My name is Jeremy, and I am an EB-5 investor from Singapore. My children are studying in the United States and hope to continue working there after graduation. To give them greater certainty about their future, our family decided to pursue EB-5. In our case, one of my children is the applicant, and I provided the investment funds as a gift for EB5AN’s Grand Park Rural EB-5 Project.
We were aware of other immigration options, but EB-5 stood out because it seemed to offer the degree of certainty we valued within a reasonable time frame. For a family evaluating how to obtain a U.S. Green Card as a Singapore citizen, that clarity was important.
Once we chose EB-5, we had to manage several tasks at the same time: selecting an immigration attorney, documenting the source of the gifted funds, evaluating regional centers, comparing projects, completing the investment, and preparing the petition. Before going through it ourselves, we did not fully appreciate how much coordination the EB-5 Green Card process would require.
The most time-consuming part was documenting the source of funds. I expected my case to be relatively straightforward, but preparing the evidence took at least three months. By comparison, once we had chosen Grand Park and were ready to proceed, signing the project documents, transferring the funds, and completing the filing took only about two or three weeks. That contrast is one of the most useful lessons from my experience with EB-5 source and path of funds.
Our search ultimately led us to EB5AN because its team responded quickly, answered our questions sincerely, and offered a rural project that fit our timing and had already received Form I-956F approval. Although our petition is still pending, we have had a good experience and are comfortable with our decision to work with EB5AN.
In this post, I’ll explain how we moved from knowing almost nothing about EB-5 to filing our petition—and why careful planning, strong legal counsel, clear selection criteria, and responsive professionals made the process manageable.
Why My Family Chose EB-5
Selecting an Experienced EB-5 Immigration Attorney
Why Source-of-Funds Documentation Took the Most Time
How I Evaluated EB-5 Regional Centers
Why My Criteria Led Me to Grand Park
Reviewing the Offering Documents and Investment Risk
Joining the Project and Transferring the Funds
My Advice for Prospective EB-5 Investors
Watch Jeremy’s Full Interview
Watch Jeremy’s Interview Highlights
Why My Family Chose EB-5
My interest in EB-5 began with my children’s plans in the United States. They were already studying there and hoped to work there after graduation, so we began examining the available visa routes. We knew that several possibilities existed, but after comparing EB-5 with other U.S. visa options, the choice became fairly clear to us.
What I valued most was the direct path to residency. Our goal was not simply to solve an immediate problem; we were thinking about our family’s plans over the next five to ten years. EB-5 appeared to provide a more dependable path for that long-term future, together with the practical benefits EB-5 can provide to family members.
Once we committed to EB-5, the next steps came into focus quickly. We needed experienced legal counsel, a fully documented source of funds, a reliable regional center, and a project that fit both our immigration priorities and our filing schedule. For a new investor, understanding where to begin the EB-5 process can be difficult, so establishing that sequence early is valuable.
Selecting an Experienced EB-5 Immigration Attorney
Finding a strong lawyer was one of my first priorities. We researched immigration firms and came across Fragomen, whose experience and approach appeared to fit what we needed. After discussing the firm’s experience and terms directly, we engaged them fairly quickly. In a process as specialized as this one, knowing how to select an EB-5 immigration attorney is critical.
Fragomen gave us good visibility into the main stages and explained both its legal fees and the government fees. Most of the documentation was straightforward, and we respected the firm’s judgment about what was needed for a strong filing. Working with an attorney who understands the program in detail can help an investor navigate the legal and evidentiary requirements of an EB-5 petition.
At the same time, my experience showed me how important it is for an attorney to explain the process from the applicant’s point of view. Immigration firms work on these matters every day, but an investor may go through the process only once. A clear flowchart, a line-by-line explanation of the stages, and a precise list of the required information would make it much easier for a new applicant to understand how the different EB-5 professionals and responsibilities fit together.
Why Source-of-Funds Documentation Took the Most Time
My child was the applicant, while I supplied the $800,000 investment capital as a gift. That meant we had to document not only the transfer to my child but also how I had lawfully obtained the money. The rules governing gifted EB-5 investment funds made the source-of-funds portion central to our filing.
I initially expected this part to be simple. My documents were already in English, and I had a clear banking and employment history supported by substantial records. Even so, getting everything into a form that our attorneys considered sufficient was laborious and, at times, frustrating. It showed me why investors should treat source-of-funds preparation as a major part of the case rather than a final administrative task.
The process took at least three months and possibly a little longer. The additional back-and-forth delayed us by weeks rather than months, and we ultimately filed on April 26. But if my records had required translation or if my banking and employment history had been more complex, the timeline could have been harder to manage. Investors should begin gathering the documents required for an EB-5 filing as early as possible.
The main improvement I would suggest is to develop the source-of-funds strategy before documents begin moving back and forth. The attorney should interview the investor or gift giver, understand the complete history of the funds, determine the cleanest way to present it, and then provide a precise list of evidence. A defined game plan is far more efficient than drip-feeding records while trying to work out the narrative along the way. That preparation can be decisive when an investor is ready to submit Form I-526E.
How I Evaluated EB-5 Regional Centers
While Fragomen worked with us on the petition, we began looking for a regional center and project. We entered that search with almost no familiarity with the industry. Fragomen provided a small handful of regional centers it had worked with previously, giving us a practical starting point in a market filled with USCIS-approved regional centers.
The attorneys did not evaluate the organizations or recommend a particular investment, which I understood. Their list was still materially helpful because an online search can produce a large number of firms, all presenting themselves as highly capable. As a layperson, it can be difficult to distinguish among them without a trusted starting point. We therefore contacted the firms on the list and performed what I considered reasonable regional center due diligence.
