Several milestones make EB5AN stand out over other EB-5 firms, including our commitment to transparency, the consistent quality of our EB-5 projects, and the variety of our project portfolio. But one of the main reasons EB-5 investors from around the world choose EB5AN is our compliance with USCIS policies. USCIS compliance makes our EB-5 projects safe and reliable, with many EB5AN investors receiving I-526E approvals and even Green Cards in only months.
Continuing our track record of success, we are pleased to announce that USCIS has approved the I-956F amendment petition for our Tamarack Resort rural EB-5 project. One of the premier rural EB-5 projects on the market, Tamarack Resort is now completely sold out, with 200 EB-5 investors in line for fast I-526E approvals, Green Cards, and timely repayment.
“Not only have we received 21 Form I-956F approvals,” notes Sam Silverman, managing partner of EB5AN, “USCIS has now approved an amendment that expanded the EB-5 loan in Tamarack and accommodate more investors eager to participate in this outstanding rural project.”
“Receiving a prompt approval for an I-956F amendment,” Silverman concludes, “shows that EB5AN takes compliance seriously. EB-5 investors can rest assured that the regional center and project documentation they submit to USCIS will be 100% compliant and increase their chances of a fast visa approval.”
In this post, we’ll examine the role of Form I-956F and why it’s such a strong indicator of reliability among regional center operators. Then, we’ll provide an overview of the Tamarack Resort rural project’s successful investment structure and our similar rural projects currently on the market.
Form I-956F: The “Project Approval” Petition
EB5AN’s Record of Compliance
Tamarack Resort: Continuing Our Success in Rural EB-5 Projects
Our Current Rural EB-5 Projects
Form I-956F: The “Project Approval” Petition
Form I-956F is the “Application for Approval of an Investment in a Commercial Enterprise.” It was created following the EB-5 Reform and Integrity Act of 2022 (RIA), which expanded USCIS oversight of EB-5 projects.
The filing requires regional centers to submit the full set of offering documents for an EB-5 project. These include the private placement memorandum, limited partnership agreement, loan agreement, comprehensive business plan, economic impact analysis, and more. The submission must disclose all material risks, identify conflicts of interest, describe compliance policies for securities sales, and provide background checks for individuals in positions of authority.
If the project qualifies as being in a targeted employment area (TEA), the filing must include a TEA analysis. Any pending litigation must be disclosed as well. USCIS then reviews all documents to confirm that the project structure, job creation estimates, and financial arrangements comply with EB-5 policy.
Approval of Form I-956F does not guarantee the success of an individual investor’s I-526E petition, but it confirms that USCIS has already examined and accepted the project itself.
Why I-956F Approval Matters
An EB-5 investor files Form I-526E to obtain a Green Card. USCIS reviews two aspects of the petition: the investor’s personal documentation, including source of funds, and the compliance of the project. If the project already holds Form I-956F approval, USCIS has determined that the project complies, making a fast approval more likely.
The alternative—investing in a project without Form I-956F approval—could create unnecessary risk. USCIS allows investors to file once a project’s I-956F has been submitted, but approval is not guaranteed. If USCIS later denies the project’s I-956F, all investors in that project face RFEs, NOIDs, and likely denials of their petitions. Investors risk both their immigration outcome and the time lost during the review.
Regional centers with a solid record of I-956F approvals are more likely to secure approvals for future projects, as they deeply understand of the requirements for structuring a compliant EB-5 project.
EB5AN’s Record of Compliance
Since 2013, EB5AN has maintained a 100% USCIS approval rate for all regional center projects it has managed. Following the RIA, EB5AN became one of the first regional centers to submit and receive I-956F approvals. To date, EB5AN has secured 21 Form I-956F approvals across diverse markets including Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, North Carolina, Utah, and Wyoming.
Our projects span single-family home communities, multifamily apartments, condominiums, luxury residences, and ski resorts.
