Beginning on Monday, Feb. 22, 2016, EB-5 investors with approved I-526 petitions will be able to contact the National Visa Center’s (NVC) newly created EB-5 Investor Assistance Desk. Customers with visa processing questions can send their inquiries to the following email address: NVCeb5@state.gov. Inquiries will be answered by a team of professionals at the NVC specially trained in EB-5 investor petitions. Customers with questions on derivative applicants will need to attach documents that prove the derivative’s relationship to the primary applicant.

It is important to note that the NVC’s application process for submitting civil, financial and supporting documents will not change. In order to qualify for an immigrant visa and schedule an interview at an overseas consulate, these documents must still be submitted in one package according to the instructions. The new email box is only designed to respond to case status inquiries and answer questions on EB-5 immigrant visa processing.

The NVC’s announcement comes as a welcome to EB-5 investors who are experiencing numerous issues while processing for an immigrant visa. Among some of the challenges EB-5 investors face at the NVC stage are delays in the issuance of Fee Bills, missing Fee Bills for derivative applicants, misspelled names on Fee Bills, and problems accessing DS-260 applications and paying Fee Bills  on the NVC website. Those EB-5 investors processing for immigrant visas will soon be able to turn to the new EB-5 Investor Assistance Desk for much needed assistance.