Volume 6 - Immigrants
Resources
20 CFR 656 - Labor Certification Process for Permanent Employment of Aliens in the United States
20 CFR 656.10 - General Instructions
20 CFR 656.11 - Substitutions and modifications to applications
20 CFR 656.15 - Applications for labor certification for Schedule A occupations
20 CFR 656.17 - Basic labor certification process
20 CFR 656.17(i) - Basic labor certification process
20 CFR 656.20 - Audit Procedures
20 CFR 656.26 - Board of Alien Labor Certification Appeals review of denials of labor certification
20 CFR 656.3 - Definitions
20 CFR 656.30(a) - Priority date
20 CFR 656.30(b) - Expiration of labor certifications
20 CFR 656.30(e) - Duplicate labor certifications
20 CFR 656.32 - Revocation of approved labor certifications
20 CFR 656.5 - Schedule A
26 U.S.C. 501 - Exemption from tax on corporations, certain trusts, etc.
72 FR 27904 (PDF) - Labor Certification for the Permanent Employment of Aliens in the United States; Reducing the Incentives and Opportunities for Fraud and Abuse and Enhancing Program Integrity
73 FR 72275 (PDF) - Special immigrant and nonimmigrant religious workers
8 CFR 1.2 - Definitions
8 CFR 103.2(a)(7)(ii)(D) - Benefit requests submitted
8 CFR 103.3 - Denials, appeals, and precedent decisions
8 CFR 103.3(a) - Denials and appeals
8 CFR 103.5 - Reopening or reconsideration
8 CFR 204.12 - How can second-preference immigrant physicians be granted a national interest waiver based on service in a medically underserved area or VA facility?
8 CFR 204.2(a)(1)(ii) - Fraudulent marriage prohibition
8 CFR 204.5(a)-(l), (n) - Petitions for employment-based immigrants
8 CFR 204.5(d) - Priority date
8 CFR 204.5(e) - Retention of section 203(b)(1), (2), or (3) priority date
8 CFR 204.5(g)(1) - Initial evidence
8 CFR 204.5(g)(2) - Ability of prospective employer to pay wage
8 CFR 204.5(h) - Aliens with extraordinary ability
8 CFR 204.5(j) - Outstanding professors or researchers
8 CFR 204.5(k) - Aliens who are members of the professions holding advanced degrees or aliens of exceptional ability
8 CFR 204.5(l) - Skilled workers, professionals, and other workers
8 CFR 204.5 - Petitions for employment-based immigrants
8 CFR 204.9 - Special immigrant status for certain aliens who have served honorably (or are enlisted to serve) in the Armed Forces of the United States for at least 12 years
8 CFR 205.1 - Automatic revocation
8 CFR 205.1(a)(3)(iv) - Reasons for automatic revocation
8 CFR 205.2 - Revocation on notice
8 CFR 214.2(f)(10)(ii)(C)(2)(i) - DHS-approved degree
8 CFR 216.3 - Termination of conditional permanent resident status
8 CFR 245.1(g) - Availability of immigrant visas under section 245 and priority dates
8 CFR 245.18 - Physicians with approved employment-based petitions serving in a medically underserved area or a Veterans Affairs facility
INA 101(a)(27) - Definitions of certain special immigrants
INA 101(a)(27)(J), 8 CFR 204.11 - Special immigrant juveniles
INA 101(a)(32) - Definition of “profession”
INA 101(b)(1) - Definition of child
INA 201 - Worldwide level of immigration
INA 202 - Numerical limitations on individual foreign states
INA 203 - Allocation of immigrant visas
INA 203(b)(1) - Priority workers
INA 203(b)(1)(A) - Aliens with extraordinary ability
INA 203(b)(1)(C) - Outstanding professors or researchers
INA 203(b)(1), (2), (3) - Preference allocation for employment-based immigrants
INA 203(b)(2) - Aliens who are members of the professions holding advanced degrees or aliens of exceptional ability
INA 203(b)(2)(B) - Waiver of the job offer
INA 203(b)(2)(B)(i) - National Interest Waiver
INA 203(b)(2)(B)(ii) - Physicians working in shortage areas or veterans facilities
INA 203(b)(3) - Skilled workers, professionals, and other workers
INA 203(b)(4) - Certain special immigrants
INA 203(b)(5), 8 CFR 204.6 (PDF) - Employment creation immigrants
INA 203(g) - Allocation of immigrant visas; lists
INA 204(a)(1)(G)(i) - Petitioning procedure
