How long does the EB-5 investment process take from start to launch?

Each case is different and depends upon a myriad of factors, including document preparation time, business-related factors such as securing a lease or property title, identifying and applying for the appropriate entitlements, permits, licenses, etc., and other factors beyond your control, such as USCIS processing time delays. Therefore, any preliminary estimate as to how long the process could take will not be very accurate/helpful; it could take months to years.

It may take a long time, depending on the foreign investor market you are pursuing, or shorter if you have pre-existing relationships with foreign investors. Trying to enter the market "cold" as a new offering is tough to be sure. Working with experienced professionals led by immigration lawyers helps a lot here.

It really depends on the project and the amount of the raise. To get an I-924 regional center approval takes about one year, but you could affiliate with an established center and save that time. Depending on the conditions of escrow, it could take a few months before the money can be deployed, or if you want to get an exemplar approval, anticipate at least another year. Exemplar approvals generally make it easier to raise funds, but of course that adds another year to the process.

The city or state should make no difference. The time is really up to you as to the preparation of the documents you need to submit for review by USCIS. Once submitted, the time for approval is anywhere from 12 to 18 months.

How long it takes is hard to predict. First of all, it depends upon your country of nationality. It is taking much longer for Chinese nationals given the fact that only for Chinese nationals due to the popularity of the program in China there is a waiting period under the quota in excess of two years or longer. There is some hope that congress will address this issue soon and will increase the overall quota. For others, the primary waiting period is the length of time it takes the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to adjudicate or decide the I-526 petition filed by the EB-5 investor. Right now that could take approximately a year, but that is a product of how busy the USCIS is in general and specifically their EB-5 unit that adjudicates EB-5 I-526 petitions. So generally, in order to get your residency, unless you are from China, it will take at least a year and a half or somewhat longer.

It appears your question is geared toward two things: 1) new venture formation, and 2) eventual fundraising or capital formation for the new venture. While EB-5 may be a source of funding, there is tremendous work that needs to be done to successfully fund through the EB-5 process. There is no definitive timeline for EB-5 funding and it has nothing to do with where you business is located. Last but not the least, whether your business will succeed in raising funds through EB-5 depends on whether you can meet EB-5 requirements and goals for the EB-5 investors. Consult an EB-5 attorney before proceeding further with this idea.