T5 is the EB-5 Rural set-aside category, comprising 20% of the total allocation. This category provides reserved visas for investors in rural area projects, typically with shorter or no wait times.
Current Priority Dates
Current bulletin dates
(T5)Priority Date Trends
Visa Bulletin trends
09/2026
T5
Data provided byCareerEngineUS
Category Advantages
Priority Date Advantages:
- 20% of total EB-5 allocation (~2,000/year)
- Separate queue, not affected by China/India main backlogs
- Currently no backlog or short wait for most countries
Visa Codes:
- NR: Rural area direct investment
- RR: Rural area regional center investment
Investment Requirements
Investment Amount:
- Rural area investment: $800,000
Rural Area Definition:
- Located outside a Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA)
- Or a town with population less than 20,000
Job Creation:
- Must create at least 10 full-time jobs
- Regional center projects may count indirect employment
Application Process
- Confirm Rural Location: Verify project is in qualifying rural area
- Select Project: Direct investment or regional center investment
- Make Investment: Complete the investment
- File I-526E: Submit immigrant petition to USCIS
- Green Card Application: File I-485 for conditional green card
- Remove Conditions: File I-829 after 2 years