INA 204(c) - Procedure for granting immigrant status; limitation on orphan petitions approved for a single petitioner; prohibition against approval in cases of marriage entered into in order to evade immigration laws; restriction on future entry of aliens involved with marriage fraud
INA 204(j) - Job flexibility for long delayed applicants for adjustment of status to permanent residence
INA 205 - Revocation of approval of petitions; effective date
INA 212(a)(5) - Labor certification and qualifications for certain immigrants
INA 212(a)(5)(A) - Labor certification
INA 214(l) - Restrictions on waiver
INA 216A, 8 CFR 216.6 - Conditional permanent resident status for certain alien entrepreneurs, spouses, and children
INA 245(h) - Adjustment of special immigrant juveniles
INA 287(h) - Protecting abused juveniles
Legal Settlement Notice (PDF, 44.09 KB) - Ruiz-Diaz v. United States
Pub. L. 102-232 (PDF) - Section 302 of the Miscellaneous and Technical Immigration and Nationality Amendments of 1991
Pub. L. 102-395 (as amended) (PDF) (PDF, 83.2 KB) - Section 610 of the Departments of Commerce, Justice, and State, the Judiciary, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act of 1993
Pub. L. 102-395 (PDF) - Section 610 of the Departments of Commerce, Justice, and State, the Judiciary, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act of 1993
Pub. L. 106-313 (PDF) - Section 106(c) of the American Competitiveness in the Twenty-first Century Act of 2000 (Oct. 17, 2000) Increased job flexibility for long delayed applicants for adjustment of status
Pub. L. 109-163 (PDF) - Section 1059 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2006, as amended – Special immigrant status for persons serving as translators with U.S. armed forces
Pub. L. 110-181 (PDF) - Section 1244 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008, as amended – Special immigrant status for certain Iraqis
Pub. L. 111-8 (PDF) - Section 602(b), Title VI of the Afghan Allies Protection Act of 2009
Pub. L. 117-103 (PDF) - Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2022 - Division BB - EB–5 Reform and Integrity Act of 2022
Appendices
This appendix provides a general overview of the most common business forms or structures of petitioning employers, agents, or sponsors filing an Immigrant Petition for Alien Workers (Form I-140) or Petition for Nonimmigrant Worker (Form I-129). These forms or structures are also relevant to the new commercial enterprises underlying an Immigrant Petition by Standalone Investor (Form I-526) or Immigrant Petition by Regional Center Investor (Form I-526E).
This appendix includes information on how different types of businesses are formed, their fundamental characteristics, the various tax forms that each business organization files with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), and basic tax terms. Generally, each business form or structure discussed in this appendix should have an Employer Identification Number (EIN), sometimes also called a Federal Tax Identification Number, or IRS Tax Number.[1] An EIN is used to identify a business entity for IRS purposes.
State law generally governs the formation, operation, and dissolution of business entities. As each state has its own rules for business entities, an officer should refer to the relevant state statute or state authority’s website (such as the California Secretary of State’s Business Programs Division) if there is a specific question about a particular business entity.
A. Sole Proprietorship
1. Definition
A sole proprietorship is a for-profit business owned by one person (or a married couple, in some cases).[2] A sole proprietorship is “a business in which one person owns all the assets, owes all the liabilities, and operates in his or her personal capacity.”[3] Owners may operate on their own or may employ other people. The sole proprietorship is the simplest business form under which a person can operate a business. It is not a separate legal entity from its owner;[4] for example, the owner remains responsible for the business debts.
