Growing processing times along with recent transgressions of some regional center operators have forced EB-5 projects and investors to realign themselves with another regional center. This shuffle can create serious problems for the immigrant investor.

To start the EB-5 immigration process, an investor files an I-526 petition. This petition allows the investor to become eligible to obtain a visa or adjust status to become a conditional permanent resident. As part of the I-526, the investor must include evidence of an investment in a USCIS-designated regional center. In the past, an investor could safely file an I-526 petition with relative confidence that the regional center would be in existence at the time of adjudication of his I-526 petition. However, as a result of ever-increasing processing times coupled with recent instances of wrongdoing on the part of certain regional center operators, increasing numbers of regional centers are being terminated or voluntarily dissolving. The result is that EB-5 projects and investors may be compelled to associate with an alternate regional center in order to allow the investor to continue with their immigration goals.