immigration policy reform is undertaken—or category limits are increased—the backlog is likely to worsen.
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