USCIS published the quarterly statistics for all application and petition form types for the third quarter (Q3) of fiscal year (FY) 2021 (April 1st – June 30th, 2021), including the latest data for Form I-526, Form I-829, Form I-924, and Form I-924A.
With the latest statistics for Form I-829 performance, IIUSA produced this data report (members-only) to inform industry stakeholders of the latest data trends on the final step of the immigration process for EB-5 investors in Q3 FY2021 before the EB-5 Regional Center Program expired on July 1st, 2021.
(Figure 1 at I-829 Data Report: Form I-829 Filings vs Adjudications in the First Three Quarters of Fiscal Year, Year-Over-Year Comparison)
KEY DATA HIGHLIGHTS
Form I-829 Filings:
- 1,249 I-829 petitions were filed in Q3 FY2021, the highest level in the history of the EB-5 Program.
- During the first three quarters of FY2021, 2,507 EB-5 investors filed their I-829 petition, an increase of 6% year over year.
Form I-829 Adjudications:
- In Q3 FY2021, USCIS adjudicated 448 I-829 petitions, a decline of 26% from the last quarter and a drop of 40% year over year.
- On average, USCIS completed 193 I-829 cases per month in FY2021.
Form I-829 Approval Rate:
- The average approval rate of I-829 petitions was 90% during Q3 FY2021, a 4% decline from the last quarter but remaining at a relatively high level.
Form I-829 Backlog:
- When the EB-5 Regional Center Program expired on July 1st, 2021, a total of 11,160 I-829 cases were still pending at USCIS. The backlog of I-829 petitions increased by 8% from the last quarter.
