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October Visa Bulletin Expands Availability as New Unreserved EB-5 Filings Pause Until FY2026

The State Department opened 226,000 family and 140,000 employment visa numbers for the new fiscal year after high demand exhausted the EB-5 unreserved cap.

Overview

  • U.S. embassies and consulates have stopped accepting new unreserved EB-5 applications until the next fiscal cycle begins on October 1, 2025.
  • The October Visa Bulletin advances the F2A Final Action Date to February 1, 2024 for most countries, with Mexico moving to February 1, 2023.
  • For EB-5 India (unreserved), the Final Action Date moved from November 15, 2019 to February 1, 2021, while rural, high-unemployment, and infrastructure set-asides remain current.
  • Applicants with approved cases and assigned visa numbers can continue processing, but those without numbers must wait for FY2026 availability.
  • The State Department notes categories can be declared unavailable once annual limits are reached, even as the new fiscal year typically enables forward movement.