Client Payment Portal

Key Insights on EB-5 Visa Backlogs from Bernie Wolfsdorf and Charlie Oppenheim

Jan 24, 2025 | Investor Visas

The February Visa Bulletin continues to show no backlogs for EB-5 set-aside categories. However, experts are closely monitoring potential changes as demand grows.

Bernie Wolfsdorf, a leading EB-5 attorney, highlighted the processing delays at USCIS and DOS, stating, “There are more than enough petitions in the pipeline to use up the existing quota, but because USCIS and DOS have been slower in processing, the Final Action Date has not been established.”

Charlie Oppenheim, WR Immigration’s Director of Visa Consulting and former State Department Director of Visa Control, shared that while Final Action Dates for India and China may be established by summer, they could remain current until the end of Fiscal Year 2025.

For more in-depth analysis, read the full article published by EB5Investors here.

Related Posts:

BELGIUM: Immigration reform aims to expedite single permit application processing

Summary of the Issue – After much lobbying, the Belgian government is taking actions to reform the single permit application process with the goal of improving processing timeframes. Implemented on January 1, 2019, the single permit application allows non-EU employees to work in multiple branches of an EU-based multinational company. The single permit replaced a two-sided process for obtaining residence and work permits each with their own rules and procedures. Policy Reform – The reforms focuses on increasing the number of immigration bureaucrats, streamlining internal processes, and taking advantage of technology efficiencies. Impact – Upon implementation, the reforms promise to expedite immigration processing by allowing single permit holders (including first-time applicants, renewal applicants, and those changing employers) to start or continue employment upon approval of regional authorities.  First-time applicants must still obtain approval from federal authorities, but can begin working upon approval from local authorities. More Information – “Single Permit as of January 1, 2019 – AN Analysis” “Single Permit Application Procedure”

Read More

WR Secures First Form I-526E Approval

WR Immigration, a distinguished U.S. law firm that specializes with EB-5 visas, has secured its first approval on a Form I-526E, Immigrant Petition by Regional Center Investor since the U.S. Congress passed the EB-5 Reform and Integrity Act of 2022 (“RIA”).       This is particularly exciting news because it only took around 8 months for USCIS to approve the Form I-526E, without any Request for Evidence related to the immigrant investor’s lawful source of investment capital.  It appears that U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (“USCIS”) is following Congress’ mandate in the RIA to prioritize the processing of Form I-526Es related to qualifying investments in rural areas.    USCIS must first approve a Regional Center’s Form I-956F, Application for Approval of an Investment in a Commercial Enterprise prior to approving any Form I-526E filed by an immigrant investor in that EB-5 project.  WR Immigration filed a writ of mandamus lawsuit against USCIS on the pending Form I-956F earlier this summer and was able to get USCIS to take action and approve the Form I-956F.      Even more exciting is that the immigrant investor, a Chinese national, will face no visa backlog and can immediately apply to the U.S. Consulate in Guangzhou for an immigrant […]

Read More