For prospective EB-5 applicants, the choice of a regional center can either make or break their immigration and financial goals.
A regional center with a long, consistent history of I-526E approvals, as well as financial successes, is more likely to protect investors’ funds and help them obtain U.S. Green Cards.
The same holds true for real estate developers looking to raise EB-5 funding. The regional center they collaborate with should have a solid history of obtaining USCIS approvals for its projects and navigating the complex requirements for structuring an EB-5 offering. By choosing such a regional center, project developers have a better chance of benefitting from this convenient source of capital by gaining quick access to EB-5 funding at below-market rates.
With both EB-5 investors and developers turning to rural projects, EB5AN is pleased to report on our remarkable success in the rural market, particularly under the EB-5 Reform and Integrity Act of 2022 (RIA).
In 2022, the RIA introduced new benefits for investors in rural EB-5 projects, creating an unprecedented demand for this project category. Since then, demand for rural EB-5 projects has surged: From April 2022 to January 2025, 44% of all I-526E filings were rural.
Responding to the needs of EB-5 investors and developers, EB5AN has worked with top-tier developers across the United States to sponsor a varied portfolio of institutional-quality rural projects since 2022. All of these projects are progressing toward completion and have their EB-5 funds in good standing.
EB5AN is especially pleased to announce the following milestones showing our leading position in the rural EB-5 industry.
- Under the RIA, over 1,000 investors have chosen EB5AN’s rural projects.
- EB5AN’s investors in rural projects have received over 400 I-526E approvals.
- EB5AN investors accounted for 20% of all rural I-526E approvals in 2023 and 2024.
- Our rural projects have created over 10,000 EB-5-compliant jobs, setting our investors firmly on the path to their permanent U.S. Green Cards.
These statistics are a testament to both the quality of our rural projects and the level of trust we enjoy within the rural EB-5 sector.
“For EB-5 investors, credentials are everything when choosing a regional center to invest with,” notes Sam Silverman, managing partner of EB5AN. “We are proud to offer one of the strongest track records in the industry when it comes to successful rural EB-5 projects.”
Silverman adds that, as EB5AN’s market share of the rural EB-5 industry grows, “we will continue to work closely with developers to create financially strong rural offerings—benefitting investors and builders alike.”
EB5AN managing partner Mike Schoenfeld explains that EB5AN has become a prime partner for those looking to benefit from rural projects: “With their unprecedented immigration benefits, rural projects have become a crucial sector of the EB-5 industry. EB-5 investors from around the world trust us to create low-risk rural projects, enabling them to achieve their immigration goals with unprecedented speed.”
The benefits of rural investments have similarly been a boon for project developers, especially those in the real estate sector: “In the fast-changing real estate market,” notes Schoenfeld, “EB-5 remains a cheap, reliable, and convenient source of capital.” EB5AN’s extensive experience overseeing rural real estate projects makes partnering with us particularly advantageous for both investors and developers
In this post, we examine EB5AN’s remarkable success in creating rural EB-5 projects under the RIA. You’ll discover why EB-5 investors and developers alike continue to rely on EB5AN to create best-in-class rural projects—and how we can help you gain your EB-5 Green Card or raise EB-5 funds for your development.
An Overview of Rural EB-5 Projects
EB5AN Dominates the Rural EB-5 Market
18 I-956F Approvals and Counting: EB5AN Leads the Industry in Compliance
EB5AN Works Closely With Top Developers Across the U.S.
Partner With EB5AN for Your Rural EB-5 Investment or Rural Development
Further Reading
An Overview of Rural EB-5 Projects
To qualify as rural, an EB-5 project must be located outside a metropolitan statistical area as defined by the Office of Management and Budget. Additionally, it must not lie on the outer boundary of any city or town with a population of 20,000 or more according to the most recent decennial census. This framework is set out in USCIS’s 8 C.F.R. §204.6(e)(2).
As one of the two categories of targeted employment areas (TEAs) established by the RIA, EB-5 investors who choose rural projects receive several immigration benefits.
