The State Department recently published the July 2021 Visa Bulletin. In the July 2021 Visa Bulletin, the final action priority date for EB-5 Vietnam moved forward significantly to April 1, 2020. This means that an EB-5 investor born in Vietnam who filed an I-526 Petition on or before March 31, 2020, may have a visa number immediately available on July 1, 2021, and can process for a conditional green card upon I-526 Petition approval. This significant advance will make the majority of all pending and approved I-526 petitions for investors born in Vietnam “current,” meaning there is no visa backlog.
Importantly, the EB-5 Regional Center program is set to expire on June 30, 2021, and therefore the “5th Regional Center (I5 and R5) currently says “U” for unavailable. Division O, Title 1, Section 104 of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 extended the Regional Center program until June 30, 2021. The Visa Bulletin states that EB-5 immigrant visas based on an approved I-526 Petition affiliated with a regional center may be issued until close of business on June 30, 2021, and may be issued for the full validity period. No EB-5 immigrant visas may be issued overseas, or final action taken on adjustment of status cases, after June 30, 2021, until the EB-5 Regional Center program is reauthorized by Congress.