What You Need to Know about Form I-526
Are you looking for ways to immigrate to the U.S. by way of investment? Are you already set on investing a large amount of capital in the U.S. economy to gain an investment-related visa?
Form I-526 is a crucial part of this process. Below we take a look at how it works and why it is so important.
What is I-526?
The I-526 is a form you need to complete to file an application for an investor visa. An investor visa has some requirements to it which only makes certain types of investors eligible for it. The form is also called an Immigrant Petition by Alien Entrepreneur. The intended beneficiary of the investor visa completes this form with the intention to file for conditional permanent residency through the dedicated investment programs.
One of the main purposes of the I-526 is to prove that the money being invested originated from a legitimate and ethical source. The U.S. does not want any money invested in its economy that originated from an illegal source.
Who Needs to File Form I-526?
People who want an investment-related visa like the EB-5 visa needs to file an I-526. The form is available free of charge on the USCIS (U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services) website. Remember, you still need to be eligible for an EB-5 investor visa before you can actually file the form. You can also research the EB-6 investor visa as a second option for investor-related visas.
According to the requirements for the EB-5 visa, you first need to invest in an approved EB-5 project or be in the process of investing in such a project. There all kinds of EB-5 projects you can invest in. The investment must be between $500,000 and $1,000,000 in a designated EB-5 project and it must create 10 permanent full-time jobs in the U.S. economy.
Take note most I-526 applications are filed on behalf of the intended visa beneficiary by an immigration attorney or similar legal counselor. This is in most cases to ensure the application runs smoothly and all the required boxes are ticked.
Required Documents for I-526
The required documents for your I-526 are as follows:
An EB-5 eligible project – Evidence required include articles of incorporation, merger or consolidation certificates, joint venture or limited partnership agreements, state business certificates.
Appropriate investment amount has been made – Evidence required include bank statements, security agreements, promissory notes, loan or mortgage certificates or other evidence that sufficiently proves the investment amount.
The capital investment was gained by lawful means – Evidence includes five years of tax returns, pay stubs of the funds that originate from a salary, bank account statements or securities statements (if the funds come from stocks, bonds, and/or trading).
The investment will create 10 full-time U.S. jobs – Evidence includes a business plan detailing the personnel required.
The investor will be involved with day-to-day management or senior leadership requirements – Evidence include corporate documents, statements, and description of duties.
How to Fill Out Form I-526
The filing of the form can be quite tricky. The best advice here is to follow the instruction sheet found on the USCIS website. As mentioned earlier, the I-526 is most commonly filed on behalf of the visa beneficiary. Ask a U.S. registered immigration attorney to file your I-526 on your behalf if you are unsure about how to go about the process.
Where to File I-526
Your situation and chosen method of postage will determine the address you need to select. The different addresses for I-526 applications are listed on the USCIS website. You basically need to distinguish whether you use U.S. Postal Service or commercial delivery services.
There are some handy filing tips to help guide you through this process. Please remember to always sign the document before submitting it. Any unsigned documents are rejected and returned to the sender. Also, supply any and all personal information required in the I-526.
How Much Does I-526 Cost?
The I-526 has a filing fee of $3,675. The USCIS accepts many ways of payment. You can pay with a money order, personal check, or cashier’s check. You can also pay by credit card if you file at a USCIS Lockbox facility, but know that service centers do not accept credit card payments. Checks are payable to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. You can also use their fee calculator as an additional way to determine the cost of your application.
I-526 Processing Time
You can expect the process to take anything between 3 and 33 months. It may even take longer if the USCIS requires additional information. Please do not lie about information and supply the correct details required in the application. Any errors will delay the process and, even worse, it may lead to the rejection or refusal of your visa application.
Form I-526 FAQ
Don’t worry, you are not the only one with questions about your I-526. Here are a few of the most common questions, answered.
Where should I send my I-526 form?
This depends on your situation. Are you filing it at a USCIS Lockbox facility or do you use a postal service? The USCIS Lockbox facility has its own requirements. You can search for the applicable postal address for your application by using the information found on the USCIS website.
How much does it cost to file an I-526 petition?
The filing fee is $3,675. But you have to consider the amount you’re investing as well since it is one of the prerequisites for eligibility for the visa. The investment amount is determined by the approved EB-5 project you choose. It usually ranges between $500,000 and $1,000,000.
How long does the I-526 petition process take?
Each case is unique. There are many parties involved from the USCIS right down to the people at the EB-5 project you are investing in. If all goes well, you can expect the process to take between 3 and 33 months. But this estimate is provided there aren’t any errors or delays in the processing of your application. Any errors or additional information required could delay the process even longer.
There is a way in which the USCIS will notify you once they have accepted your I-526 application for processing. File a Form G-1145 (also known as the E-Notification of Application or Petition Acceptance) on the cover page of your I-526 application. The service adds no charge to the filing fee of the form it accompanies. Please also note that this service is only available to applications filed at one of the three USCIS Lockbox facilities in Lewisville, Texas; Chicago, Illinois; and Phoenix, Arizona.
