Great news!On February 10, 2026, multiple EB-5 investment immigration clients of WorldWay successfully passed their interviews at the U.S. Consulate General in Guangzhou, officially entering the stage of immigrant visa issuance and landing in the United States.
Here, WorldWay extends its sincerest congratulations to all investors and their families who have successfully passed their interviews!
Based on the successful interview outcomes, the EB-5 interview and visa approval process at the U.S. Consulate General in Guangzhou continues to operate normally, with no interruptions or policy adjustments.
A sudden "Important Notice" pop-up sparks concern
However, that same evening, when logging into the U.S. visa appointment website USTravelDocs, an "Important Notice" popped up, stating:
Effective January 21, 2026, the U.S. Department of State has suspended the issuance of immigrant visas to nationals of countries, including China, whose immigrant populations are identified as having a high rate of reliance on U.S. public benefits, to the detriment of U.S. taxpayers.
Screenshot of the pop-up on the USTravelDocs website
This information spread rapidly within the industry, drawing the attention and concern of some EB-5 investment immigration applicants.
Likely a system error, not an official policy
After verifying the original link to the policy attached to the pop-up, it can be confirmed that the content of the notice differs significantly from the official policy text published by the U.S. Department of State.
After clicking the "Learn More" link in the pop-up, the page redirects to the official document published on the U.S. Department of State website titled "Immigrant Visa Processing Updates for Nationalities at High Risk of U.S. Public Benefits Reliance." In the original text of this policy, the U.S. Department of State explicitly lists 75 countries and regions where immigrant visa issuance is suspended due to "public benefit reliance risk." After checking one by one, China is not included in this list. (For details, please see WorldWay's previous report: The Truth About the U.S. Suspending Visas for 75 Countries)
In other words, the information presented in the pop-up notice is inconsistent with the scope of application of the official document.
Subsequently, it has been confirmed by multiple sources that the U.S. Department of State (DOS) has acknowledged this notice as a system error and is currently working urgently to address and remove the erroneous message. The implementation of relevant policies remains subject to the official documents published on the official website, and WorldWay will continue to monitor the latest news.
EB-5 is not within the "Public Charge" review framework
Even without considering this system error, from the perspective of policy logic itself, the so-called "public charge/public benefit reliance" restrictions will not have a substantive impact on EB-5 investment immigration.
The reason is simple: the U.S. government's screening criteria for immigrants tend to favor applicants who can bring actual value to the U.S. economy and social development, and EB-5 investment immigration perfectly aligns with this core requirement.
• The basic requirements for EB-5 investment immigration are: Applicants invest a statutory amount of their own funds, the funds enter a new U.S. commercial enterprise, and the project must create the required number of jobs. This is an immigration pathway centered on capital investment and job creation, which is essentially an investment activity that injects vitality into the U.S. economy.
• EB-5 applicants do not possess the "public charge" attribute: EB-5 applicants are not required to submit Form I-864, Affidavit of Support. Their financial strength and source of funds have already undergone strict scrutiny at the I-526E stage. At the legal and practical levels, the possibility of being identified as a "public charge" has been excluded from the source.
In other words, EB-5 investors are not the targets of policy restrictions, but rather are welcomed by the policy.
Practical level: EB-5 visa interviews continue to proceed steadily
From a practical standpoint: WorldWay has recently been continuously and steadily receiving EB-5 interview notices issued by U.S. embassies and consulates in China. From appointment scheduling and document review to the interview process, all steps are proceeding at a normal pace, with no signs of any suspension, delay, or policy adjustment.
Based on the official information and actual operational situation currently available, the pop-up event on the official USTravelDocs website is an information display error, and Chinese applicants do not need to be misled by this. Everyone should maintain their normal application pace and attend their scheduled interviews on time.
EB-5 investment immigration has never been about "entering the U.S. by relying on benefits," but rather about creating value for the U.S. economy through real investment and real job creation. In the current policy environment, its institutional stability and policy suitability are becoming further apparent. Especially after the implementation of the new act, EB-5 rural projects under the reserved visa category are currently still in a non-backlog status and enjoy priority processing channels, offering greater time value and certainty. For families with long-term planning needs, reasonably assessing the pace and locking in a priority date in advance will help maintain the initiative.
