The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has approved several I-956F forms for Regional Center EB-5 projects this year, a significant milestone in the EB-5 immigration process that potential investors must understand before investing in an EB-5 visa.
Since April, a noteworthy number of investments have been greenlit in less than six months, a significant improvement from the previous average processing time of 12-30 months before the implementation of the EB-5 Reform and Integrity Act (RIA) in 2022. It’s also worth noting the considerable number of projects in High Unemployment Areas (HUA) and Target Employment Areas (TEA).
The following list is not exhaustive and includes projects for which public and accessible information about the I-956Fs is available.
February
Capital’s Thompson Palm Springs is in a HUA in Palm Springs, California, and was processed in less than a year.
EB5United’s LaSalle Chicago Project is in an HUA area in Chicago, Illinois, and was authorized in 1.5 years.
Civitas Capital Group’s Bishop Arts District multifamily development project is in an HUA in Dallas, Texas.
March
LCR Capital’s Legacy Hotel & Residences is in Miami Worldcenter, an HUA in Miami, Florida.
CanAm Enterprises’ The Bellwether District Project is in an HUA area in southern Philadelphia and was approved in eight months.
EB5 Capital’s Green House Gravity Apartments multifamily building is in a non-TEA in Downtown Columbus, Ohio.
April
LCR Capital’s Hall of Fame Village real estate development is in an HUA area in Canton, Ohio.
EB5AN’s Kindred Hotel + Condominium, within the Kindred Resort, located in a rural TEA close to Keystone Ski Mountain in Colorado, was approved in six months.
CanAm Enterprises’ Green Hydrogen Production Plant is in an HUA in Beaumont, Texas.
EB5 Capital’s Boise Alpine Landing townhome community rental project is in Garden City, a HUA in Boise, Idaho, and was approved in less than one year.
May
HomeFed Corporation’s Otay Village Phase III Project in Chula Vista, California was approved in 6 months.
EB5United’s Yellowstone Club (YC) Phase II is in Yellowstone Club, in a rural TEA in Big Sky, Montana, and was approved in eight months.
EB5 Capital’s The Bazaar DC by José Andrés restaurant project, in the historic Waldorf Astoria building, is in an HUA in Washington, DC.
Civitas Capital Group’s Tree Farm Lofts, a multifamily community, is in a rural TEA in Basalt, Colorado, and was approved in five months.
EB5 Capital’s San Luis Obispo Marriott Residence Inn and SpringHill Suites hotel is in an HUA in San Luis Obispo, California.
EB5Capital’s SouthFace Village at Okemo is a luxury ski-in and ski-out residential project in a rural TEA in Ludlow, Vermont, and was authorized in six months.
EB5 Capital’s Hutchinson Island Apartments project is in an HUA in Savannah, Georgia, and was approved in nine months.
Southeast Regional Center’s automotive body parts manufacturing plant in a HUA in Bulloch County, Georgia, was approved in six months.
June
CMB Group’s Hillwood Detroit Fairground logistics facilities are in an HUA in Detroit, MI, on the former Michigan State Fairgrounds site.
American Life, Inc.’s SpringHill Suites Marriott hotel is in Lakewood, Washington, a qualifying HUA south of Seattle.
Peachtree Group’s Home2 Suites Hotel by Hilton is in a Rural and HUA TEA located in Boone, N.C., and was approved in five months.
Golden Gate’s Anasu Resort Phase 1A, located in a rural TEA in Lake County, California, was approved in five months.
July
Bether Capital’s Four Seasons Surf Club Residences is in Surfside, Miami, Florida, and was approved in nine months.
CMB Group’s air cargo facility at the Detroit Wayne County Metropolitan Airport (DTW) is in an HUA in Detroit, Michigan, and was authorized in less than five months.
Why is it necessary for an EB-5 project to have an I-956f approved?
An approved I-956f form indicates that the USCIS considers an EB-5 project developed or managed by a regional center to meet the rigorous standards set up by the investor visa program, specifically the requirement of creating a minimum of 10 jobs. Only after such a project is approved can the U.S. immigration agency begin adjudicating I-526 petitions for EB-5 investors.
Want to know if your EB-5 project is in a TEA? Check the address in our EB-5 TEA FINDER AND FORECASTER map!
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