Form I-526 is a crucial part of this process. Below we take a look at how it works and why it is so important.
What is I-526?
The I-526 is a form you need to complete to file an application for an investor visa. An investor visa has some requirements to it which only makes certain types of investors eligible for it. The form is also called an Immigrant Petition by Alien Entrepreneur. The intended beneficiary of the investor visa completes this form with the intention to file for conditional permanent residency through the dedicated investment programs.
One of the main purposes of the I-526 is to prove that the money being invested originated from a legitimate and ethical source. The U.S. does not want any money invested in its economy that originated from an illegal source.
Who Needs to File Form I-526?
People who want an investment-related visa like the EB-5 visa needs to file an I-526. The form is available free of charge on the USCIS (U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services) website. Remember, you still need to be eligible for an EB-5 investor visa before you can actually file the form. You can also research the EB-6 investor visa as a second option for investor-related visas.
According to the requirements for the EB-5 visa, you first need to invest in an approved EB-5 project or be in the process of investing in such a project. There all kinds of EB-5 projects you can invest in. The investment must be between $500,000 and $1,000,000 in a designated EB-5 project and it must create 10 permanent full-time jobs in the U.S. economy.
Take note most I-526 applications are filed on behalf of the intended visa beneficiary by an immigration attorney or similar legal counselor. This is in most cases to ensure the application runs smoothly and all the required boxes are ticked.
Required Documents for I-526
The required documents for your I-526 are as follows:
An EB-5 eligible project – Evidence required include articles of incorporation, merger or consolidation certificates, joint venture or limited partnership agreements, state business certificates.
Appropriate investment amount has been made – Evidence required include bank statements, security agreements, promissory notes, loan or mortgage certificates or other evidence that sufficiently proves the investment amount.
The capital investment was gained by lawful means – Evidence includes five years of tax returns, pay stubs of the funds that originate from a salary, bank account statements or securities statements (if the funds come from stocks, bonds, and/or trading).
The investment will create 10 full-time U.S. jobs – Evidence includes a business plan detailing the personnel required.
The investor will be involved with day-to-day management or senior leadership requirements – Evidence include corporate documents, statements, and description of duties.
How to Fill Out Form I-526
The filing of the form can be quite tricky. The best advice here is to follow the instruction sheet found on the USCIS website. As mentioned earlier, the I-526 is most commonly filed on behalf of the visa beneficiary. Ask a U.S. registered immigration attorney to file your I-526 on your behalf if you are unsure about how to go about the process.
Where to File I-526
Your situation and chosen method of postage will determine the address you need to select. The different addresses for I-526 applications are listed on the USCIS website. You basically need to distinguish whether you use U.S. Postal Service or commercial delivery services.
There are some handy filing tips to help guide you through this process. Please remember to always sign the document before submitting it. Any unsigned documents are rejected and returned to the sender. Also, supply any and all personal information required in the I-526.
How Much Does I-526 Cost?
The I-526 has a filing fee of $3,675. The USCIS accepts many ways of payment. You can pay with a money order, personal check, or cashier’s check. You can also pay by credit card if you file at a USCIS Lockbox facility, but know that service centers do not accept credit card payments. Checks are payable to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. You can also use their fee calculator as an additional way to determine the cost of your application.
I-526 Processing Time
You can expect the process to take anything between 3 and 33 months. It may even take longer if the USCIS requires additional information. Please do not lie about information and supply the correct details required in the application. Any errors will delay the process and, even worse, it may lead to the rejection or refusal of your visa application.
Form I-526 FAQ
Don’t worry, you are not the only one with questions about your I-526. Here are a few of the most common questions, answered.
Where should I send my I-526 form?
This depends on your situation. Are you filing it at a USCIS Lockbox facility or do you use a postal service? The USCIS Lockbox facility has its own requirements. You can search for the applicable postal address for your application by using the information found on the USCIS website.
How much does it cost to file an I-526 petition?
The filing fee is $3,675. But you have to consider the amount you’re investing as well since it is one of the prerequisites for eligibility for the visa. The investment amount is determined by the approved EB-5 project you choose. It usually ranges between $500,000 and $1,000,000.
How long does the I-526 petition process take?
Each case is unique. There are many parties involved from the USCIS right down to the people at the EB-5 project you are investing in. If all goes well, you can expect the process to take between 3 and 33 months. But this estimate is provided there aren’t any errors or delays in the processing of your application. Any errors or additional information required could delay the process even longer.
There is a way in which the USCIS will notify you once they have accepted your I-526 application for processing. File a Form G-1145 (also known as the E-Notification of Application or Petition Acceptance) on the cover page of your I-526 application. The service adds no charge to the filing fee of the form it accompanies. Please also note that this service is only available to applications filed at one of the three USCIS Lockbox facilities in Lewisville, Texas; Chicago, Illinois; and Phoenix, Arizona.