Once an EB-5 petitioner residing outside of the U.S. receives approval of their I-526 or I-526E petition, USCIS will send the approved petition to the National Visa Center (NVC). The NVC will then send instructions to the petitioner regarding how to apply for a visa through a U.S. consulate or embassy in their country.
To complete the visa application, the foreign investor must submit additional documentation, such as financial records, passports, and police clearance certificates, to the consulate or embassy. In addition, the petitioner must provide fingerprints and undergo a medical exam.
As part of the visa application process, the foreign investor is required to attend an in-person interview at the consulate or embassy. During this interview, a consular officer assesses the petitioner's basic admissibility issues.
The consulate or embassy will then make a decision on the EB-5 visa application. If approved, the petitioner will receive a visa, allowing them to travel to the United States and live and work as a conditional permanent resident.
The processing time for EB-5 consular processing may vary based on several factors, including the location of the consulate, demand for EB-5 visas, and the individual circumstances of the foreign investor.
