More New RCs (AL, FL, LA, MS, NY, TX, WV)

The number of new Regional Center approvals in 2013 is now up to 35, as the USCIS list of approved Regional Centers continues to be updated. West Virginia is now represented on the list for the first time thanks to Mid Atlantic EB5 Regional Center. Gulf States Regional Center is remarkable for being the first approval I’ve seen of an RC application filed in 2012, and for having achieved approval of a wide-ranging geographic area and industry categories defined by two and three digit NAICS codes, including NAICS 44-45 for Retail Trade. Many Requests for Evidence issued by USCIS in 2011-2012 sought to severely limit RC geographic area (strictly interpreting the mandate that “A regional center shall have jurisdiction over a limited geographic area”) and demanded minimum four-digit NAICS codes as a matter of principle. This new approval shows that case-specific (or adjudicator-specific) variations are possible. It’s a good reminder not to treat what appear to be general policy statements in Requests for Evidence as actual policy statements, and to realize that USCIS is serious about its case-specific approach to EB-5 adjudications. Congrats to these new centers on having navigated the review process so (relatively) quickly.

Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, Texas
Gulf States Regional Center, LLC
Geographic Area: Alabama counties of Mobile and Baldwin
Florida counties of Escambia, Santa Rosa, Okaloosa, and Walton
Louisiana counties of Orleans, St. Bernard, Plaquemine, Jefferson, Terrebonne, Lafourche, Vermillion, Iberia, St. Mary, Lafayette, Cameron, and Calcasieu
Mississippi counties of Jackson, Harrison, and Hancock
Texas counties of Orange, Jefferson, Chambers, Galveston, Brazoria, Matagorda, Nueces, Calhoun, Refugio, Aransas, San Patricio, Kleberg, Kenedy, Willacy, Cameron
Industry Categories: Food Services and Drinking Places (NAICS 722), Accommodation (NAICS 721), Retail Trade (44-45), Nursing and Residential Care Facilities (NAICS 623), Construction (NAICS 23)
Designation Letter

New York
U.S. Immigration Fund N-Y
http://www.visaeb-5.com/new-york-regional-center-usifund

West Virginia
Mid Atlantic Regional EB5 Regional Center LLC
http://midatlanticeb5.com/

(Note: See my Regional Center directory page for my most updated listings for all RCs. And please email me if you would like to provide additional information regarding your RC.)