New RCs (CA, NJ, OR, WA), Processing Statistics

The USCIS Regional Center list has added more new entries, for a total of 49 new centers approved in 2013. Congratulations to Powerdyne for receiving approval of an application filed in May 2012 — comparatively record speed.

California
Powerdyne Regional Center, LLC
http://www.powerdyne.com/
Geographic Area: Riverside and San Bernardino Counties, California
Industry Categories: Boiler, Tank, and Shipping Container Manufacturing (NAICS 3324), Electric Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution (NAICS 2211)
Designation Letter

New Jersey
N U.S. Immigration Fund – NJ, LLC
http://www.visaeb-5.com/

Washington and Oregon
EB5 West LLC

(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.)

As of this week, the approval letters still define the designation by saying: “USCIS approves the applicant’s request to focus, promote economic growth, and offer capital investment opportunities in the following geographic area and industry categories….” I wonder what approval letters will say going forward, now that we have a Policy Memo stating that amendment requests are not necessarily required if investment opportunities arise outside the approved geographic area and industry categories. What if anything defines/limits RC designations now? In his article Key Points from USCIS EB-5 Policy Memo published May 30, 2013, Robert Divine suggests that the new memo brings new value as well as risks to Regional Centers.

IIUSA has obtained statistics for I-526, I-829, and I-924 processing in Q1 and Q2 2013. To summarize:
I-526s: 3,285 received, 1,526 approved, 483 denied
I-829s: 427 received, 467 approved, 24 denied
I-924s (includes amendments and applications for initial designation): 325 received, 65 approved, 13 denied