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EB-5 Insights Where Government Policies and Business Realities Converge

Tag Archives: EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program

By Robert Y. Maples˘ on Posted in Continuing Resolution (CR), EB-5, Legislation, President Trump's Administration

Today, the U.S. Senate approved the House-passed Continuing Resolution (CR; H.R. 4378 ) to fund the U.S. government through Nov. 21 by a bipartisan vote of 82-15. The last step in the process is the president’s signature which, according to media reports, remains likely. Please contact your GT attorney with any specific questions and check back… Continue Reading

By Robert Y. Maples˘ on Posted in Continuing Resolution (CR), EB-5, EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program, EB-5 Program

Yesterday, House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD) introduced a continuing resolution (CR) to fund government from end of the current fiscal year, Sept. 30, until Nov. 21, 2019. By a vote of 301-123, the House today passed H.R. 4378, the CR that will fund the government through Nov. 21. To EB-5 advocates, this timing is significant… Continue Reading

By Robert Y. Maples˘ on Posted in EB-5, EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program, EB-5 Investment, EB-5 Job Creation, EB-5 Modernization Rule, EB-5 Program, Immigrant Investor, Immigration Reform, Legislation

According to multiple media sources and independently confirmed, last week U.S. Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) circulated a “Dear Colleague” letter seeking co-sponsors to a process called the Congressional Review Act (CRA) to negate the recently proposed Obama-era EB-5 regulations. The CRA provides Congress with a 60-day window to seek sufficient support – here, 30 senators… Continue Reading

By Kristen W. Ng on Posted in Department of Homeland Security, EB-5, EB-5 Business Plan, EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program, EB-5 Industry stakeholder groups, EB-5 Investment, EB-5 Job Creation, EB-5 Legislation, EB-5 Modernization Rule, EB-5 Program, EB-5 Project, TEA, USCIS

As previously blogged (see EB-5 Regulations Published for Public Inspection), the EB-5 regulations have been published as of July 24, 2019, as final, to take effect Nov. 21, 2019.  Below is a summary of the changes that will impact the EB-5 program: Priority Date Retention: Generally, priority date retention can be retained from an approved I-526 petition… Continue Reading

By Dillon Colucci on Posted in Department of Homeland Security, EB-5, EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program, EB-5 Industry stakeholder groups, EB-5 Investment, EB-5 Job Creation, EB-5 Legislation, EB-5 Modernization Rule, EB-5 Processing Times, EB-5 Program, EB-5 Project, I-526, I-829, I-924, Uncategorized

After years of delay the Obama-era EB-5 immigration regulations were published on July 24, 2019. You can find a copy of the regulations at this link. You can also find a summary of them here. The regulations only apply to those who file their I-526 Petitions on or after Nov. 21, 2019. Without further ado,… Continue Reading

By Laura Foote Reiff, , and on Posted in Department of Homeland Security, EB-5, EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program, EB-5 Investment, EB-5 Legislation, EB-5 Modernization Rule, EB-5 Program, USCIS

After more than two and a half years, Obama-era EB-5 immigration regulations are set to be published on July 24, 2019, with an effective date 120 days after publication or Nov. 21, 2019. See EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program Modernization. These regulations have been opposed by many industry participants, as evidenced in a letter to Congressional Leadership… Continue Reading

By Robert Y. Maples˘ on Posted in Department of Homeland Security, EB-5, EB-5 Business Plan, EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program, EB-5 Investment, EB-5 Job Creation, EB-5 Legislation, EB-5 Program, Immigration Law, OMB, President Trump's Administration

Today, OMB posted that they have concluded their review of the Obama-era EB-5 regulations. On Jan. 13, 2017, the Department of Homeland Security published a notice of proposed rulemaking to significantly raise minimum investment levels and other programmatic changes to the EB-5 program (see related GT EB-5 Insights post here). It is unclear what specific actions… Continue Reading

By Robert Y. Maples˘ on Posted in EB-5, EB-5 Investment

On June 4, 2019, the Kenan Institute released a timely policy brief, “Immigrant Entrepreneurship: An American Success Story,” on the value of highly skilled and motivated foreign entrepreneurs to the U.S. economy. The brief states, “When looking at the founding of the United States’ largest startups…[t]he immigrant-founded startups employ an average of more than 1,200 workers… Continue Reading

By Robert Y. Maples˘ on Posted in EB-5 Modernization Rule, Office of Management, OMB, RIN 1615-AC07

On 2/22/19, USCIS forwarded the EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program Modernization final rule (RIN 1615-AC07) to the Office of Management AGENCY: DHS-USCIS RIN: 1615-AC07 Status: Pending Review TITLE: EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program Modernization STAGE: Final Rule ECONOMICALLY SIGNIFICANT: No ** RECEIVED DATE: 02/22/2019 LEGAL DEADLINE: None   OMB will now begin assessment of the final rule… Continue Reading

By Nataliya Rymer on Posted in Department of State, EB-5, EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program, EB-5 Program, Government Shutdown, shutdown, USCIS

As we alerted previously, the U.S. federal government shut down at the end of the day on Dec. 21, 2018. Because the EB-5 regional program was not extended, government agencies such as USCIS and the U.S. State Department will no longer be able to approve adjustment of status (green card) applications and immigrant visas based on… Continue Reading

By Jennifer Hermansky on Posted in EB-5, EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program, Eb-5 Regional Center, I-526, Immigrant Investor, USCIS

As an update to our blog on Dec. 24, USCIS has since clarified that while the EB-5 Regional Center Program expired at the end of the day on Dec. 21, 2018, due to a lapse in congressional authorization to continue the program, USCIS will continue to receive regional center-affiliated Forms I-526, Immigrant Petition by Alien… Continue Reading

