The EB-5 Reform and Integrity Act of 2022 (“RIA”) establishes priority processing for rural areas, ensuring that Form I-526/I-526E Petitions (“Petitions”) filed for business or projects in these areas are expedited. Under this provision, Petitions for EB-5 investments in rural areas shall be prioritized in processing and adjudication, allowing investors and project developers in these areas to benefit from faster review times and reduced delays.
Any Rural or High-unemployment area identified by the Secretary of Homeland Security is considered a Targeted Employment Area (“TEA”). Rural areas are those located outside the geographic boundaries of a metropolitan statistical area and outside cities or towns with a population of 20,000 or more, based on the most recent decennial census. This classification is to encourage EB-5 investments into target areas that are genuinely rural and in need of economic stimulation.
Priority processing for rural areas supports the EB-5 program’s broader goal of stimulating economic growth in areas that are often overlooked in terms of development opportunities. Petitions that are filed based on investments in rural areas usually experience processing times 100-200% quicker than Petitions filed in High-unemployment and non-TEA areas.
This is part of a series on the EB-5 Reform and Integrity Act of 2022. To read more in this series, click here.