A look at the average processing time for an EB-5 visa application

Image Source: economictimes.com

Foreign investors awaiting the approval of their EB-5 visa application often ask how long the processing time is. It is a pretty well-known "secret" that this program is a faster route to gaining a permanent resident visa than the standard procedure of being endorsed by a citizen or having to live in the country for at least 10 years.

Image Source: nesfinancial.com


This is because the requirements for the EB-5 program are pretty straightforward, since they involve funding and investment. In general, for an EB-5 application to be approved, the foreign national has to invest at least $500,000 in a targeted employment area or $1 million in another industry. The investor must also be able to supply a minimum of 10 jobs to Americans, which will help boost the local economy. There are other requirements needed, but these two are the most important.


Processing time for the application depends on which regional center the foreign investor applies in. The center is determined by where the investor intends to set up his or her business. The times may also vary depending on the type of industry the investor will fund, and the type of petition applied for (permanent or temporary).

Image Source: choosewashingtonstate.com


Typically, the entire application process should only take around from two to six months, with six months considered a fairly lengthy time. If the application has already reached this mark, it is highly suggested that the foreign investor consult with an EB-5 specialist or contact an authority that can check the current status of the petition.


Learn more about the EB-5 program by following this Shalom Segelman Twitter account.

REPOST: India moves to fast-track US investment ahead of Obama visit

The Indian government announced that it had formed a panel that will expedite investment proposals from U.S.-based companies to help American investors conduct business smoothly in the country. This article from the Fortune.com has the details.

Modi wants U.S. investors to make Indian cities smart and green. | Image Source: fortune.com

Delhi looks to build on trade breakthrough.

India’s government announced plans to make U.S. investment in the country easier, as part of its broader plans to break down the country’s notorious bureaucratic obstacles to business.

The New Delhi government said it will form a new panel to fast-track investment proposals from the U.S. to “identify bottlenecks faced by the U.S. investors…and address them in consultation with all other agencies and state governments concerned.”

The announcement appears to build on a largely successful visit to Washington earlier this year by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in which Modi promised to make his country an attractive destination for inward investment, especially in manufacturing. Like many Indian politicians, Modi is frustrated at the degree to which India’s poor infrastructure and bureaucracy have led foreign investors to favor China over the years.

Modi’s visit had paved the way for a much bigger breakthrough in economic relations last month, when Washington dropped its objections to India’s food subsidy policies, unblocking a major deal on boosting global trade that was all but agreed last year in Bali by the World Trade Organization.

It may be a moot point whether what India needs is yet another inter-departmental panel aimed at “helping” inward investment.

However, Wednesday’s announcement is consistent with Modi’s plans to create a network of 100 “smart cities” across the sub-continent in the next six years, singling out the priority of promoting “green, advanced and smart technologies by U.S. companies in India.”

The announcement comes a month before President Barack Obama is due to visit India.

Separately, Modi’s government also announced Wednesday a general easing of the rules for foreign investment in its construction sector, Reuters reported.

Under the new rules, foreign companies will be allowed to invest in medium-sized developments with a minimum-built area of 20,000 square meters, as opposed to a current minimum of 50,000. The minimum capital investment has also been halved to $5 million, Reuters quoted the government’s statement as saying.

In addition, investors will be able to exit projects either on completion, or after the development of essential related infrastructure such as roads, street lighting and water supply. Currently, investors aren’t allowed to repatriate profits for two years.

The new rules will only go some of the way to making investment easier, as the approval for land development projects generally lies with state and municipal governments.

Shalom Segelman is an EB-5 visa specialist who assists foreign nationals gain permanent U.S. residency in exchange for job-creating investments in the country. Follow this Twitter account for more updates.