Tuesday, March 5, 2013 1:30-4:00 pm (EST), Washington, D.C.
Citizenship and Immigration Services Ombudsman Maria Odom will convene an EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program stakeholder meeting in Washington, D.C. on Tuesday, March 5, 2013 from 1:30 pm to 4:00 pm (EST). USCIS has been working to reform the EB-5 program and plans to soon establish a new EB-5 adjudication unit in Washington, D.C. As the Ombudsman’s Office continues to track progress with the EB-5 program, this is an ideal time for stakeholders to discuss ongoing issues with policies, procedures, and other matters.
Opportunity to Submit Written Statements (Optional): The Ombudsman’s Office encourages stakeholders to provide written statements on issues of concern in advance of the March 5th meeting. This feedback will assist us in identifying and addressing existing program challenges. Written statements may be provided independent of registration for the meeting.
Written statements should be limited to 5 pages, and provided to the Ombudsman’s Office: Cisombudsman.PublicAffairs@hq.dhs.gov. Please reference “EB-5 Statement” in the subject line of the email message. These statements are due no later than February 15th. Written submissions will be considered confidential except as subject to applicable law, such as the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA).
Registration: This event will be limited to 100 in-person participants. Please RSVP by emailing: Cisombudsman.PublicAffairs@hq.dhs.gov and reference “EB-5 Meeting” in the subject line. In the body of your email message, please provide the following information: name, organization, and contact email. The Ombudsman’s Office will confirm your registration. The final list of in-person attendees will close on February 15th.
CIS Ombudsman Mission: The Ombudsman’s Office is here to help individuals and employers resolve problems with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) and makes recommendations to fix systemic issues related to the quality of services provided by USCIS. The Ombudsman’s Office serves as a free, independent, confidential, and impartial resource within the U.S. Dept. of Homeland Security.
Note: This meeting does not replace USCIS’ standard quarterly EB-5 engagement schedule. IIUSA most recent discussions with USCIS indicate that the 2013 quarterly engagement schedule will be finalized and announced soon, now that an Interim Chief of Immigrant Investor Programs has been hired. IIUSA has requested Q1FY2013 526/829/924 statistics in the meantime, which will be circulated to IIUSA members immediately upon receipt.
