News
New Guidance on Redeployment of EB-5 Funds
The recently updated EB-5 policy manual (“PM”) explained USCIS’ new policies on redeployment of funds from one project to another. The PM failed to answer many practical questions about how redeployment will actually work. During the USCIS Employment Visa Engagement held in San Francisco on July 20, 2017, my associate attorney...
EB-5 Extends to December 8, 2017
With the Hurricane Harvey relief, debt ceiling increase, and budget extension legislation, Congress has extended the current EB-5 law to December 8, 2017 with no changes. There still remains the possibility that the Senator Cornyn’s EB-5 compromise bill may pass this fall. My contacts in Washington D.C. say Senator Cornyn is...
Surge is on for EB-5 at $500,000
Surge is on for EB-5 at $500,000 Many investors are concerned that the EB-5 visa investment amount will increase with the EB-5 statute extension on or before September 30th. Thus, they are investing now and filing I-526s. We are encouraging people to start the process ASAP, as the new I-526 form...
New USCIS Ombudsman Report
USCIS Ombudsman Report The new USCIS Ombudsman Annual Report contains some disturbing statistics: 58,043 EB-5 petitions are on file with USCIS; 30,000 people with approved I-526s are waiting for immigrant visas. The program needs more visa numbers. New I-526 Form The USCIS has again issued a new form I-526. The new version must be used beginning...
I said in my last newsletter that it was not clear if new extreme vetting procedures would be applied to EB-5 immigrant visa applicants from the six Muslim-majority countries: Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, and Yemen. By extreme vetting, I am referring to the review of the immigrant’s social media,...