As announced on Friday, House and Senate lawmakers adjourned without reaching a deal to fund portions of the federal government. As a result a partial government shutdown began at midnight 12/22. The following federal departments will are impacted by the partial shutdown: Agriculture, Commerce, Homeland Security, Housing and Urban Development, Interior, Justice, State, Transportation, and Treasury.
While we are hopeful Congress and the Administration will negotiate a funding deal, the current impasse will impact EB-5 operations. The current lapse in federal funding does not affect U.S. Citizenship and Immigration fee-funded activities and the agency will continue to accept new filings for Form I-526, I-829. I-485 and I-924A. However, adjudication is on hold for Forms I-924, I-526 and I-485 until federal government is funded. All Form I-829’s submitted before or after the expiration date, will not be affected by the expiration of the program. With filing deadlines for 2018 Form I-924A’s all Regional Centers are reminded to complete the annual certification process.
Government Impact of USCIS Operations
From the USCIS Website
All regional center applications and individual petitions are affected. USCIS will not accept new Forms I-924, Application for Regional Center Designation Under the Immigrant Investor Program, as of Dec. 21, 2018. Any pending Forms I-924 as of Dec. 21, 2018, will be put on hold until further notice.
Regional centers should continue to submit Form I-924A, Annual Certification of Regional Center, for fiscal year 2018.
We will continue to receive regional center-affiliated Forms I-526, Immigrant Petition by Alien Entrepreneur, and Forms I-485, Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status, after the close of business on Dec. 22, 2018. As of Dec. 22, 2018, we will put unadjudicated regional center-affiliated Forms I-526 and I-485 (whether filed before or after the expiration date) on hold for an undetermined length of time.
All Forms I-829, Petition by Entrepreneur to Remove Conditions on Permanent Resident Status, filed before or after the expiration date, will not be affected by the expiration of the program. https://www.uscis.gov/working-united-states/permanent-workers/employment-based-immigration-fifth-preference-eb-5/immigrant-investor-regional-centers
