The Impact of Federal Shutdown on EB-5 Regional Center Program and other USCIS Operations

On December 22, 2018, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (“USCIS”) informed that the current lapse in annual appropriated funding for the U.S. government does not affect USCIS’ fee-funded activities. The agency’s offices remain open, and all individuals should attend interviews and appointments as scheduled.

USCIS continues to accept petitions and applications for benefit requests, except the ones that were set to expire or suspend operations, or be otherwise affected, until they receive appropriated funds or are reauthorized by Congress.

The EB-5 Immigrant Investor Regional Center Program is among programs that are awaiting reauthorization by Congress. USCIS has confirmed that it will continue to accept regional-center affiliated Form I-526 immigrant visa petitions and Form I-485 adjustment of status applications, but will place these filings on hold until further notice. Applications for Regional Center designation on Form I-924 are not being accepted and any such applications pending as of December 21, 2018 were placed on hold. Foreign nationals that are already in EB-5 conditional permanent resident status, may continue to submit Form I-829 petitions to remove conditions.

Source: USCIS.