Firstly, investing in a rural TEA project allows foreign nationals to benefit from the reduced EB-5 minimum capital investment threshold of $800,000, compared to the standard $1,050,000 required for non-TEA projects.
Secondly, rural investors benefit from a set-aside yearly supply of visas. The RIA sets aside 20% of the yearly supply of EB-5 visas for the rural project category—twice the amount set aside for the urban category. And until this new “set-aside” category becomes oversubscribed, investors in rural projects will not be subject to the long delays caused by visa backlogs—even if they are Chinese or Indian nationals.
Lastly, rural EB-5 petitions are eligible for priority processing, meaning that I-526E adjudications are usually completed in months instead of years. This third benefit is exclusive to the rural category and has led to a notable difference in processing between rural and urban petitions. EB5AN’s own investors (see below) are typically seeing their rural I-526E petitions approved in under a year, with investors reporting approval times as fast as six months.
In sum, by investing in a rural EB-5 project, Chinese and Indian applicants can potentially avoid years of delays and instead receive their Green Cards in a matter of months.
Given these advantages, the attention of the EB-5 industry—for regional centers, investors, and developers—has largely turned to rural projects.
EB5AN Dominates the Rural EB-5 Market
Form I-526E is the first petition EB-5 investors must file. Upon approval, applicants can qualify for their initial U.S. Green Cards, allowing them to live, work, and travel internationally as conditional permanent residents of the United States.
Before the RIA, EB-5 investors typically had to wait for over a year—or significantly more—to receive I-526E approvals. But now this milestone is only months away for investors in rural projects—as has been the case for investors in EB5AN projects.
400+ Rural I-526E Approvals, Fast Approval Times, and 20% Market Share
With over 1,000 rural investors and over 400 I-526E approvals, EB5AN leads the rural EB-5 market. The chart below provides more details regarding the timeline and processing speeds for our rural I-526E approvals.
As you can see, the vast majority of EB5AN’s rural I-526E filings have been approved within a few months, and the overall approval times are consistently getting shorter—particularly since mid-2024. Indeed, some of our investors have received I-526E approvals in under six months. Many already hold their physical U.S. Green Cards.
This trend also underscores EB5AN’s leadership in the rural EB-5 market. From Twin Lakes Georgia’s equity and loan tranches to diverse developments like Rocky River and Tamarack Resort, our ability to oversee EB-5 projects from inception to approval—with quicker and more consistent standards than the industry norm—positions us as a trusted partner. As processing times for rural investors consistently get faster, our track record of success sets us apart—demonstrating not only the benefits of rural investment but also EB5AN’s proven expertise in delivering timely, favorable I-526E approvals.
Additionally, comparing USCIS I-526E filing data with our internal data reveals that EB5AN’s projects have a significant share of industry-wide rural approvals.
Approximately 20% of all rural approvals in 2023 and 2024 have been for investors in our projects. This share exceeds our proportion of filings, which suggests our focus on project and document quality has had a positive impact on I-526E processing for our clients.
Further, each EB-5 investor must create at least 10 qualifying jobs in order to receive a permanent U.S. Green Card. EB5AN’s rural projects have already created over 10,000 EB-5-compliant jobs.
The Most I-956F Approvals and Counting: EB5AN Leads the Industry in Compliance
Form I-956F, Application for Approval of an Investment in a Commercial Enterprise, is the petition that USCIS uses to scrutinize every aspect of an EB-5 offering. By requiring regional centers to submit all of their key offering documents—such as the confidential offering memorandum, partnership or loan agreements, business plan, economic impact analysis, TEA qualification reports, conflict-of-interest disclosures, and policies for monitoring securities sales—Form I-956F ensures all projects to be fully transparent.
Therefore, Form I-956F approval serves as a clear indicator of compliance, demonstrating that a regional center has met the rigorous documentation and program requirements established under the RIA.
To date, our team at EB5AN has secured 18 I-956F approvals, setting a new benchmark for speed and consistency in USCIS compliance. To our knowledge, we have received more I-956F approvals than any other regional center in the industry.
