EB-5 Regional Center Program Timeline

What are the main EB-5 Regional Center Program steps and how long does each one take?

More in depth:

Step 1: Hire an EB-5 immigration attorney and begin conducting due diligence on interesting Regional Centers and EB-5 projects.

Time: How long this step takes is dependent on the investor. The faster they conduct due diligence and hire and EB-5 attorney, the closer they are to filing their EB-5 petition.

• Take the free EB-5 Evaluation to determine if you’re eligible for the program.
• If eligible, go over the Regional Center and project’s documentation with your EB-5 attorney and select the one that is the best option for you and your risk-tolerance.

Step 2: Make your $500k (plus fees) investment into the new commercial enterprise and file your I-526 Immigrant Petition by Alien Entrepreneur.

Time: Typically, this step takes 1-2 months depending on how quickly the investor can compile all the necessary documents and evidence for their I-526 Petition.

• An EB-5 investor must provide evidence showing that their source of funds came from lawful sources.
• The funds must be submitted to an escrow account at the time their I-526 Petition is filed.
• When their I-526 Petition is received, they will be provided with a receipt showing their visa priority date.

Step 3: Receive Conditional Permanent Residency

Time: This step currently takes 27.5 to 49 months.

• Once the investor’s I-526 Petition is approved they are then eligible to receive a visa when one becomes available.
• If an investor is from a country suffering from retrogression, they must wait until their priority date becomes current before they can receive a visa when one becomes available.
• Once an investor receives their conditional green card, they then have roughly two years to fulfill the EB-5 Regional Center Program requirements.

Step 4: File I-829 Petition to Remove Conditions on Permanent Residency

Time: This step currently takes 29 to 49 months.

• An EB-5 investor’s attorney will submit their I-829 Petition prior to the end of their 2-year conditional visa expiration.
• In order to be able to file an I-829 Petition, an investor must show that they sustained their investment for the requisite amount of time and that their investment created or saved 10 full-time jobs for American workers.
• If approved, the conditions on the investor’s green card are removed.

Step 5: U.S. Citizenship

Time: If eligible, an EB-5 investor who successfully completes the program, may apply for U.S. citizenship 5 years after they received their conditional permanent residency.

• U.S. citizenship gives foreign nationals many benefits including:
  • Sponsoring family green cards
  • The right to vote
  • Unlimited travel abroad
  • Eligibility for federal jobs
  • Tax law benefits

For more information about the EB-5 Regional Center Program timeline, send us a message or get started with your free evaluation form below.