EB-5 Visa Programme

H1-B visa requires a sponsor for the immigrant to stay in the US but no such sponsorship is needed in the EB-5 scheme

India is the fourth largest market for the visa category after China, Vietnam, and South Korea

Before costs double next year, number of applications from India rises fourfold

EB-5 investor visa programme allocates up to 10,000 visas annually to foreign nationals, with a per country cap of seven per cent

At present, under the EB-5, an Indian is required to invest $500,000 (Rs 320 million) for self, spouse, and any number of unmarried children

A total of 10,000 visas are up for grabs every year with no country allowed more than seven per cent of all visas

Rich Indians are opting for the EB-5 programme to cut through the line for permanent residency