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EB-5 Insights Where Government Policies and Business Realities Converge

Tag Archives: EB-5

By Greenberg Traurig on Posted in Department of Homeland Security, EB-5, EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program, EB-5 Program, USCIS

In a recent Law360 article, Jennifer Hermansky, shareholder in Greenberg Traurig’s Philadelphia office, provides insight on how attorneys can prepare clients for unannounced site visits and questions from the government given the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services’ recent efforts to step up compliance checks on the EB-5 investor visa program. She shares a few strategies… 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 Yalexa Matos on Posted in China, EB-3, EB-5, Visa, Visa Bulletin

The Department of State (DOS) August 2019 Visa Bulleting shows significant retrogression in employment-based (EB) categories. In the EB-1 category, final action dates retrogress to July 1, 2016, for all countries of chargeability except for India. The cutoff date for India’s EB-1 category remains at Jan. 1, 2015. The EB-2 category retrogresses to July 1,… Continue Reading

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

Today, the U.S. House of Representatives approved H.R. 1044, the Fairness for High-Skilled Immigrants Act of 2019, that eliminates per-country quotas for all employment-based immigrant visa petitions by a wide, bipartisan vote of 365-65. The bill includes language helpful to the EB-5 program relating to a transition period for implementation, as explained – Fairness for… 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 Michelle S. Velasco on Posted in EB-5, EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program, I-526, Immigrant Investor, Immigrant Visa, Immigration Law, India

Is there a mechanism by which my child or children may continue to be eligible for immigrant visas as my dependents based on my approved I-526 petition and if so, how does it work? Yes, the Child Status Protection Act (CSPA) was enacted in order to protect children of petitioners against lengthy petition processing times. Where… Continue Reading

By Michelle S. Velasco on Posted in EB-5, EB-5 Program, India, Retrogression, State Department

The July 2019 Visa Bulletin has been released, and it confirms retrogression for the EB-5 visa category for nationals of India, earlier than many in the industry had anticipated. As of July 1, 2019, only approved Indian EB-5 investors whose EB-5 petitions (I-526 forms) were filed earlier than May 1, 2017, will be able to proceed… 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 Jia Zhao on Posted in EB-5, EB-5 Industry stakeholder groups, EB-5 Program, Reform and Reauthorization of the EB-5 Regional Center Program

On May 17, 2019, EB-5 Industry stakeholder groups, led by the EB-5 Investment Coalition, U.S. Chamber of Commerce, The Real Estate Roundtable, IIUSA, Rural Alliance, Real Estate Board of New York, AILA, among others, submitted a joint letter to Senate and House Judiciary Committees leadership in support of principle reforms and reauthorization of the EB-5… Continue Reading

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

On May 22, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) released the bi-annual Spring 2019 Unified Agenda of Regulatory and Deregulatory Actions. As set forth in a Federal Register notice and using the Department of Homeland Security as an example, the Unified Agenda is explained as follows: This regulatory agenda is a semiannual summary of… Continue Reading

By Luna Ma on Posted in China, EB-5, I-526, India, Vietnamese, Visa, Visa Bulletin

The U.S. Department of State just released the updated Visa Bulletin for June 2019. The monthly updated waiting list provides the latest information for foreign nationals who seek to become U.S. permanent residents by applying for immigrant visas at U.S. consulates and embassies abroad or filing adjustment of status applications. The Visa Bulletin for the… Continue Reading

By Bruce C. Rosetto and on Posted in EB-5, EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program, GT Alert

Congratulations! You have subscribed EB-5 investors, closed your offering, and provided the EB-5 funds to the project. Now what? As a general matter, EB-5 investors are either non-managing members of a limited liability company or limited partners of a limited partnership. In either situation, the EB-5 investor has limited managerial and voting rights, yet does… Continue Reading

By Laura Foote Reiff, , , and on Posted in EB-5, EB-5 Job Creation, EB-5 Legislation, Legislation

On April 9, 2019, Rep. González-Colón (R-PR-At Large) introduced H.R.2173 – a bill to amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to reserve EB-5 visas each fiscal year for investors in new commercial enterprises in areas where a major disaster has been declared by the president. The bill is not publicly available as of this writing,… Continue Reading

By Jia Zhao on Posted in EB-5, EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program, EB-5 Investment, Uncategorized

In a June 14, 2017 policy alert, USCIS updated its Policy Manual to provide further guidance regarding capital at risk requirements. Pursuant to the most recent Volume 6 of the Policy Manual, USCIS has confirmed and clarified that an EB-5 investor’s funds must sustain his or her investment “at risk” throughout the two-year conditional permanent… Continue Reading

By Laura Foote Reiff and on Posted in EB-5

On March 14, 2019, the EB-5 Investment Coalition, in cooperation with Invest in the USA (IIUSA), released the most comprehensive economic analysis of the EB-5 program to date. Laura Reiff, co-chair of Greenberg Traurig’s Immigration & Compliance Practice, commented on the report: “Without the typical data limitations and constraints on economic analysis, premier industry economists… 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 Robert Y. Maples˘ on Posted in E-Verify, EB-5, EB-5 Program, Government Shutdown, President Trump's Administration

Congress approved the Omnibus Appropriations legislation on Feb. 14, 2019.  On Feb. 15, the president signed the legislation into law and announced additional executive actions to further address needs the Administration has identified at the southern border. Now, all 12 Appropriations bills for this fiscal year are complete and extended through Sept. 30, 2019, and… Continue Reading

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

Late on Feb. 13, 2019, House and Senate Conferees on the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Appropriations announced an agreement on DHS Appropriations for FY 2019 and the remaining six other outstanding FY 2019 Appropriations measures. The measure, HJ Res 31, or “the Omnibus,” is over 1,000 pages and deals with many areas of government, ranging… Continue Reading

By Robert Y. Maples˘ on Posted in Conrad 30 Waiver Program, Continuing Resolution (CR), E-Verify, EB-5

As a continuation of an earlier posting, the U.S. Senate initiated a process by voice vote opening the US Government through February 15, H.J. Res 28, and providing for House and Senate consideration of Department of Homeland Security Appropriations, H. J. Res 31.   These actions will provide funding for all remaining Appropriations bills subject to… Continue Reading

By Robert Y. Maples˘ on Posted in Department of Homeland Security, EB-5, Government Shutdown, Legislation, President Trump's Administration, shutdown, Uncategorized

After 35 days of closure, with multiple House bills debated and passed, and Senate bills debated, President Trump called a press conference the afternoon of Jan. 25 relating to ending the government shutdown. Standing in the Rose Garden, the president announced a deal to reopen the government for three weeks and provide for ongoing fiscal negotiations:… Continue Reading

By Greenberg Traurig on Posted in Awards & Recognitions, EB-5

Three attorneys with global law firm Greenberg Traurig, LLP are listed in EB-5 Investors Magazine’s, “Top 25 Immigration Attorneys in the EB-5 Industry.” Laura Foote Reiff is included as one of the EB-5 attorneys in specialized fields, for her legislative work. Kate Kalmykov and Jennifer Hermansky are both recognized among the top 25 immigration attorneys…. Continue Reading

By Jia Zhao on Posted in EB-5, I-526, Immigrant Investor, Immigrant Visa, Immigration, U.S. State Department, Uncategorized, USCIS

It is widely known that India has become a major EB-5 investor market in recent years, as EB-5 is becoming an increasingly popular option for Indian nationals who seek permanent residence in the United States; the fact that there has been a growing number of high-net-worth individuals in India clearly helps to stimulate this demand…. Continue Reading