Our fastest I-956F approval took only 1.6 months, versus the current industry average of 8.5 months. Since 2013, our projects have enjoyed a 100% USCIS approval rate, reflecting both our deep understanding of evolving EB-5 regulations and our ability to adapt swiftly to changes in EB-5 law and policy.
Form I-956F approval matters to investors because it gives them added peace of mind. While each Form I-526E requires investors to submit their source-of-funds documentation and personal eligibility, it also requires the underlying project’s documents to be fully compliant. If USCIS has already approved a project’s Form I-956F, the project itself has already passed that rigorous compliance review—so when investors file their I-526E petitions, USCIS can focus solely on the investor’s personal documentation, greatly reducing the risk of project-related delays and paving the way for a faster approval.
For developers seeking to raise EB-5 capital, partnering with a regional center that has demonstrated USCIS compliance is essential. Our history of record-setting I-956F approvals shows that we know how to structure low-risk EB-5 offerings that attract a wide variety of investors.
EB5AN Works Closely With Top Developers Across the U.S.
Since 2013, EB5AN has worked with top-tier developers across a variety of asset classes—single-family housing, luxury resorts, upscale condominiums, hospitality, and more. As mentioned above, we continue to enjoy a 100% USCIS approval rate for our projects.
EB5AN has already repaid investors in its VUE Sarasota and Saltaire St. Petersburg (Fund X) projects. Both projects were developed by one of our most successful collaborators: The Kolter Group.
Founded in 1997, The Kolter Group is a diversified real estate development and investment firm headquartered in Palm Beach County, Florida, that has invested in projects with an expected value exceeding $30 billion. With over 290 years of cumulative real estate experience among its leadership team, Kolter has executed investments across major asset classes and all stages of the development cycle, fostering an entrepreneurial culture that adapts swiftly to market changes.
Remarkably, Kolter has never failed to complete a project or repay a loan throughout its 28-year history. Throughout this time, the firm has delivered over 27,000 units in over 100 residential projects, becoming one of the biggest names in real estate in the Southeast.
Operating through five strategic divisions, the firm has delivered award-winning master-planned communities, luxury high-rise condominiums, multifamily apartments, and branded hotels throughout the Southeast. Its affiliate Kolter Multifamily has sponsored nearly $1.6 billion of completed and in-development urban and suburban rental communities, underscoring its depth in multifamily housing. Kolter Urban, meanwhile, presents spectacular luxury condominium communities in Florida and Georgia, showcasing innovative architectural designs and thriving in dynamic downtown and waterfront locations.
Under the RIA, we have worked with Kolter on multiple successful rural EB-5 funds.
EB5AN currently sponsors two rural projects developed by Kolter: Twin Lakes Georgia and Rocky River, both single-family home communities with an exceptionally safe risk profile and strong financials.
Our partnership with Kolter is only one example of our success in sponsoring successful rural developments. We are constantly searching for more high-quality rural projects seeking the benefits of EB-5 capital.
Partner With EB5AN for Your Rural EB-5 Investment or Rural Development
EB5AN’s leadership in the rural EB-5 market is built on an unbroken record of compliance, speed, and financial strength. From securing over 400 I-526E approvals and 18 I-956F pre-approvals to creating more than 10,000 EB-5-compliant jobs, our track record speaks for itself.
“Every rural project we sponsor is built on a foundation of rigorous USCIS compliance and robust financial underwriting, ensuring investors and developers alike can move forward with confidence,” says Silverman. These milestones underscore why more than 1,000 investors and multiple top-tier developers have entrusted EB5AN with their capital and immigration goals.
Whether you’re an EB-5 investor seeking the benefits of reduced investment thresholds, priority processing, and visa set-aside categories or a real estate developer looking for a stable, cost-effective source of EB-5 capital, EB5AN is the premier regional center for rural projects.
Our deep expertise in navigating USCIS regulations, combined with a commitment to collaboration and transparency, ensures that every partnership delivers best-in-class results. Trust EB5AN to transform your goals into timely USCIS approvals and solid financial outcomes.
For more information for either EB-5 investors or developers, schedule a free consultation with EB5AN.
