How long USCIS is taking to decide I-526E petitions from EB-5 investors in regional center projects. Updated every day.
We're still collecting enough decided I-526E cases to publish our own numbers (we wait for at least 20). Until then, USCIS's published national median is 11.5 months.
USCIS national median, FY2026 for I-526E: 11.5 months.
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The EB-5 Reform and Integrity Act of 2022 reserved visas for rural, high-unemployment and infrastructure projects and requires USCIS to prioritize rural ones. A rural project can move noticeably faster than an unreserved one.
Most of the review is tracing the investment money back to a lawful source. Gifts, loans and transfers through several countries need a clean paper trail, and gaps lead to Requests for Evidence.
Even after approval, investors from oversubscribed countries can wait for a visa number in the unreserved category. Set-aside categories have had more availability so far.
This page is general information, not legal advice. For decisions about your own case, check USCIS's current guidance or talk to an immigration attorney.
Other forms: I-130 · I-129F · I-751 · I-730 · I-601A · N-400 · N-600 · N-600K · I-131 · I-539 · I-821 · I-129 · I-140 · I-360 · I-918 · I-914 · I-817 · I-600A · I-600 · I-800A · I-800 · I-90 · N-565 · I-102 · I-824
All USCIS processing timesUSCIS's published national median for I-526E is 11.5 months. We don't yet have enough decided I-526E cases of our own to publish a figure, so this page shows USCIS's number until we do.
If you're in the US and a visa is available for your category and country, the 2022 reform law allows concurrent filing, which also lets you apply for a work permit and advance parole while the petition is pending. Confirm the details for your case with USCIS or an immigration attorney.
It leads to a two-year conditional green card. You then file Form I-829 to remove the conditions.
Ours come from real I-526E cases we tracked from the day USCIS received them to the day they were approved or denied, over the last 12 months. USCIS's median covers its whole fiscal year and, for some forms, only one category. Neither predicts a single case exactly: your service center or field office, your category and any Request for Evidence matter more.
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