Procedures and Timeline

for Regional Center/Investor Filings

File I-924, Regional Center Designation Application, with USCIS
  • approximate processing time 9 months or more (Processing times can and do vary)
  • can be filled with hypothetical project
File exemplar I-526 for a specific project
  • optional
  • filed as I-924 amendment by regional center concurrent with regional center designation application or with any subsequent two
  • decision concurrent with approval of regional center designation application
Investors file EB-5 petitions (Form I-526)
  • approximate processing time 16 months or more (Processing times can and do vary)
Regional center files Form I-924A, annual reporting form
  • filed annually
Investors file petition for removal of conditions (Form I-829)
  • 21 to 24 months after investor becomes conditional permanent resident
  • approximate processing time 18 months or more (Processing times can and do vary)

 

Timeline for Receipt of

EB-5 Money by New Regional Center

StepEstimated TimeNotes
Preparation of Regional Center Application/Project Pre-Approval Petition3 months or lessTime estimate assumes experienced and responsive EB-5 team and responsive client.
Approval of Regional Center Application/Project Pre-Approval Petition9 months or moreGovernment processing times vary greatly. Processing time may be longer if USCIS issues Request for Evidence.
Finding EB-5 Investors and filing I-526 Petitions 3 months or more Time varies greatly depending on number of investors required attractiveness of project and success of marketing agents. Time may be reduced if marketing efforts undertaken before project pre-approval.
Investors' money available to project if no escrow or escrow released up front0 months
Investors' money available to project if escrow not released until approval of investors' EB-5 petitions16 months or moreGovernment processing time as of January 2016.