A sole proprietorship can operate under the name of its owner or it can elect to do business under a fictitious name. The fictitious name is simply a trade name and does not create a legal entity separate from the sole proprietor owner.[5]
2. Taxes
Income from the business is included on the owner’s personal income tax return, U.S. Individual Income Tax Return (IRS Form 1040). The profits and losses of the business are recorded and attached to the Form 1040 on Profit or Loss From Business (Schedule C); Supplemental Income or Loss (Schedule E); or Profit or Loss From Farming (Schedule F).
The owner’s adjusted gross income on Form 1040 is used as net income for ability to pay purposes; however, there are no tax forms that list the business’s current assets and liabilities. When determining a petitioner’s ability to pay the proffered wage, USCIS also considers a sole proprietor’s liquefiable personal assets as well as household expenses and other personal liabilities (such as rent, car payments, and child care expenses).
B. Partnership
A partnership is the relationship between two or more persons or entities who join to carry on a trade or business.[6] Each person or entity contributes to the partnership something of value (for example, money, property, labor, or skill) and expects to share in the profits and losses of the business.[7]
A partnership is created automatically when two or more persons or entities engage in a business enterprise for profit whether or not the persons or entities intend to form a partnership.[8] Partners seeking increased accountability, however, may opt to have their arrangement memorialized in a partnership agreement. The following subsections provide an overview of the most common forms of partnerships. The type of partnership is identified at Schedule B, Line 1 of U.S. Return of Partnership Income (IRS Form 1065).
1. General Partnership
A general partnership is the simplest form of partnership, and as such, general partnerships are simply called partnerships.[9] In a general partnership, all partners or owners may equally share responsibilities and liabilities.
A general partnership has the following characteristics:
- A general partnership is created through an express or implied agreement;[10]
- A general partnership has two or more partners;[11] and
- The owners or partners, which may be other types of entities (such as a corporation or limited liability company), are all liable for all legal actions and debts the company faces.[12]
2. Limited Partnership
A limited partnership[13] is very similar to a general partnership, except that the partnership is partially owned by one or more limited partners and is managed exclusively by its general partner(s).[14]
A limited partnership must have at least one general partner. The general partner, often another type of entity (typically a corporation or limited liability company), has management powers, the right to use partnership property, and is personally liable for the debts of the partnership.[15]
Conversely, limited partners do not participate in the management of the business and are generally liable for the partnership’s debts only to the extent of their contributed investment. Limited partnerships permit a person to invest in a partnership while limiting their liability and involvement in its management. In general, a formal written agreement is required to create a limited partnership.[16]
3. Limited Liability Partnership
In a limited liability partnership (LLP),[17] all partners have limited liability similar to that of limited partners in a limited partnership, but without the limitations on control over the company.[18] Some states limit usage of LLPs to certain professions (for example, lawyers).[19]
4. Limited Liability Limited Partnership
A limited liability limited partnership (LLLP) is a modification of the limited partnership.[20] Similar to a limited partnership, the LLLP consists of one or more general partners and one or more limited partners.[21]
In general, the key features of an LLLP are:
-
The general partners manage the business operations of the LLLP, while the limited partners typically only maintain a passive financial interest;
-
It is designed to offer limited liability to all partners in the partnership; and
-
The partners decide the structure of the organization and the distribution of profits and losses. States usually recommend the partners establish a formal, written partnership agreement.[22]
Not every state allows the formation of or recognizes LLLPs.
5. Taxes
The IRS generally considers partnerships to be pass-through tax entities, which means that the partnership itself does not pay income taxes and all of the profits and losses of the partnership pass through the business to the partners, who pay taxes on their share of the profits (or deduct their share of the losses) on their individual income tax returns.[23] Each partner may share in the profits and losses of the partnership equally, or in proportion to their respective contributions to the partnership or as otherwise set out in a written partnership agreement.
Even though the partnership itself does not pay income taxes, it must file U.S. Return of Partnership Income (IRS Form 1065). This form is an informational return the IRS reviews to determine whether the partners are reporting their income correctly.[24] Net income or loss (notated on tax forms as ordinary business income (loss))[25] is found on IRS Form 1065 or Schedule K and net current assets are calculated from information on Schedule L.
