What security checks are EB-5 investor applicants required to undergo?

Like all immigration processes, immigrant investors go through substantial reviews before admission, including background checks, reviews of criminal history, and an interview at the U.S. Consulate. Their funds must be authenticated to prove they were earned and transferred lawfully (that is, not as a result of illegal activity like drug trafficking).

EB-5 investors go through extensive security checks, biometrics and criminal background checks when either filing for adjustment in the United States or when consular processing for an immigrant visa abroad. EB-5 investment funds must also be proven to be from a lawful source of funds during the I-526 adjudication process.

During the EB-5 process, the sources of funds are examined. Then upon approval of the petition, a security review would be given at the particular U.S. consulate where the visa interview takes place. The Department of State requirements take precedence; at the minimum, a police record would be required.

The EB-5 program is very safe for Americans and all applicants for immigrant visas, irrespective of their basis, whether it is through family, employment or investment, go through identical and extensive security checks. Since 9/11, virtually all consular posts and immigration officers have access to essentially every database worldwide which can determine if there is any negative information about anyone, whether that is prior arrests, criminal records or indications that an individual is associated with, knows or has been in touch with anyone who can be deemed a terrorist or terrorist supporter.

USCIS undertakes an exhaustive review of every dollar invested to ensure it is clean money and the foreign national is subjected to exhaustive background checks, infusing criminal, security and other checks. If people only knew, these files are usually thousands of pages each and take years to process.

All immigrants requesting visas and immigration benefits go through the security check through biometrics, name check and criminal background checks from all places where they lived for more than six months since they turned 16 years. The FBI and other law enforcement agencies will do these security checks aside and apart from USCIS or the State Department doing their fraud prevention investigations and auditing. In other words, these immigrants go through more security clearances than most of the American-born people do when they invest in EB-5 projects or are sponsored for any employment-based immigration benefits.

The security checks are extensive, including biometrics, background reviews, financial reviews, etc.

EB-5 investors are vetted by all of our security agencies in the United States, and required to get police clearances from all countries where they lived for six months or longer after age 16 if processing through a consulate.