Good news for I-526 and I-829 processing
March 12, 2024 40 Comments
And finally, I get to report good news! The Investor Program Office seems to be turning a corner with petition processing. Official results aren’t out yet for months since September 2023, but preliminary data for recent pre-RIA I-526 and I-829 completions show the continuation of an encouraging trend. We’re hearing anecdotally about timely post-RIA I-526 and I-526E adjudications as well. Kudos to USCIS Director Jaddou and IPO Chief Emmel, who promised the improvements that we’re now seeing realized. As processing volume significantly increases, processing times have a chance to come down. For detailed analysis of what’s changed behind the scenes with I-526 and I-829 processing, and implications for processing times going forward, see my article “Recovery for EB-5 processing times” guest published on the Houston EB-5 blog. I have a pipeline of articles in process for industry colleagues, and will link here as time permits for publication. I also regularly update the Processing Data page on this blog.
EB-5 Updates 
Received I-829 RFE after 40+ months of waiting earlier this year and have submitted response to the RFE. I just hope they don’t take another 4 years to respond back. We’d love to file our N-400 and hope to vote in these upcoming Presidential elections.
Hice una petición i526 para una visa eb5 el 17 de noviembre del año 2.019 y a hoy Marzo 12 del año 2.024 no he recibido ninguna respuesta, ya vamos para 5 años y no han dicho absolutamente nada,. así que la persona que este pensando en solicitar este tipo de visa debe tener disponibles aproximadamente, US 950.000 dólares con los gastos de impuestos y honorarios de abogado para que llene la solicitud y dejarlos quietos sin ningún tipo de rendimiento por alrededor de 7 años para que posiblemente le miren su caso y de pronto lo aprueben, esa es la triste realidad de la famosa EB5 el resto son mentiras que dicen para hacerte invertir en sus proyectos, lo estoy diciendo porque lo estoy viviendo, para que no caigan en falsas promesas de tiempos de procesamiento, gracias.
I empathize with your situation. I, too, applied for an EB5 visa Filed i526 on April 7, 2019, and up to today’s date, March 12, 2024, I have not received any response. It has been a challenging five years of waiting, during which there has been absolute silence from the authorities. The financial commitment required for this visa is huge for people from developing countries; however, despite investing such resources and enduring a lengthy process, there has been no return or even communication regarding the status of my application.
This experience has led me to caution others considering this visa option. It’s important to understand the reality of the EB5 program, which often involves years of waiting without any guarantees of approval. False promises regarding processing times and potential returns on investment are widespread, and I urge prospective applicants to exercise caution and thoroughly research before investing. My personal experience serves as a warning against placing trust in such promises and risking significant financial resources without certainty of a positive outcome.
Thank you Suzanne
This is the only forum which has kept my hopes alive and keep breathing
Thanks Again
Final Note- This program is designed for individuals with a net worth of USD 10 million or more, so they are less concerned about losing 10% of that amount.
it’s about time your attorney should do something as five year waiting for adjudication of i526 petition is too long even for backlogged country like India
Just wanted to share that our I-526 was approved yesterday. PD Nov19, Regional Center, a small project in Florida with 4 inverstors. I’m not from a backlogged country. I hope the processing speed keeps improving so everyone else waiting can get their applications approved.
Suzanne, thanks for always sharing great information.
Hello All,
Thank u Suzzane for helping the many investors who need some sense of direction on the complicated EB5 process
Country India: high unemployment category
526 applied and got receipt sept 2022
got 526 approved Jan 2024
485 was filed concurrently with 526. No update yet. Any idea how long it will take to get the conditional GC
Thank you for your help in advance. Hope and pray everyone gets their approval soon.
Hi,
I’m in similar situation. My Priority date is 12/15/2018. Received my I-526 approval on 14 December 2022. Filed my I-485 in May 2022. No update on conditional GC.
Some I-526E received RFE requesting project plan, which is hilarious as the I-956F has been approved. Suzanne, how do you think of this issue?
That is very strange, since both the I-526E instructions and IPO Chief Alissa Emmel, in filing tips to stakeholders, specifically say to not include the project plan. I would be interested to see the RFE. I would assume a mistake by an ill-trained new hire.
Thanks Suzanne for your comment. Do you think it’s problem we need to let Alissa Emmel timely know in order to avoid such a waste of valuable human resources and reduce I-526E processing time if this problem continues to happen on other new staffs? What information do you think I can provide with is helpful?
Yes, I think it’s worth a try to use the official contact methods (https://www.uscis.gov/working-in-the-united-states/permanent-workers/employment-based-immigration-fifth-preference-eb-5/eb-5-support) to write an email to Alissa Emmel flagging the problem, and attaching the RFE or at least giving identifying information so that USCIS can locate the RFE in its files. If you’d like to email a copy of the RFE (with personal info redacted) to me at suzanne@lucidtext.com, I can also possibly bring this to the attention of USCIS through my work with the IIUSA public policy committee.
