Rural EB-5
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[Rural EB-5 Guide]
The Smart Investor’s Guide to Rural EB-5 Opportunities
At AmericanDreamsRC, we recognize the substantial advantages offered by the EB-5 Reform and Integrity Act of 2022 for rural EB-5 projects. This legislation includes priority processing and the highest allocation of set-aside visas, making it especially advantageous for investors from high-demand countries experiencing visa retrogression.
Our skilled team at Houston EB-5 is committed to leveraging these benefits to streamline and accelerate the residency process for our clients.
[Rural EB-5 Benefits]
First and foremost, EB-5 applicants who choose rural projects benefit from priority processing, which is the quickest route to residency in the EB-5 program. In contrast, non-priority processing projects generally have approval times ranging from 2-3 years; therefore, we currently expect priority processing to take around 1-2 years.
Ultimately, USCIS is legally obligated to adjudicate these petitions within 120 days. While this timeframe would be ideal, it hasn’t yet become a reality. The good news is that processing times are showing positive trends. USCIS is increasing its hiring of adjudicators and generating higher fee revenues to improve the processing of these petitions.
Secondly, rural projects receive the highest allocation of set-aside visas within the EB-5 program. This is particularly significant for investors from high-demand countries such as India, China, Vietnam, and South Korea. These investors risk encountering visa retrogression, a situation where the number of visa applications submitted exceeds the annual quota available to a specific country, leading to delays.
Visa retrogression can result in extended waiting periods for green cards, even after a petition has been approved, due to limited visa availability. One way to avoid these lengthy delays is to invest in an EB-5 project within the rural category, which dedicates 20% of its visas each fiscal year—the largest allocation in the entire EB-5 program.
Historically, most EB-5 investments have flowed into urban centers, directing funds to the most prosperous metropolitan areas while leaving rural regions underfunded. However, starting in May 2022, there has been a shift, as projects in underdeveloped regions are now incentivized with lower minimum investment thresholds and priority visa processing.
There are two categories of investment projects that qualify for these benefits:
Rural Development Areas: These projects emphasize infrastructure improvement and job creation outside Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs). Often located near major industrial cities, they offer significant social and economic advantages.
Target Employment Areas (TEA): TEAs are identified by having an unemployment rate at least 1.5 times higher than the national average within a specific census tract. These areas are prime targets for investors due to their urgent need for increased employment opportunities.
For standard non-TEA projects, the minimum investment is $1,050,000, accompanied by regular visa processing. By contrast, investing in a rural project requires a minimum investment of $800,000 and grants access to priority processing, with 2,000 visas set aside each year.
In comparison, urban TEA areas face high demand, with only 1,000 set-aside visas available annually. This highlights why AmericanDreamsRC is concentrating on rural development projects: with twice as many EB-5 visas allocated for priority processing, investors can secure their green card with a minimum investment of $800,000 in approximately 18 months.