New Resources (Petition Processing and RC Approvals, SEC matters, Stakeholder Meetings), New RCs (CA, NY, NY, PA, TX)

A wrap-up of recent items of items of EB-5 interest around the web.

Petition Processing and RC Approvals

• As I reported earlier this week, USCIS has published I-526 and I-829 petition processing data for FY2014 Q3.
• Robert Divine’s article  Regional Center Limbo: How Low Can You Go discusses a question we have indeed all been wondering about. Since the 5/30/2013 EB-5 policy memo, just how “general” can a Regional Center proposal be and still be approved? 2014 AAO  decisions on I-924 denials show that the bar, if low, does exist.
• I-924 processing is only the beginning of Regional Center review, however. Robert Loughran’s article on History of Risk in the EB-5 Regional Center Context examines Regional Center terminations, and draws lessons for how existing RCs can remain in good standing.
• If I-924 approvals seem to be coming quite easily these days, I-526s are still a challenge. I discussed an I-526 AAO decision this week in an article that I could’ve titled “I-526 Hurdles: How High Can You Jump?”
• I’m planning to call in to next week’s IIUSA webinar on USCIS EB-5 Adjudication Trends: I-526/I-829 Petitions & I-924 Applications (August 28, 3-4:30 EST). An A-team of panelists (Stephen Yale-Loehr, Dawn Lurie, Angelo Paparelli, Brandon Meyer) will discuss processing trends and also provide analysis of large data sets of I-526 and I-829 RFEs/denials obtained by IIUSA through FOIA requests.

SEC Matters

• Robert Ahrenholz and Mariza McKee have an important article on New SEC Interpretations Regarding Accredited Investors Impact EB-5 Reg D Offerings
• The Investment Law Blog is back with another series of straightforward, practical “here’s what this means for you” articles by Cathy Holmes and Victor Shum, including How EB-5 Regional Centers and Sponsors Can Evaluate Broker-Dealer, Investment Company and Investment Adviser Registration Requirements under U.S. Securities Laws and A practical guide to compliance with U.S. securities broker-dealer laws for regional centers and project developers using EB-5 financing

Stakeholder Meetings

• Be sure to sign up for the 9/10 EB-5 Stakeholder Meeting announced this week.
• USCIS Director León Rodríguez had a few words on the EB-5 program in his engagement on August 14. IIUSA reports on takeaways from that meeting.

Additions to the USCIS Regional Center List, 7/29/2014 to 8/19/2014

• Art District Los Angeles Regional Center, LLC (California)
• North American Regional Center (New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania)
• American Vision Regional Center (Texas)

And finally, a mystery. The Regional Center page on the USCIS website is gone. A web admin accident? Or something more? I’ll keep checking back to see what happens.