On July 11, 2012, Charlie Oppenheim, Chief of Visa Control at the U.S. Department of State issued data for EB-5 visa usage in fiscal year 2012.

The data shows that the top five countries using the EB-5 visa are:

1. China – 3,710 EB-5 visas
2. South Korea -335 EB-5 visas
3. Taiwan – 106 EB-5 visas
4. Venezuela – 82 EB-5 visas
5. Iran – 69 EB-5 visas

The top 5 countries account for 89% of all visa issuance. 

As readers of this blog know, the EB-5 category allots 10,000 visas annually to immigrant investors through the EB-5 category.  With State Department predictions of approximately 6,200 to be issued this year, it appears that we may reach the EB-5 “cap” in the next few years, absent Congressional relief.