DEPARTMENT OF STATE RELEASED JANUARY 2017 VISA BULLETIN

The U.S. Department of State ("DOS") just released the January 2017 visa bulletin. Certain categories have move forward, including a two-week jump for the EB-5 category final action date for petitioners from the People's Republic of China. USCIS  has not yet advised whether it will accept...

EB-5 PROGRAM EXTENDED UNTIL APRIL 28, 2017

The Senate passed a stopgap spending bill, 63-36, to avoid a government shutdown at midnight on Friday, December 9, 2016.  The bill, which will fund the government through April 28 of next year, heads to the president after a group of Senate Democrats dropped their insistence on a longer extension of coal miners' health benefits.

House of Representatives Releases Continuing Resolution Extending EB-5 Regional Center Program until April 28, 2017

On the evening of Tuesday, December 6, 2016, the House of Representatives of the U.S. Congress make public its draft law (known as a “bill”) to extend the EB-5 Regional Center program without changes until April 28, 2017.

USCIS Releases Draft EB-5 Policy Manual

On November 30, 2016, USCIS released a draft EB-5 Policy Manual.  The draft EB-5 Policy Manual is a compendium and restatement of EB-5 law and USCIS EB-5 policy.  USCIS has provided a very short comment period.  Comments are due by December 14, 2016.  We provide a copy of the USCIS email notice below.  I.A. Donoso & Associates will be analyzing and commenting on this draft EB-5 Policy Manual, and will provide further updates as soon as additional information is available.

Senate and House Pass Continuing Resolution Extending the EB-5 Regional Center Program

The U.S. Senate and the U.S. House of Representatives passed a Continuing Resolution to fund the government through Dec. 9 in a series of three votes on Wednesday, Sept. 28.

I. A. Donoso Raises Age-Out Issue at EB-5 Stakeholders Meeting

August 29, 2016

On August 29, 2016, the Investor Program Office of U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Services (“USCIS”) held national a conference call for the EB-5 immigrant investor visa program.  This conference call was a follow-up to the July 28, 2016, stakeholder conference call during which technical difficulties made telephonic participation impossible. Leading the Investor Program Office were Nicholas Colucci, Chief of the EB-5 Program, and Laurie McKenzie, Division Chief of Policy.

EB-5 Update: USCIS Proposes Revised Form I-526 for Notice and Comment

August 23, 2016

U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Services is proposing to adopt a new version of Form I-526 in the coming months.  The draft of the new Form I-526 was released on July 11, 2016, and Is open for comment until September 11, 2016.

USCIS Begins Working on Entrepreneur Parole Rule

On August 3, 2016, USCIS submitted a new proposed rule on parole for entrepreneurs to the Office of Management and Budget (“OMB”) for review.  This rule has been much anticipated as the program was first proposed almost two years ago under President Barack Obama’s immigration executive actions and outlined in a formal memo dated 11/20/2014, from the Department of Homeland Security to USCIS entitled “Policies Supporting U.S. High-Skilled Businesses and Workers.”

August Visa Bulletin Shows New Backlog for EB-1 Category for China and India

The latest Department of State Visa Bulletin for August 2016 shows a new backlog of visas in the EB-1 category for applicants born in Mainland China and India.  The backlog shows that visa petitions filed in January 2010 are being processed for Final Action, with all visa petitions filed later being subject to a wait of approximately 6 years.