EB-5 Filing Strategy for Indian Investors in 2026

For an Indian investor in 2026, the strongest EB-5 filing strategy is to file into a set-aside category, rural, high-unemployment, or infrastructure, on or before the September 30, 2026 grandfathering cutoff: the set-aside lanes stay Current while India's unreserved category is backlogged, and filing early locks in the $800,000 minimum ahead of the January 1, 2027 CPI increase. As of June 25, 2026. The figures below reflect the current USCIS fee schedule, the current Visa Bulletin, and the EB-5 Reform and Integrity Act of 2022 as enacted. Point-in-time bulletin values carry that stamp; the strategy does not move with them. ## This article is about action, not data If you want backlog numbers and priority date charts, read our companion piece on India EB-5 backlog wait times. This article is different. It answers one question: what should an Indian investor actually do in 2026? The short version: file a rural...