Thanks for your suggestion! Will do it when I have the RFE.
Replying to this thread as the common topic seems to be inefficient and wasteful USCIS processing practices.
First of all thank you Suzanne (and likeminded others) for all the work you do, it is incredibly meaningful and impactful towards further reform and improvement of this part of immigration law.
Secondly, I was wondering if you’ve noticed or have an opinion on the slew of RFEs issued for I-485 concurrent filings in recent periods where the sole issue raised is the lack of an official I-797 notice for I-526E filings – an problem that appears to be solely caused by USCIS delaying on the issuance of these notices and in which the “unofficial” I-526E receipts are supposed to fix. These RFEs get issued on a regular basis even with concurrent filings, which one would assume would connect the I-526E and I-485 sides of USCIS on what’s happening.
In my humble opinion it looks like a classic case of the left hand not knowing what the right hand is doing, and ultimately it represents a waste of resources and manpower for an something that should be solved internally and not through RFE issuances.
Hi guys, does receiving health insurance aid/ Obamacare/ Affordable Healthcare Act/CoveredCA,. etc… affect your eligibility when applying I -829?
Net backlog of (I-526) 3400 cases as of September 2023 looks very encouraging. They should be cleared by April/May 2024.
My I-829, with receipt date of 07/01/2021 was approved yesterday (after 31 months). Things definitely seem to be speeding up at the IPO.
In case it helps anyone, here’s my timeline
I-526 Priority Date 05/25/2016
Indian Citizen applied for AoS on 02/15/2018
Conditional GC received on 09/17/2019
This is great to hear! You didn’t do WoM right?
No WoM. Lawyers recommended we wait for 3 years before considering WoM. Thankfully it didn’t get to that.
PD Oct 15/ 2019 from Canada finally approved EB 5 March 6, 2024….finally!
How long takes to get NVC
I’ve been approved I-829, after 4 years processing.
good to know! What is your I-829 priority date?
thank you; it was feb/2020
Lawsuit Filed by IIUSA against USCIS and Proposed New Rule to Extend EB-5 Investor Minimum Investment Period from 2-Yrs to 5-Yrs
Forgot to share that my PD is March 2022 and on the panel shows application received. Nothing else yet.
My PD is January 2022. Do you expect an adjudication of your I-526 this year? What the processing data tells you?
Am i hopeful this year as my PD September 2021 and not from a backlog country
It is definitely a Pre-RIA Direct Investment as there was no regional center program available at that time. Am I correct?
YES ,REGIONAL PROGRAM SUSPENDED
In my case applied for I829 on 21 th March 2021
now its 38 months. We are still waiting.
ı applied for N400 if they dont give my citizenship, i am going to Mandamus.
Received I-829 approval (filed May 2019) this week following a relatively minor RFE a month ago. Thanks for the great data over the years – helped make the insane delays a little less opaque.
PD January 2022 Chargeable country -India , Don’t know when it is likely to be adjudicated
Do you think PD January 2022 with the chargeable country from the rest of the world has now been adjudicated? I don’t think so.
small possibility exists for i526 petitioners from non backlogged countries but not for certain
My I 829 was filled on April 2020, I am waiting for 48 months. In my case, I do not have a investment center as I invested in my own business. This fact does change the time line?
Your I-829 deserves immediate attention by the authorities. What was the timelines for I-526?
I 526 filled on April 2015 and approved Sept 2017
I 526 filled on April 2015 and approved Sept 2017
What to do to get immediate attention. Mine was filed in September 2020 and still heard back nothing.
Hello From Texas 🇺🇸
Here is our timeline journey! I want to read your recommendations if you have.
January 15 2017- Find the Eb-5 project
March 11 2017- Sent the money 500k to Regional center
Feb. 15 2018 – Project Approval I-526 Filled
March 10 2019- I- 526 Approvel Notice of GC
June 1 2019 – Move to States and GCs came.
March 21 2021- I 829 Filled
After 38 Months we are waiting for I 829! I am not sure this process will end soon.
BUT;
March 4th 2024- After ending 5 year just before 3 months, We filled N400 our citizenship forms. Because we are residents last 5 years and rights to do it.
The system accept the papers, N400 seems 4 Months approximately time for desicion.
There is 3 options;
1- Probably they will sent me RFE asking about ı829 and i will tell them pls ask your speedy officers.
2- Give me appointment and say we are sorry you have waiting case I829, and i ll tell the officer could you pls ask your friends about it!
3- Just dont ask anything you guys; a lawyer and a doctor with 2 child and Ty for your investment to our/your Country and give Congratulations!
We will see. 1-2 options i am going to Mandamus case. 3rd one God Bless America 🇺🇸.
Do you have any guesses or recommendations about what should we do about this timeline?