Among the many pathways to U.S. immigration, the EB-5 investment visa has consistently been a popular choice for global investors, especially those from China, due to its flexible application requirements and convenient processing. In particular, the new legislation provides a 32% annual quota for reserved visas. Investors who meet the criteria for any of the three "visa set-aside" categories can currently submit their applications without waiting for a visa bulletin, enjoying a fast-track immigration channel that significantly shortens the time to obtain a Green Card. So, when applying for a U.S. EB-5 investment visa, how should one choose between a rural TEA project and an urban high-unemployment TEA project?
2024 Fiscal Year EB-5 Visa Quota Announced
The quota for rural projects is twice that of urban high-unemployment projects
According to data released by the U.S. Department of State, the total quota for employment-based immigrant visas in the 2024 fiscal year is 161,000. The EB-5 visa quota (accounting for 7.1% of the total) is approximately 11,431, of which 3,658 visas are allocated to the reserved categories. Under the new legislation, 4,478 unused reserved visas from the 2023 fiscal year will be carried over to the same category for the following year; therefore, the total reserved EB-5 visa quota for the 2024 fiscal year is approximately 8,136.
According to the new legislation, the EB-5 visa set-aside quota for rural area (TEA) projects is 20%, and for high-unemployment area (TEA) projects, it is 10%. Thus, it can be determined that the 2024 fiscal year quota for rural projects is approximately 5,085, while the quota for urban high-unemployment projects is approximately 2,542.
Based on data projections, the currently available quota for rural projects in the 2024 fiscal year is 4,142, with sufficient supply;
The currently available quota for urban high-unemployment projects is -183, indicating that demand exceeds supply, and it is highly likely to face a visa backlog!
According to I-526/I-526E application data provided by USCIS from April 2022 to April 2023, as of April 30, 2023, a total of 1,585 EB-5 visa applications were received. Of these, 1,090 applications were for urban high-unemployment areas, accounting for 69% of the total reserved category, while 377 applications were for rural areas, accounting for only 24%.
Based on an estimated average demand of 2.5 visas per applicant family, it is calculated that 943 reserved visas have been used for rural areas, leaving an estimated available quota of 5,085 - 943 = 4,142 for the 2024 fiscal year. For urban high-unemployment areas, 2,725 reserved visas have been used, leaving an estimated available quota of 2,542 - 2,725 = -183 for the 2024 fiscal year.
It is evident that, looking solely at the quota factor, rural projects not only have a more sufficient supply but also fewer applicants. Conversely, for high-unemployment area projects, the quota is already severely insufficient, and with a high number of applicants, they are highly likely to face a visa backlog soon.
Furthermore, the new EB-5 legislation stipulates that USCIS "shall prioritize the processing and adjudication of applications for rural areas." This means that investors who choose rural (TEA) projects not only enjoy the reserved visa quota but will also receive priority processing from USCIS. Additionally, according to data released by the renowned U.S. immigration law firm Miller Mayer, the approval time for EB-5 rural project I-526E petitions is 3-11 months, significantly shortening the processing time, which is a major benefit for investors!
Immigration has two key elements—timing and choice! For investors with a rigid demand for U.S. immigration, rural projects within the EB-5 reserved visa channel are the preferred choice among the best options for quickly obtaining a U.S. Green Card. Now is the time to seize the opportunity for fast-track U.S. Green Card acquisition without a visa backlog.
Currently, the "University Town Hilton Hotel" EB-5 rural project, a rare real estate asset in a university town in North Carolina, for which Worldway Immigration serves as the exclusive agent in Greater China, is a high-quality choice for investors and their families to quickly obtain a U.S. Green Card. This project offers multiple advantages, including priority processing, no visa backlog, 50% mortgage guarantee via real estate valued at 2.9 times the investment/50% guarantee via developer shareholder personal assets, and EB-5 funds entering and exiting alongside the Peachtree Group with first-priority mortgage security. With only 25 spots available globally, these are rare, and interested parties should act quickly!
In addition, the "Florida Lakeside Jewish Community" EB-5 rural project, for which Worldway Immigration serves as the exclusive agent in Greater China and which has already received I-956F approval, is also a wise choice for investors to immigrate to the U.S. quickly. This project combines numerous advantages, including priority processing, no visa backlog, a high project job creation multiplier of 5.75, and first-priority mortgage security for EB-5 funds, providing investors with an excellent opportunity to quickly obtain a U.S. Green Card! This is a rare and high-quality rural EB-5 project; after round after round of purchases, only a few spots remain. Good projects do not wait, so interested parties should act quickly!
Currently, Worldway Immigration's year-end promotion is in full swing. As the final event of 2023, Worldway Immigration is offering comprehensive discounts. We welcome your inquiries. For more details, please send us a private message in the comments section or call the Worldway Immigration service hotline: Mainland China: 400-138-2929, Hong Kong, China: (852) 2802 8798.
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Notes: 1. Certain conditions must be met for EB-5 funds to obtain first-priority mortgage rights; please refer to the project's formal English investment documents for details. 2. This material and any content herein do not constitute an offer of any kind and are for reference only. To improve readability, the information published in this material has been excerpted and summarized. Any detailed information of a legal nature should be based solely on the English investment documents provided by the project party at the time of formal subscription. 3. Investors should make their own investment judgments and decisions based on the project's formal English investment documents. Investment involves risks, and choices should be made with caution.