C. Corporation
A corporation is a created by filing articles of incorporation with a state. In the eyes of the law, a corporation is a distinct body separate from its owners and management. Accordingly, a corporation is entitled to all legal rights afforded to individual persons, such as the ability to bring and defend lawsuits or to buy and sell property. The corporation’s most notable feature is that, subject to narrow exceptions, it protects its owners (shareholders) from personal liability for its debts and obligations.[26] A corporation also has directors and officers who run the business.
A corporation has perpetual life. When a shareholder dies or otherwise elects to leave a corporation, the shareholder can transfer their stock to others. Corporate shareholders own the corporation, the board of directors manages the corporation through their direction and control of its officers, and, in almost all cases, the officers oversee the day-to-day operations of the corporation. The shareholders elect the directors, who in turn appoint the corporate officers. Often, particularly in smaller corporations, the same person might serve multiple roles within a corporation: shareholder, director, and officer.[27]
A corporation’s shareholders, directors, and officers must observe particular formalities in a corporation’s operation and administration.[28] For example, corporations must, on at least an annual basis, make decisions regarding a corporation’s management by formal vote and must record those votes in the corporate minutes. Meetings of shareholders and directors must be properly noticed and must meet quorum requirements. Finally, corporations must meet annual reporting requirements in their state of incorporation and in states where they do significant business.[29]
1. Subchapter C Corporations
Corporations that have not elected to be taxed as a subchapter S corporation are by default taxed as a C corporation under Subchapter C of Chapter 1 of the Internal Revenue Code (IRC) where the general tax rules affecting corporations and their shareholders are located.[30]
Taxes[31]
A C corporation files U.S. Corporation Income Tax Return (IRS Form 1120). C corporations (and other entities electing to be taxed as C corporations) are the only type of businesses that must pay income taxes on profits.[32] The subsections below discuss how other corporations file and pay their taxes.
Generally, a C corporation’s taxable profits consist of money kept in the company to cover expenses or expansion (called retained earnings) and profits that are distributed to the owners (shareholders) as dividends. These dividends are taxed twice, as the shareholders also pay taxes on these amounts.[33] Net income (taxable income before net operating loss deduction and special deductions) appears on the IRS Form 1120 or 1120-A, while net current assets are calculated from information on Schedule L of IRS Form 1120 or 1120-A.
To reduce taxable profits, a C corporation can deduct many of its business expenses that the C corporation spends in the legitimate pursuit of profit.[34]
2. Subchapter S Corporations
The subchapter S corporation is a variation of the standard subchapter C corporation. The rules for subchapter S corporations are found in the IRC[35] and provide many of the benefits of partnership taxation while at the same time giving the owners limited liability protection from creditors.
An S corporation has the same corporate structure as a standard C corporation. It is a legal entity, chartered under state law, separate from its shareholders and officers, and there is generally limited liability for corporate shareholders. The difference is that the S corporation files an election on Election by a Small Business Corporation (IRS Form 2553), to be treated differently for federal tax purposes.
As with partnerships, the income, deductions, and tax credits of an S corporation flow through to shareholders annually, regardless of whether distributions (dividends) are made. Therefore, income is taxed solely at the shareholder level and not at the corporate level. To qualify for S corporation status, the corporation must meet certain requirements.[36]
Taxes
An S corporation files U.S. Income Tax Return for an S Corporation (IRS Form 1120-S). The corporate income flows through and is reported on the shareholders’ individual tax returns. The corporation completes and files a Shareholder’s Share of Income, Deductions, Credits, etc. (Schedule K-1) with IRS Form 1120-S for each shareholder. The Schedule K-1 tells shareholders their allocable share of corporate income and deductions.
Shareholders must pay tax on their share of corporate income, regardless of whether it is actually distributed. Net income or loss, notated on tax forms as ordinary business income (loss),[37] appears on the IRS Form 1120-S or its Schedule K, while net current assets are calculated from information on Schedule L.
