Washington D.C., December 22, 2017 – This week, the House of Representatives and the Senate each passed a Continuing Resolution extending the operation of the U.S. Federal Government until January 19, 2018. As part of the Continuing Resolution, the EB-5 Regional Center visa program was also extended without changes until January 19, 2018. The Continuing Resolution will be signed into law by the President to ensure the continuity of government operations.

The pattern of short Continuing Resolutions has been the dominant approach since September 2017. The Federal Government has passed three short-term Continuing Resolutions between September 2017 and December 2017. In each Continuing Resolution, the EB-5 Regional Center visa program has been extended without changes.

At the same time, in December 2017, the U.S. Federal Government (Office of Management and Budget Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OMB)), made public a summary of its regulatory agenda for 2018. The USCIS regulatory agenda included several important proposals such as accelerating the new EB-5 visa program regulations to take effect in February 2018, as well as H-1B regulatory reform including changes to requirements and prohibitions on H-4 spouses from obtaining temporary work permits.

I.A. Donoso & Associates, LLC, is a law firm based in Washington, D.C., and is recognized as a leading immigration law firm with recognized expertise in visas for EB-5 investors, professionals and academics.