URGENT UPDATE for Scheduled EB-5-Based Green Card Interviews

As we alerted previously, the U.S. federal government shut down at the end of the day on Dec. 21, 2018. Because the EB-5 regional program was not extended, government agencies such as USCIS and the U.S. State Department will no longer be able to approve adjustment of status (green card) applications and immigrant visas based on this program until the extension is passed and signed into law. Those investors whose immigrant-visa or adjustment-of-status interviews have been scheduled should expect that they may receive notifications of their cancellation. Importantly, if notification of cancellation of the interview is not received, investors and their family members should expect to attend their interview as scheduled, though it is likely that the Consular Post or USCIS may be unable to move forward due to visa unavailability. Investors should expect that their interviews will be rescheduled and immigrant visas and green cards granted once the program extension has been signed into law and the government shutdown has ended.