USCIS has issued a new form I-829 to apply for removal of conditions on permanent residence status. It asks more questions regarding the NCE and JCE than the old form. It also requests the person who translated the form to the applicant, if any, to sign it and provide contact information. The form is accompanied by 14 pages of instructions. The new form must be used starting on July 24, 2017.

Site Visits

For some I-829 applications, USCIS is making unannounced site visits to direct EB-5 projects to verify the location and number of employees. They request documents and question the staff on site.

USCIS is also talking about interviewing some I-829 applicants. I-829s are all about maintaining the investment and job creation. USCIS says that applicants who invested in a Regional Center project may have a representative of the RC join them at the interview. It would seem logical for RC cases that USCIS just interview the RC and its economist.

I-829 Processing Time

The USCIS average processing time for an I-829 is now a shocking 30 months. After filing the I-829, the investor may travel internationally with the expired conditional green card and the receipt issued by USCIS for one year. To travel thereafter, the investor must go to the local USCIS office and get a temporary stamp in their passport. Such stamps are usually valid for a year. Once the I-829 is granted, a new green card is issued.