U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced today that revised versions of the I-526, Immigrant Petition for Alien Entrepreneur is now available for use.

The I-526 form is the actual application on which an investor self-petitions for an EB-5 visa.  While many in the immigration and EB-5 stakeholder community have submitted comments to the USCIS regarding proposed changes to the form, the revised I-526 form only has minor changes which differentiate it from the previous version.  These changes include space for the petitioner to write in his or her Passport Number, Travel Document Number, and Expiration Date, in Part 1.  Space has also been added in Part 7 for the petitioner to write in his or her Mobile Phone Number and Email Address.  Interestingly, the form still does not require that the investor list the name of his or her dependents or the regional center under which they are investing into the New Commercial Enterprise (Fund).  The lack of ability to include dependents on the I-526, as is done with other immigrant applications in other immigrant visa categories, often results in delays once the petition is approved, with having the National Visa Center who processes the subsequent immigrant visa applications generate fee bills for dependent spouses and children.

Please be aware that after December 16, 2013 the old version of the I-526 will no longer be accepted, so investors and agents must make sure that they are using the correct version to avoid a kickback from the USCIS.