3. Personal Service Corporation
A personal service corporation is a corporation where the employee-owners are engaged in the performance of personal services. The IRC defines personal services as services performed in the fields of health, law, engineering, architecture, accounting, actuarial science, performing arts, and consulting.[38]
To qualify as a personal service corporation, substantially all the corporation’s activities must involve the performance of personal services, and a percentage of the corporation’s stock must be owned by employees performing the personal services.[39]
Taxes
A personal service corporation pays tax on its profits as a corporate entity. However, a personal service corporation is not allowed to use the graduated tax rates for other C corporations. Instead, it is subject to a flat tax based on the highest corporate tax rate. Because of the high tax rate, personal service corporations generally distribute their profits as wages to the employee-shareholders. In turn, the employee-shareholders pay personal taxes on their wages.[40]
The personal service corporation files its taxes on IRS Form 1120. This form contains a box for the business to indicate that it is a personal service corporation.[41] Net income or loss is notated on IRS Form 1120 or 1120-A as taxable income before net operating loss deduction and special deductions, while net current assets are calculated from information on IRS Form 1120 Schedule L.
D. Limited Liability Company
A limited liability company (LLC) is a hybrid entity, combining some of the most advantageous features of partnerships and corporations.[42] LLCs were created to provide business owners with the liability protection that corporations enjoy without the double taxation. Under the default tax standard, earnings and losses of an LLC pass through to the owners and are included on their personal tax returns.[43]
LLCs are similar to S corporations, except that LLCs are not limited in the number of owners or types of members.[44] LLCs may be either member-managed (managed by each of its members) or manager-managed (managed by specified managers who may or may not be members of the LLC).[45] The LLC’s operating agreement may distinguish between members and managing members. Generally, if such a distinction is made, managing members of the LLC are allowed a full participatory role in the business’s operation. However, depending on the operating agreement, even regular members may have a role in the business’s operation.
To set up an LLC, organizers file articles of organization with the secretary of state in the state where the LLC is formed. Some states also require the filing of an operating agreement, which is similar to a partnership agreement. LLCs do not necessarily have perpetual life and can be set up to dissolve after a set period of time, such as a specific number of years, upon the occurrence of a triggering event, such as the death or withdrawal of a member, or as otherwise provided in the operating agreement.
The IRS does not recognize an LLC as a classification for federal tax purposes and by default treats multi-member LLCs as a partnership and single-member LLCs as a disregarded entity (similar to a sole proprietorship) for tax purposes. As with other entities, however, an LLC may file an election to be taxed differently (such as a corporation).[46]
1. Taxes
For federal income tax purposes, LLCs with two or more members are treated by default as partnerships (a pass-through entity) and must file the IRS Form 1065, discussed above under Section B, Partnership. Each partner receives a Partner’s Share of Income, Deductions, Credits, etc. (Schedule K-1) for their share of income or losses to be reported on that partner’s individual tax return.
If there is only one member in the LLC, it is treated as a disregarded entity (similar to a sole proprietorship) for tax purposes, and the owner reports the LLC’s income on the owner’s personal individual tax return on Schedules C, E, or F to the IRS Form 1040, discussed above under Section A, Sole Proprietorship.
As an option, LLCs may also elect to be taxed like a corporation by filing Entity Classification Election (IRS Form 8832). They can be treated as a regular C corporation (taxation of the entity’s income before any dividends or distributions to the members and then taxation of the dividends or distributions once received as income by the members), or as an S corporation. These corporations file IRS Form 1120 or 1120-S, discussed above under Section C, Corporation.
E. Non-Profit Organization
1. Overview
A non-profit organization (NPO) is an entity that serves some public purpose and therefore enjoys special treatment under the law, including often having tax-exempt status and the protection of directors, officers, and members from personal liability.[47] Typically, NPOs are engaged in charitable, educational, religious, or artistic activities of public or private interest.[48] Unlike a for-profit business entity, an NPO does not distribute profits to its owners.[49] Instead, any profits must ultimately go back into the organization.
