EB-5 EAD Cut to 18 Months: Backlog Risk Every Investor Needs to Know | EB-5 Essentials

EB-5 EAD Cut to 18 Months: Backlog Risk Every Investor Needs to Know | EB-5 Essentials

EB-5 EAD has been cut from 5 years to 18 months. Processing is now running 6 to 8 months. The Visa Bulletin says current, but most EB-5 investors read that as good news. Their attorneys read it very differently. In this episode of EB-5 Essentials, three of the most experienced immigration attorneys in the industry break down two of the most misunderstood risks in the EB-5 journey: the invisible backlog quietly building in the pipeline, and the EAD processing crisis that is already leaving real investors without work authorization.

What you’ll learn:

• What a backlog and retrogression actually mean in EB-5 and when they kick in
• Why “current” on the Visa Bulletin does not mean you are safe from a backlog
• Two detailed retrogression scenarios for 2026 from Ignacio Donoso
• Why 2019 predictions of a 9-year backlog became 4 to 5 year actual wait times
• Why the EB-5 EAD has been cut from 5 years to 18 months
• Why EAD processing is now running 6 to 8 months, and what that gap means for your job
• Why every attorney on this panel is telling clients: stay on H-1B for as long as you can
• What couples should consider when one partner transitions to EB-5 EAD
• Live client cases illustrating the real impact of advance parole delays and USCIS discretion

Host

Edwin John, Director of Business Development, India & UAE, U.S. Immigration Fund

Meet the Distinguished Panel

Akshat Gupta, Head of India & UAE, VP of Business Development, U.S. Immigration Fund

Rohit Turkhud, Member, CSG Law

Ignacio Donoso, Managing Partner, Donoso & Partners
Arushi Gupta, Managing Director, India Operations, Donoso & Partners

Watch the episode to understand what these policy shifts mean for the future of U.S. immigration, international students, and global professionals.

Schedule a free consultation today.