Sources and methodology
Where the facts come from
- USCIS: EB-5, Form I-526E, Form I-829, E-2, O-1, EB-1, EB-2, EB-3, H-1B, L-1A, family, Form N-400, the civics test and the fee schedule.
- US Department of State: Visa Bulletin, treaty investor visas and treaty countries.
- IRS: taxation of resident aliens.
- Data published by BRIDGES: United States, EB-5, E-2, L-1A, O-1, glossary and the Passport Index.
How I check and date information
- Each article shows an "Updated" date. It changes only when the facts are reviewed.
- Where sources differ, I show both and say which one is official.
Facts I could not confirm in official sources
- the practical E-2 amounts of $100,000-150,000 for a service business and about $200,000 for a franchise, and the timelines of 2-4 months for E-2 and O-1 and 2-4 years for EB-5, are BRIDGES practice figures, not legal rules;
- the EB-5 amounts after the inflation adjustment from 1 January 2027 were not published when this site was checked; forecasts in the press are not used here;
- the EB-2 NIW approval rates of about 36% and 55% come from USCIS data as reported by immigration law firms;
- the status of the $100,000 H-1B payment, the Gold Card approval numbers and the immigrant visa pause are based on court decisions and press reports and may change quickly;
- the November 2026 family queue movement is taken from the BRIDGES summary of the Visa Bulletin;
- the passport rank, 11th of 199 with 179 destinations, comes from the BRIDGES Passport Index of 4 October 2026; other indexes give other numbers.
How often the guides are updated
All articles are reviewed at least once a quarter, after each monthly Visa Bulletin that changes a queue and after any change to US immigration rules.
Corrections
If you find an error, please tell us through the contact page. Corrections are made and the update date is changed.