How to use the EB-5 priority date calculator
This free EB-5 priority date calculator tells you whether a visa number is currently available for your green card application based on the latest U.S. Department of State Visa Bulletin. To use it, enter three things: your country of birth (China, India, or Rest of the World), the date your I-526E or I-526 petition was filed with USCIS, and your visa category — Unreserved, Rural set-aside (20%), High Unemployment set-aside (10%), or Infrastructure (2%). Hit “Calculate” to see your result.
We are pleased to offer you our Free EB-5 Visa Calculator. This tool provides information for an immigrant visa appointment or the filing of an adjustment of status in the United States based on cases already filed on the priority date or filing date entered below.
The visa calculator is based on information provided by the U.S. Department of State Visa Bulletin and may vary from month to month. Actual waiting times may vary depending on a variety of factors including but not limited to individual circumstances, changes in visa policies, and processing backlogs. This calculator is intended for informational purposes only and should not be construed as legal advice or a guarantee of visa approval. Users are advised to consult with a qualified immigration attorney or relevant authorities for accurate and up-to-date information regarding visa processes and timelines. By using this calculator, you acknowledge and agree that EB5 investors and WR Immigration shall not be liable for any direct, indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or exemplary damages, including but not limited to, damages for loss of profits, goodwill, use, data, or other intangible losses resulting from the use or inability to use this calculator.
Priority date vs. filing date: what’s the difference?
Your priority date is the date USCIS received your I-526E petition. Think of it as your place in line — it never changes. The Visa Bulletin publishes a cutoff date each month for every country and category; if your priority date is earlier than that cutoff, your visa number is considered “current” and you can move forward with your green card application.
Your filing date is different. Under certain conditions published in the Visa Bulletin’s Chart B, USCIS allows investors whose priority dates are not yet current to file for adjustment of status (Form I-485) early — before a visa number is technically available — as long as a filing date cutoff is met. This matters because filing early lets you access certain benefits, such as work authorization (EAD) and advance parole, while you continue to wait.
Not every Visa Bulletin month will show a filing date cutoff. When Chart B is unavailable for EB-5, only investors with a current priority date can file for adjustment of status.
Why your country of birth matters
U.S. immigration law allocates a limited number of EB-5 visas per country each fiscal year — no single country can use more than 7% of the annual allotment. Because demand from China and India historically exceeds that cap, investors born in those countries face longer waits and separate priority date cutoffs than investors from all other countries (grouped together as “Rest of the World”). If you were born in China or India, your wait time may be significantly longer even if you filed on the same date as an investor born elsewhere.
What to do with your result
If the calculator shows your priority date is current, you are eligible to apply for an immigrant visa at a U.S. consulate abroad (DS-260) or to file for adjustment of status inside the United States (I-485). Contact an EB-5 immigration attorney to begin that next step promptly, since visa availability can change month to month.
If your date is not yet current, note the estimated wait and check back each month when the new Visa Bulletin is released. You can also explore whether your project qualifies under a set-aside category — Rural and High Unemployment set-asides have historically moved faster than the unreserved category.
This calculator is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Actual processing timelines depend on USCIS backlogs, policy changes, and individual case circumstances.
