EB-5 Visa Pause: The Executive Order Freezing Visas for 75 Countries, and What EB-5 Investors Should Do Next

In the wake of the EB-5 visa pause, JTC’s Jill Jones joined an industry podcast to talk about who’s affected, who isn’t, and what options EB-5 immigrant investors have.

What Is the January 2026 Executive Order Pausing Immigrant Visas?

Many foreign nationals looking to pursue EB-5 immigration received a shock on January 14th, 2026, with the signing of an executive order indefinitely pausing immigrant “visa issuances” — the so-called 75-country visa freeze —for nationals of 75 countries so the Department of State can undergo a “full review of all screening and vetting policies to ensure that immigrants from high-risk countries do not unlawfully utilize welfare in the United States or become a public charge.”

This sudden news could have major ramifications for EB-5 investors, who rightly want to know what will happen with their EB-5 investments, petitions, and immigration timelines. To sift through the knowns and unknowns on this matter, JTC Head of Specialty Administration/General Counsel – USA Jill Jones appeared on the Global Investment Voice podcast from Mona Shah & Partners Global.

On the episode, The 75-Country Visa Freeze: EB-5, E-2, And Alternative Routes To U.S. Residency, Jones and host Mona Shah discussed the suddenness of the announcement and how quickly it has affected EB-5 investors overseas.

Who Does the EB-5 Visa Pause Affect, and Who Is Exempt?

“We have clients who have been waiting for years, getting everything right,” said Shah. “They’re almost there, and then suddenly, there is another executive order.”

“Any time there’s a disruption, there’s a panic,” said Jones. “And what investors in EB-5 are looking for, what they’re hungry for, is certainty.”

Thankfully, the order doesn’t apply to those currently in the U.S., so investors already in the country filing EB-5 petitions concurrently with Adjustment of Status (I-485) petitions, as well as those who have already been granted EB-5 conditional permanent residency, are allowed to stay.

“This only affects people that are currently outside of the United States looking to come in,” said Jones.

Another bit of positive news is that the executive order does not permanently ban immigrant visas to nationals of those countries, but has merely “paused’ visa issuance, meaning the EB-5 visa pause is not a permanent ban.

“It’s a pause, and it’s a temporary pause, but we have no idea what the word ‘temporary’ means here,” said Shah.

Should EB-5 Investors Continue Their EB-5 Petition During the Visa Pause?

“Without knowing how long this pause would be, I would encourage people to still continue in the process,” said Jones. That way, when the pause eventually ends, they’ll be ready to continue in EB-5.

Jones’s advice for EB-5 investors from the 75 affected countries: keep your EB-5 petition active. That way, when the EB-5 visa pause eventually ends, they’ll be ready to continue in the EB-5 petition process.

EB-5 Alternatives During the Visa Pause: E-2 Visa, Gold Card and Citizenship by Investment

On the podcast, Jones and Shah discussed EB-5 alternative immigration routes for those affected by the visa pause, such as the Gold Card visa or a non-immigrant visa like E-2 visa, possibly after pursuing citizenship-by-investment (CBI) in a third country.

“I think the question from the very get-go is, do you have a long-term intention to be in the United States? Or more accurately, do you have a long-term need to be in the United States?” said Jones. “Your intentions when you’re starting this process can really change the way that you plot your course.”

Expert Advice for EB-5 Investors: Don’t Panic, Don’t Stop

Jones stressed her belief that this EB-5 visa pause would be only temporary, and since EB-5 immigration process is such a long process to begin with, there’s no reason for EB-5 investors to give up on their chosen US immigration path just yet.

“I would say don’t panic. And I would say to investors on the list of 75 countries, don’t stop. Keep going. This will right itself, and it will work out.”

Listen to the full podcast