While the average USCIS processing time for Form I-956F is approximately 5.6 months, EB5AN approvals have been significantly faster. Several projects were approved in under three months, with the fastest approval in 1.6 months. Our last 11 approvals were all issued in less time than the USCIS average.
Across more than a decade of EB-5 operations, EB5AN has never received a denial of a project approval from USCIS for any regional center project it has managed.
As EB5AN managing partner Sam Silverman notes: “Investors should look not only at whether a project has I-956F approval, but also at the regional center’s history with these filings. A strong track record shows the regional center understands EB-5 policy and consistently meets USCIS requirements.”
Tamarack Resort: Continuing Our Success in Rural EB-5 Projects
With an approved I-956F amendment doubling the size of its EB-5 loan, the Tamarack Resort rural EB-5 project is now sold out. 200 EB-5 investors have subscribed to contribute $160 million toward the project, showing that EB-5 investors trust our rural projects.
What made Tamarack a particularly appealing rural EB-5 offering?
Tamarack Resort is a master-planned, four-season destination in Idaho’s West Central Mountains, north of Boise. It is the only U.S. resort combining skiing, golf, and a full-service marina in one development. The project features 1,100 skiable acres with 50 runs, an 18-hole championship golf course, and a 200-slip marina on Lake Cascade. Its amenities, location, and financial structure make it one of the most compelling rural EB-5 projects in the market.
The EB-5 investment was structured as a secured loan. Collateral included a pledge of 100 percent of the equity in the project company and senior mortgages on Tamarack Resort property. This dual security framework provided investors with stronger collateral coverage than was typically offered. Each EB-5 investor also received an individual four-year loan term, giving greater clarity on repayment timing.
The project qualified as a rural targeted employment area (TEA). Rural designation allowed investors to participate at the reduced $800,000 minimum rather than $1,050,000. It also provided access to the rural visa set-aside, which reserved 20 percent of all EB-5 visas for rural projects. These visas were available to investors from every country, including China and India, which face retrogression in other visa categories. Rural TEA projects also qualified for priority I-526E petition processing. For Tamarack investors, this meant a lower investment threshold, faster USCIS review, and a visa pathway not subject to current backlogs.
The project included an I-526E approval refund guaranty. If USCIS denied an investor’s petition, the developer was obligated to return the $800,000 investment more quickly than under standard repayment terms. This guaranty mitigated financial risk tied to immigration outcomes. The developer also provided a job creation guaranty, committing that all EB-5 funds would be used on qualifying expenditures. This ensured that projected employment figures translated into sufficient job creation for all investors.
Tamarack Resort’s construction progress has already generated more than 2,500 jobs—well above USCIS requirements—ensuring that all investors are on track for smooth approvals when filing their I-829 petitions.
Each of these elements made Tamarack Resort one of the best-selling rural EB-5 projects on the market.
Our Current Rural EB-5 Projects
We are pleased to offer several institutional-quality rural EB-5 projects with similar safety features, fast immigration benefits, and financial safety.
- Bay Creek: A master-planned community in Cape Charles, Virginia including 340 residential lots and 61 homes, anchored by two award-winning golf courses by Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus.
- Rocky River: A Cresswind branded active-adult residential development near Locust, North Carolina offering 1,120 single-family homes for the 55+ demographic with community amenities.
- Twin Lakes: A large single-family home community in Jackson County, Georgia, developed by Kolter Homes, with over 800 homes already sold and more than 4,200 jobs already created.
- Grand Park: A mixed-use development in Fraser, Colorado, combining for-sale homes, apartments, commercial space, lodging, and recreation adjacent to Winter Park Ski Resort.
Learn More About Our Rural EB-5 Projects
“Put simply,” notes Mike Schoenfeld, managing partner of EB5AN, “investing with an EB-5 firm known for its USCIS compliance makes it more likely for you to get a fast approval from USCIS. You could become a permanent resident of the U.S. in a short time—as long as you invest in the right EB-5 project.”
We invite you to schedule a free consultation with EB5AN to learn more and begin your journey toward a fast Green Card approval.