By Jennifer Hermansky on Posted in Department of State, EB-5, EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program, EB-5 Legislation, EB-5 Program, Government Shutdown, I-526, I-829, Immigrant Investor, Immigrant Visa, Immigration, Immigration Law, NOID, RFE, shutdown, USCIS

The U.S. federal government shut down at the end of the day on Dec. 21, 2018, and the president did not sign into law the extension of the EB-5 program passed by the Senate. Until the shutdown ends, and the Regional Center EB-5 program extension is signed into law, no new I-526 petitions can be… Continue Reading

By Bruce C. Rosetto and on Posted in EB-5, EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program, EB-5 Investment, EB-5 Legislation, EB-5 Program, GT Alert, I-526, Immigrant Investor, Immigrant Visa, Immigration, Immigration Law, USCIS, Visa

In the matter of Huashan Zhang, et al. v. United States Citizenship and Immigration Service, et al. (United States District Court for the District of Columbia, Nov. 30, 2018), plaintiffs challenged the decisions of the United States Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) to deny their EB-5 immigrant investor visa petitions based upon USCIS’ erroneous interpretation… Continue Reading

By Nataliya Rymer on Posted in China, Department of State, EB-5, EB-5 Legislation, EB-5 Processing Times, EB-5 Program, Green Cards, I-526, Immigrant Green Card, Immigrant Investor, Immigration, Immigration Law, State Department, USCIS, Vietnamese, Visa

This coming October, USCIS is allowing a number of foreign nationals to apply for adjustment of status earlier than they would otherwise be eligible. Specifically, USCIS has announced that it will allow individuals with immigrant petitions in employment-based categories to apply for adjustment of status based on the cutoff dates in the “Dates for Filing” Chart… Continue Reading

By Greenberg Traurig on Posted in EB-5, EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program, EB-5 Legislation, I-829, Immigrant Investor, Immigrant Visa, Immigration, Immigration Law, Immigration Reform, President Trump's Administration, USCIS, Visa

This is the fifth post in a series that discusses how EB-5 investors and their dependents can maintain eligibility for permanent residence and I-829 Petition approval. This blog focuses on accepting certain public benefits that may make an investor and/or his or her dependents a “public charge.” The Trump Administration has stated that USCIS will start… Continue Reading

By Jennifer Hermansky on Posted in EB-5, EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program, EB-5 Legislation, EB-5 Program, Immigrant Investor, Immigration, Immigration Law, Immigration Reform, President Trump's Administration, U.S. Customs and Border Protections, USCIS

As we previously reported, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) issued a Policy Memorandum entitled “Updated Guidance for the Referral of Cases and Issuance of Notices to Appear (NTAs) in Cases Involving Inadmissible and Deportable Aliens”[1] on June 28, 2018.  This Policy Memorandum was issued in response to President Trump’s Executive Order (EO), “Enhancing Public… Continue Reading

By Jennifer Hermansky on Posted in EB-5, EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program, I-526, Immigrant Investor, Immigrant Visa, Immigration, Immigration Law, President Trump's Administration, USCIS

EB-5 investors should maintain their eligibility for conditional permanent resident status, especially during any period of visa backlog occurring in between the time of I-526 Petition approval and when the investor’s priority date becomes current. This is the second post in a series that discusses how EB-5 investors and their dependents can maintain eligibility for… Continue Reading

By Jennifer Hermansky on Posted in EB-5, EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program, EB-5 Legislation, EB-5 Program, Eb-5 Regional Center, I-526, Immigration, Immigration Law, USCIS

On Aug. 24, 2018, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) made a significant update to its Policy Manual, Part G: Immigrant Investors. In its Policy Alert, USCIS outlined the changes to the Policy Manual. Notable among the updates was the following: Policy Highlight 5 Explains that USCIS considers a change in regional center affiliation a… Continue Reading

By Jennifer Hermansky on Posted in EB-5, EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program, EB-5 Investment, EB-5 Program, Executive Order, Green Cards, Immigrant Visa, Immigration, Immigration Law, President Trump's Administration, USCIS

As we previously reported, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) issued a Policy Memorandum entitled “Updated Guidance for the Referral of Cases and Issuance of Notices to Appear (NTAs) in Cases Involving Inadmissible and Deportable Aliens” on June 28, 2018. This Policy Memorandum was issued in response to President Trump’s Executive Order (EO), “Enhancing Public Safety… Continue Reading

By Greenberg Traurig on Posted in EB-5, EB-5 Program, Immigration, Immigration Law

The National Law Journal selected the 2018 Trailblazers in Immigration. This year, Greenberg Traurig Immigration & Compliance attorneys Laura Reiff and Kate Kalmykov were recognized on the list for their notable achievements in the practice of law. Kalmykov leads the immigration practice group in the firm’s New York, New Jersey, and Philadelphia offices.  She has… Continue Reading

By Robert Y. Maples˘ on Posted in Department of Homeland Security, EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program, USCIS

On Jan. 17, The Center for Regulatory Effectiveness (The CRE), a Washington D.C. administrative watchdog group, filed a petition with the Department of Homeland Security to reform the EB-5 program to create jobs in rural America and areas of high unemployment.  In making the announcement, The CRE posted:

By Laura Foote Reiff, , and on Posted in Department of Homeland Security, EB-5, EB-5 Program, USCIS

On Jan. 9, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) published a notice that, as of Jan. 6, it had completed its review a proposed rulemaking that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) had drafted to make changes to the current regulations as they relate to the EB-5… Continue Reading