The organizations differed significantly. Some appeared to be very small operations centered on one person, while others had a more established profile. Most responded quickly, although some did not. Those initial interactions helped us reduce the field to EB5AN and one other firm. Responsiveness did not answer every diligence question, but it was one useful factor in deciding which regional center might provide dependable communication after we invested.
Our conversations with Jordan at EB5AN made a particularly strong impression. He responded promptly, engaged with our questions, and came across as sincere and forthcoming. Speaking directly with the people responsible for an offering is an important part of evaluating a regional center’s principals, and those calls gave us confidence that we could work comfortably with the EB5AN team.
Why My Criteria Led Me to Grand Park
First, we preferred a rural project because we understood that the rural category could offer a faster immigration route. The potential advantages of rural set-aside visas and priority processing therefore played a significant role in our search.
Second, the project had to fit our schedule. We planned to file in April, so we needed an offering that was active, prepared to receive funds during the first quarter, and ready to support our filing. This timing requirement eliminated projects that might otherwise have deserved consideration.
Third, we preferred a project that had already received USCIS project approval. Grand Park had an approved Form I-956F, which was one of the specific factors that made us comfortable. Understanding why Form I-956F approval matters helped us distinguish between projects that were at different stages of immigration review.
We reviewed high-level presentations for several projects in EB5AN’s pipeline. Some interested us more than others, and we tried to identify offerings that did not appear to carry excessive risk, recognizing that any such assessment is partly subjective. Once we combined our requirements—rural status, I-956F approval, readiness to accept funds, and compatibility with our filing date—the list narrowed naturally. This is why clearly defining how you will compare EB-5 projects before making a decision can be so useful.
Track record also mattered. We wanted to see evidence that the organizations involved had experience with other projects and could execute the process successfully. Grand Park appeared sound, our review did not reveal red flags, and our questions received satisfactory answers. The combination of those factors made us comfortable selecting Grand Park.
Reviewing the Offering Documents and Investment Risk
After selecting the project, we received the full offering materials. The package ran to roughly 200 pages of legal language, but we reviewed it because the formal documents—not a presentation or sales conversation—set out the actual terms and risks of the investment. Prospective investors should take the same care when reviewing EB-5 offering documents.
We raised questions based on that review, and EB5AN answered them clearly and sincerely. Those answers supported the positive impression we had formed during our earlier discussions. Transparency was especially important because an EB-5 investment must be at risk; comfort with a project does not mean believing that risk has disappeared.
Our approach was practical. We looked for red flags, considered the project’s apparent risk, reviewed the materials, and asked follow-up questions. We did not need to ask thousands of questions once we were satisfied, but we did need enough information to make a deliberate decision. A structured list of key EB-5 due-diligence questions can help an investor focus on the issues that actually affect immigration and financial outcomes.
Since joining the project, we have also received periodic updates. That continuing communication matters because the relationship with a regional center does not end when the subscription documents are signed. EB5AN’s Grand Park project updates give investors ongoing visibility into the investment after funding.
Joining the Project and Transferring the Funds
Once the source-of-funds work was complete and we had chosen Grand Park, the remaining steps moved quickly. We received clear guidance about what to sign, what to send, and when each item was required. From project selection through funding and filing, I recall the process taking roughly two or three weeks. For investors working toward the September 30, 2026, EB-5 deadline, that difference between source-of-funds preparation and project execution is important.
We were initially concerned about moving such a large amount of money, particularly because the transfer involved my child. Banks can delay or question unusual transactions, and we wanted to avoid sending funds to an incorrect account. In our case, however, the international transfer of the EB-5 funds went according to plan, without missing funds, delays, or other friction.
EB5AN recommended that we first send $10 and confirm receipt before transferring the balance of the $800,000 investment. It was a small step, but it demonstrated prudence and gave us confidence before we initiated the full transfer. A test wire for an EB-5 investment is a simple safeguard when so much capital is moving between accounts.
The documents were signed, the funds were received, and EB5AN kept us informed. From the point at which we had completed our diligence and made the decision, I had no issues with the subscription or funding process. It was efficient and smooth, allowing the legal team to finish the filing so our family could move toward the next stage of the EB-5 immigration process.
My Advice for Prospective EB-5 Investors
My first piece of advice is to retain a good EB-5 immigration lawyer as early as possible. Ask the lawyer to walk through the entire process in detail, explain exactly what information will be required, and develop the source-of-funds strategy before the document requests begin. An experienced attorney should help turn an unfamiliar process into a precise plan rather than expecting the applicant to understand each stage without guidance.
Second, do not underestimate source-of-funds documentation. Even a case that appears straightforward can take much longer than expected. Begin early, organize the banking and employment records, account for any translation needs, and make sure the path from the original source to the final investment transfer can be explained clearly. This work often determines how quickly the petition can be completed.
Third, perform your own diligence on the regional center and project. Referrals can provide a useful shortlist, but they do not replace your responsibility to compare the organizations, review their track records, study the project documents, look for red flags, and speak directly with the people who will manage the investment. A thorough EB-5 project due-diligence checklist can help you find a team and offering that you understand and trust.
Our application is still pending, so the ultimate immigration result has not yet arrived. We are hopeful that approval, along with the travel and work authorization important to our family, will come soon. Understanding what happens after Form I-526E approval is now the next part of our journey.
Based on our experience so far, I would recommend both Fragomen and EB5AN to other families considering EB-5. Fragomen took care to get the petition right, while EB5AN was responsive, transparent, and efficient throughout project selection, subscription, and funding. We are happy that we moved forward, confident that EB-5 was the right decision for our family, and have no regrets about choosing the Grand Park Rural EB-5 Project.