Join Gary Merson, President of American Lending Center (ALC), Suzanne Lazicki, author of the LucidText blog, and Charles Oppenheim, former Chief of the U.S. Department of State’s Visa Control and Reporting Division, as they explore EB-5 visa demand, processing trends, and investor considerations in a webinar hosted by the American Immigrant Investor Alliance (AIIA).
Drawing on petition data obtained through Freedom of Information Act requests, the panel examined filing trends, petition processing, and potential visa backlogs across EB-5’s rural and high-unemployment categories, with particular attention to investors born in China and India.
A central takeaway was that a category’s “current” status in the Visa Bulletin does not guarantee a short wait for a green card. Processing timelines, visa supply, and pending demand all shape an investor’s path. Merson also emphasized the importance of evaluating project quality, trusted partners, and a regional center’s track record alongside immigration considerations.
The discussion highlighted the value of greater transparency and reliable data in helping investors make informed decisions and set realistic expectations.
