The United States is preparing to tighten the rules governing one of its most popular investment-linked immigration programmes, a move that could raise the cost of obtaining permanent residency for future applicants, including many from India.
The proposed changes, announced by the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS), would increase the minimum investment required for certain EB-5 visa projects while introducing stricter compliance standards for organisations that manage investor funds. According to the department, the objective is to strengthen transparency and investor protection rather than expand the programme.
For Indian high-net-worth individuals who view the EB-5 route as a pathway to US residency, the proposal could make the application process more rigorous while also increasing the capital needed for specific investments.
India has emerged as one of the fastest-growing sources of EB-5 applications in recent years. The programme has gained popularity among families seeking long-term residency in the United States for education, business expansion or relocation.
Most investors do not establish businesses themselves. Instead, they invest through government-approved regional centres that channel funds into commercial projects designed to create jobs for American workers.
These regional centres are now at the heart of the proposed regulatory overhaul.
According to the DHS, the proposal primarily seeks to formalise reforms introduced under the EB-5 Reform and Integrity Act of 2022.
The department noted that while several safeguards introduced under the legislation are already operational, incorporating them into formal regulations would strengthen oversight and improve accountability across the programme.
The proposal follows years of criticism over instances of weak supervision, compliance failures and the misuse of investor funds at certain regional centres.
Among the most notable proposals is a higher investment threshold for projects located in high-employment areas.
If the draft rules are adopted, the minimum investment for such projects would rise to $1.4 million.
For other qualifying investments, the existing threshold of $1.05 million would continue.
The higher investment requirement could influence the project choices available to prospective applicants, particularly those currently evaluating EB-5 opportunities.
Beyond investment limits, the DHS has proposed a series of measures aimed at improving programme integrity.
These include mandatory biometric collection for applicants, enhanced compliance obligations for regional centres, more frequent audits and site inspections, stronger federal oversight of regional centre operations and provisions for the automatic revocation of certain investor petitions under circumstances defined by law.
According to the department, the objective is to reduce fraud risks while making the administration of the programme more transparent.
The proposal has not yet become law.
It will first be published in the Federal Register, after which the DHS will invite public comments for 60 days before deciding whether any revisions are required prior to issuing a final rule.
Until that process is complete, the current EB-5 framework will remain in force, although many governance measures introduced under the 2022 legislation are already being implemented.
For prospective Indian applicants, the coming months could be significant.
If the regulations are finalised in their present form, some investment categories will require a larger financial commitment, while applicants and regional centres alike will be subject to stricter regulatory scrutiny.
At the same time, the enhanced oversight framework could offer greater confidence to genuine investors by strengthening transparency and improving safeguards around how EB-5 investments are managed.
