- General
- Who is eligible to receive immigration benefits from my EB-5 investment?
- How does EB-5 work when investing through a Regional Center?
- What is EB-5?
- What are the protections and guarantees in Behring Regional Center EB-5 projects?
- Can I travel outside the US for extended periods after I get my green card?
- Can I include my family members on my EB-5 visa petition?
- When can I apply for US citizenship?
- Is EB-5 a passive investment?
- Can adopted children immigrate with me on EB-5?
- How long must I remain in the U.S. each year?
- What is a reentry permit?
- Requirements
- What is the I-526 Petition?
- May two or more investors qualify for immigration based upon a pooled investment in a single business?
- Can I apply if I've been rejected or terminated in the past by USCIS for a different visa application?
- What are the EB-5 Investment Requirements?
- USCIS requires EB-5 investments to be “at-risk”, so how do your projects have guarantees?
- Are there any nationality restrictions for EB-5 applicants?
- What is a New Commercial Enterprise?
- What are the various forms and petitions for EB-5 investments?
- What is a I-485 Petition
- What is an I-829 Petition?
- What Can Disqualify an Investor from Participating in the EB-5 Program?
- What is the USCIS background check?
- Accredited Investor
- Cost
- Partial Payments
- Source of Funds
- Can I Use 401(k) funds for EB-5 investment?
- Can I Use a Gift for EB-5?
- What documents need to be translated when filing the I-526 petition?
- Can I use a loan for EB-5?
- 5 Things EB-5 Investors Can Do Preparing for Their Source of Funds Report
- What is the Source of Funds Report?
- I don't have $800K in cash. What are my options?
- Process
- Time
- Regional Center
- Targeted Employment Area
- Job Creation
- Risk
- Denial
- Retrogression
- EB-2 / EB-3
- Developer
How long does it take to get a greencard with EB-5?
The EB-5 process consists of 3 stages:
Stage 1 (I-526): Currently, USCIS takes 12-24 months* on average to process the I-526 petition.
Stage 2 (I-485/Consular Processing): After the I-526 petition is approved, you may apply for consular processing (if outside the US) or adjustment of status (if already in the US). Normally, this process takes approximately 6 months, but in extraordinary circumstances, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, 12 months is the average time. Once approved, you will receive your 2-year conditional green card.
Typically, you can receive your conditional green card in 2 years on average.
Important Notes:
- If you are already in the US, you may also apply for the Employment Authorization Document (EAD) and Advance Parole (AP) when you file the I-485 application to adjust status. Often, EAD/AP will be approved faster, and you may freely work and travel while you wait for your conditional green card.
- If you are subject to retrogression (visa backlog), you may face substantially longer wait times for consular processing or adjustment of status. See What is retrogression?
Stage 3 (I-829): After you have completed your 2-year conditional residency period, you may file the I-829 petition for removal of conditions. The I-829 petition must be filed between months 21 and 24 of this 2-year period. Current average processing times for the I-829 petition is 36 months.
When you file the I-829 petition and have been invested for a minimum of 5 years, you may be eligible to request repayment of your EB-5 investment funds.