The U.S. State Department and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services announced that they have issued all legally available visas in the unreserved EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program categories for Fiscal Year 2024. Embassies and consulates have been directed to not issue immigrant visas in these categories until the new fiscal year (FY 2025) starts on Oct.... The post US Department of State Announces Annual Limit Reached in EB-5 Unreserved Category appeared first on EB-5 Insights ..read more

In recent months, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has sent notices of intent to terminate (NOITs) to EB-5 regional centers that have not paid the “Integrity Fees” implemented by the 2022 EB-5 Reform and Integrity Act (RIA). Congress introduced these annual Integrity Fees to help pay for many of the new integrity measures, such... The post USCIS Terminates Regional Centers That Have Not Paid RIA Integrity Fees: Implications for Stakeholders appeared first on EB-5 Insights ..read more

On July 16, 2024, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) issued new guidance for the EB-5 Regional Center Program, detailing sanctions for noncompliance, adverse actions on EB-5 petitions, and special rules for good faith investors to maintain eligibility if their regional center or project is terminated or debarred. On March 15, 2022, President Biden signed... The post USCIS Updates Policy Manual on Noncompliance of EB-5 Entities appeared first on EB-5 Insights ..read more

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) released new information on its website about the International Entrepreneur Rule’s (IER) eligibility criteria and acceptable evidence. It also announced updates to investment and revenue requirements for entrepreneurs to qualify for an authorized stay, known as parole, under the IER. Based on the public benefit their startup entities provide,... The post USCIS Updates Guidance and Increases Investment and Revenue Thresholds for International Entrepreneurs appeared first on EB-5 Insights ..read more

GT Immigration & Compliance Practice Shareholder Jennifer Hermansky, the newly appointed EB-5 Committee chair for the American Immigration Lawyers Association, is featured on the EB5Investors.com blog. She discusses the challenges and trends in the EB-5 visa landscape, particularly the impact of the Reform and Integrity Act of 2022 and the re-adjudication of the source of funds and other program requirements. Click here to read the interview, published by EB5Investors.com July 10, 2024. The post Jennifer Hermansky Featured on EB5Investors.com Blog: ‘There is still quite a de ..read more

The passage of the EB-5 Reform and Integrity Act (RIA) in 2022 resulted in the most significant changes to the EB-5 investor immigrant visa program since its establishment in 1990. Among the most notable changes implemented through the RIA was the creation of new “set aside” visa categories for EB-5 investors. These set-aside categories allocate a certain amount of the 10,000 EB-5 immigrant visas available each year to investments in certain areas or projects, which include: 20% reserved for qualified immigrants who invest in a rural area; 10% reserved for qualified immigrants who invest in a ..read more

On June 4, 2024, President Biden issued a new proclamation and rule leveraging his executive authority to prevent migrants who enter the United States unlawfully from accessing asylum. Citing a need to enhance the United States’ “ability to address the historic levels of migration and more efficiently process migrants arriving at the southern border given current resource levels,” President Biden’s new rule suspends entry of noncitizens across the U.S. southern border during times of high border crossings. The new border policy will take effect when there is a seven-consecutive-calendar-day av ..read more

Immigration professionals and clients have been reporting technical issues and error messages they received when attempting to access cases at the National Visa Center (NVC) through the Consular Electronic Application Center (CEAC) system.  The NVC is part of the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Consular Affairs and serves a clerical function in processing immigrant visa applications. The NVC’s job is to prepare immigrant visa applications for consular officers to review and adjudicate. The NVC utilizes an online platform through the CEAC where immigrant visa applicants can enter thei ..read more

On April 1, 2024, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) began implementing a newly overhauled fee schedule, along with substantive changes to several of its forms used to petition or apply for employment-based immigration benefits. These changes stem from the agency’s January 2024 final rule outlining the fee increases and procedural changes, which include: In a departure from the prior, simpler fee schedule, a detailed and tiered fee schedule based on various factors, including visa type, employer type, and size (number of employees). The introduction of an “asylum fee ..read more

Please join GT Shareholders Kate Kalmykov, Erez Tucner, and Cynthia Marian for the next lunch-and-learn. The program will discuss: U.S. Tax Considerations Key U.S. tax considerations for foreign funds investing or operating in the United States U.S. trade or business income Dividends from U.S. corporations Interest from U.S. holding or portfolio companies or U.S. third-party borrowers Capital gains from sale of U.S. portfolio companies and FIRPTA Key relevant U.S. tax updates YA Global Tax Court decision (Nov. 15, 2023) Soroban Capital Partners Tax Court decision (Nov. 28, 2023) U.S. – Chil ..read more