Why Bay Creek’s Rural Designation Makes It One of the Fastest EB-5 Options

For international investors hoping to obtain U.S. permanent residency through investment, the EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program has long been one of the most reliable options. But within the EB-5 landscape, not all projects are created equal, particularly when it comes to processing times and immigration success rates. Among the many choices available today, the Bay Creek EB-5 project in Cape Charles, Virginia stands out as one of the fastest and most secure options on the market.

This distinction is largely due to Bay Creek’s designation as a rural targeted employment area (TEA), a classification that carries enhanced immigration benefits under the EB-5 Reform and Integrity Act of 2022. Investors considering the EB-5 route would be wise to understand how this rural status can accelerate their path to a U.S. Green Card while also minimizing risk.

Rural TEA in an Evolving EB-5 Landscape

The EB-5 program, originally designed to stimulate economic development and job creation, grants special consideration to projects located in rural TEAs, areas defined as outside metropolitan statistical areas and cities with populations over 20,000. The Bay Creek project, situated on the Chesapeake Bay in the small town of Cape Charles, Virginia, meets this criterion.

Why does this matter? Because rural EB-5 projects are prioritized in three critical ways: reduced investment thresholds, faster processing of immigration petitions, and dedicated visa availability through rural visa set-asides. Each of these benefits directly impacts how quickly and smoothly an investor can transition from application to approval.

Priority Processing and Set-Aside Visa Access

One of the biggest frustrations for EB-5 investors, especially those from high-demand countries like China and India, is the long waiting time for visa adjudication. Rural designation helps mitigate this delay. Projects like Bay Creek are eligible for priority processing of I-526E petitions, meaning USCIS evaluates these applications months faster than standard petitions.

Recent USCIS data highlights just how significant this difference is: between February 2023 and January 2025, roughly 24% of rural I-526E petitions were adjudicated compared to only 1.5% of urban filings. Many rural investors have already received approvals in as little as 10 months, while urban petitions remain largely stalled unless pursued through litigation.

Moreover, rural projects have access to 20% of all EB-5 visas reserved annually. These “set-aside” visas are not affected by the same backlogs that plague urban EB-5 projects. For investors, this means faster access to a Green Card and an overall smoother immigration timeline.

Lower Financial Barrier to Entry

Beyond immigration timelines, rural EB-5 projects, like other TEA categories, also offer a lower minimum investment requirement. While EB-5 projects under the unreserved category require an investment of $1,050,000, rural TEA projects like Bay Creek allow investors to participate with just $800,000.

Bay Creek further eases entry by allowing partial investments, providing flexibility for investors managing capital across international accounts. This structure reduces financial strain while still allowing investors to move forward in the immigration process.

High-Quality Project in a Scenic Location

While speed and cost are crucial, a project’s long-term success and viability are equally important. In this regard, Bay Creek is more than just an EB-5 vehicle. It’s a fully realized, high-demand master-planned waterfront community.

Spread across 741 acres, Bay Creek includes:

• Residential development of 340 new land lots
• Construction and sale of approximately 61 new homes
• Two award-winning golf courses, designed by Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus
• A private clubhouse, beaches, and a 350-acre nature preserve

With proximity to Norfolk International Airport (just 45 minutes away) and a strong track record of prior lot and home sales, Bay Creek has demonstrated clear market demand and long-term appeal.

Financially Conservative Investment Structure

The Bay Creek EB-5 investment is not structured as equity, which can expose investors to higher financial risk, but as a secured senior loan. This structure places EB-5 investors at the top of the repayment hierarchy, reducing the likelihood of financial loss.

The investment is secured by a first-priority mortgage on the property, and each investor receives an individual four-year loan term, a relatively short commitment that aligns with USCIS’s required investment sustainment period.

Additionally, the project offers key investor protections:

• An I-526E petition denial refund guaranty, returning capital if an investor’s petition is denied.
• A job creation guaranty, ensuring the required jobs are created to meet EB-5 immigration criteria.
• Oversight from PRXY Fund Services, an independent fund administrator that tracks and reports all fund activity in real time.

Robust Job Creation With Reduced Risk

A core requirement of the EB-5 program is that each investor’s funds must generate a minimum of 10 qualifying jobs for U.S. workers. Bay Creek far exceeds this requirement. When fully developed, the project is expected to create over 1,370 jobs, averaging more than 27 jobs per investor.

This substantial job buffer significantly reduces immigration risk, giving investors added confidence that their petition will not be denied for failing to meet job creation thresholds. The fact that construction is already underway further reduces the speculative nature of the investment.

A Fast, Low-Risk Path to U.S. Residency

Bay Creek offers EB-5 investors a unique combination of speed, safety, and quality. Thanks to its rural TEA designation, the project provides access to faster visa processing, set-aside visa availability, and a lower investment threshold.

When combined with the project’s secured loan structure, transparent fund administration, significant job creation, and proven leadership, Bay Creek emerges as one of the most compelling EB-5 investment opportunities available today.

EB5AN’s rural projects have also been industry leaders, accounting for about 20% of all rural I-526E approvals in 2023 and 2024. This proven track record underscores Bay Creek’s strength as a best-in-class rural EB-5 project.

EB5AN has helped more than 2,700 families from 70+ countries become lawful permanent residents of the United States. Our team has more than a decade of experience and offers clients first-rate, low-risk EB-5 regional center projects with a 100% USCIS project approval rate.

If you would like to know more about your EB-5 investment options, book a free call with our expert team today.