Recently, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) published for the first time on its official website the processing times for I-526/E investment immigration applications based on the 2022 Reform and Integrity Act. This provides invaluable official reference for many investors under the new law.
According to the latest data, 80% of I-526E (Regional Center project) applications under the new law can be processed within 13.5 months.
The Significance of This First Data Release
This initial official disclosure establishes processing expectations. Since the new law took effect in 2022, this is the first time USCIS has released processing cycles for I-526E, providing applicants with an authoritative reference and reducing uncertainty. This means that most investors in new-law Regional Center projects can expect to receive approval results in about a year.
Comparison of Processing Times: New Law vs. Old Law
Compared to the old law (Legacy I-526): The I-526 processing time for investors born in mainland China under the old law was 93 months. The 13.5-month processing speed for I-526E under the new law is remarkably fast.
A Practical Guide to Assessing Your Case Status
USCIS has simultaneously published the dates when you can "Make an Inquiry." For I-526E applications, you may only contact USCIS to inquire about your case if your Receipt Date is earlier than January 25, 2024, which indicates that your case is processing slower than 93% of similar cases. This provides a clear operational boundary for applicants.
EB-5 Rural Projects: The Investor's Express Lane
Rural projects show significantly faster actual approval speeds: Although the official I-526E processing data (13.5 months) released by USCIS does not distinguish between rural and urban projects, multiple industry statistics and actual cases indicate that the approval efficiency for rural category projects is significantly higher than for high-unemployment area projects, making them the current "fast track" for EB-5 applications.
This is fully reflected in recent successful cases from Worldway Group: In several of their rural projects, many investors' I-526E applications were approved in just 4-7 months, far faster than the 13.5-month average published by USCIS, and many cases achieved "direct approval without Requests for Evidence (RFE)."
For details, please click to view previous reports from Worldway Group:
• Record Broken! Multiple Worldway EB-5 New Policy Clients Approved in Just 4 Months
• Only 5 Months! Multiple Worldway EB-5 New Policy Clients Receive I-526E Approvals
• Worldway & Multi-Billion Fund First Collaboration: EB-5 Investor Approved in 6 Months Without RFE
• Second Collaboration with Multi-Billion Fund: First EB-5 Investor Approved in 7 Months Without RFE
Advice for Investors
• Prioritize Rural Projects: Choosing high-quality Regional Center projects, especially those that qualify for "visa set-asides" (such as rural projects), means you are likely to enjoy the fastest and most predictable immigration processing flow currently available, significantly shortening the immigration cycle.
• Prepare and Submit Applications Early: Given the increasing volume of applications and potential future visa retrogression risks, it is strongly recommended that investors start preparing materials and submit their applications as soon as they make a decision to lock in their priority date and secure valuable time for subsequent processes.
• Rely on Professional Immigration Service Agencies: Experienced professional immigration agencies can precisely plan your immigration strategy and effectively avoid potential risks. Worldway Group, a Top 500 Asian Brand, has focused on investment immigration for over 20 years, with 19 years of professional experience in handling U.S. investment immigration. We have a professional documentation team with over 19 years of service, having successfully helped over 6,000 families immigrate to the U.S. and possessing experience in successfully handling tens of thousands of U.S. Green Cards. We are worthy of your choice.
• Remain Patient and Monitor Official Updates: Please remain patient during the processing period and use the processing time table released by USCIS as a reasonable reference for planning. At the same time, closely monitor the U.S. Department of State Visa Bulletin and the latest policy trends from USCIS. Worldway will also continue to track and share the latest official news as soon as it becomes available.
Selected High-Quality EB-5 Rural Projects
Currently, the "Great Smoky Mountains Marriott Hotel" EB-5 rural project is highly sought after. With the following core advantages, it is becoming a popular choice for current EB-5 investment:
☑ Approximately 1.5x first-priority real estate collateral + developer shareholders providing joint and several liability repayment guarantees with personal assets
☑ Multi-billion fund provides guarantees against I-956F denial, I-526E denial, and job creation
☑ Project job creation multiplier as high as 1.7x
☑ Located in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, which attracts tens of millions of visitors, far exceeding Yellowstone
☑ Situated in the prime, high-demand golden town of Gatlinburg, where rooms are in short supply
☑ The project has broken ground, hotel development has entered the substantive construction phase, supervision is transparent, and construction progress is reported regularly
In addition, the "Florida Lakeside Jewish Community" project, which has achieved three approvals (I-956F/I-526E/Green Card), is also an excellent choice for your U.S. immigration. Construction of this project is nearing completion, and only a few precious spots remain. Please act quickly if you are interested.
For inquiries in Mainland China: 400-138-2929, Hong Kong Customer Service Center: (852)2802 8798