USCIS Requires Form I-956 For Regional Center Designation – Work Visas

On April 29, 2022, USCIS held its EB-5 Reform and Integrity Act
of 2022 Listening Session and clarified that entities seeking to be
designated as a regional center are required to file Form I-956,
Application for Regional Center Designation. The EB-5 Reform and Integrity Act of
2022 repealed the legacy Regional Center Program. As a
result, previously designated regional centers must reapply by
filing the new Form I-956, Application for Regional Center
Designation. USCIS will be publishing this new form, including
the form instructions, with additional information regarding the
filing process by May 14, 2022.

Individuals seeking status as an EB-5 immigrant investor whose
investment project is associated with a regional center (with an
approved Form I-956 after May 14, 2022), may file an I-526
Immigrant Petition only after the regional center has submitted a
project application and received a receipt number for that
application.

USCIS has resumed processing regional center-related I-526
Immigrant Petitions filed on or before June 30, 2021. USCIS will
adjudicate those Forms I-526 petitions according to the applicable
eligibility requirements at the time such petitions were filed
(that is, the eligibility requirements in place prior to the
enactment of the new legislation on March 15, 2022). The need to
reapply as a regional center does not impact petitions pending
prior to March 15, 2022 associated with those entities.

For more information, visit EB-5 Questions and Answers (updated April
2022) on the USCIS website.

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