In general, an NPO is formed and governed under state statutes the same as other entity types, and often takes the form of nonprofit corporations or LLCs. Whether incorporated or unincorporated, an NPO must keep records, prepare minutes of meetings, and have a separate bank account.
The board of directors typically makes collaborative decisions regarding the operation of the NPO. The board defines the mission and the policies of the NPO, creates budgets and oversees finances, and hires an executive director. If the NPO has an executive director, the director carries out the daily functions of the NPO under the management of the board. The executive director’s job is also to advise and report information to the board about activities and programs, and to monitor finances.
2. Taxes
An incorporated or unincorporated NPO can qualify for tax-exempt status if it meets certain conditions. In most states, if an NPO qualifies for a federal tax exemption it also automatically qualifies for a state tax exemption. The federal government offers many different types of tax exemptions for non-profits under IRC 501(c).[50] The most popular kind of NPO is called a 501(c)(3).[51] Under this code section, the NPO is exempt from paying federal income taxes and contributions made to the non-profit are generally tax-deductible for the donors.
Most NPOs are required to file an annual informational return, called a Return of Organization Exempt From Income Tax (IRS Form 990 or IRS Form 990EZ), if the organization’s gross receipts exceed $50,000 from sources other than the exempt purpose.[52] Some religious organizations are not required to file IRS Form 990 or 990EZ.[53]
IRS Form 990 provides an analysis of an NPO’s revenue and expenses, and net income is stated on the form as revenue less expenses. The abbreviated balance sheet on IRS Form 990 does not identify which assets and liabilities are current and therefore is not useful for calculating net current assets.
Footnotes
[^ 1] See IRS’s Employer ID Numbers webpage. For an explanation of what types of business structures require an EIN, see IRS’s Do You Need an EIN webpage.
[^ 2] For an explanation of married couples and sole proprietorship, see IRS’s Frequently Asked Questions for Entities webpage.
[^ 3] See Black’s Law Dictionary (11th ed. 2019).
[^ 4] See Matter of United Investment Group (PDF), 19 I&N Dec. 248 (Comm. 1984).
[^ 5] See Michael Spadaccini, Ultimate Guide to Incorporating in Any State (Irvine, CA: Entrepreneur Press, 2010), p. 3. For a general overview of sole proprietorships, see Jeffrey F. Beatty and Susan S. Samuelson, Business Law and the Legal Environment (Cengage Learning, 2006), p. 755. See the U.S. Small Business Administration’s (SBA’s) Choose a business structure webpage.
[^ 6] See Section 101 of the Uniform Partnership Act (1997). The Uniform Partnership Act is a uniform act from the National Conference of Commissioners on Uniform State Laws for the governance of partnerships. It has been amended several times since its promulgation, most recently in 2011 and 2013. The Uniform Partnership Act has been enacted by most U.S. states.
[^ 7] See the IRS’s Tax Information For Partnerships webpage.
[^ 8] See Section 202(a) of the Uniform Partnership Act (1997).
[^ 9] See IRS’s Instructions for Form 1065.
[^ 10] A partnership can also be formed by estoppel (where a party is held out to be a partner and can be held liable for debts or damages incurred by the partnership). See definition of “partnership by estoppel,” Black’s Law Dictionary (11th ed. 2019). A written general partnership agreement usually identifies the names of the partners; the amount and type of contribution made by each partner; each partner’s initial percentage of ownership; the business activities conducted by the partnership; whether and how partnership interests can be transferred; and the conditions allowing dissolution of the partnership. See Section 103 of the Uniform Partnership Act (1997).
[^ 11] See the IRS’s Tax Information For Partnerships webpage.
[^ 12] See Section 306 of the Uniform Partnership Act (1997).
[^ 13] See the Uniform Limited Partnership Act (2001). The Uniform Limited Partnership Act is another uniform act from the National Conference of Commissioners on Uniform State Laws for the governance of partnerships.
[^ 14] See Angela Schneeman, Law of Corporations and Other Business Organizations (Cengage Learning, 2009), p. 114.
[^ 15] See Sections 201 and 404 of the Uniform Limited Partnership Act (2001).
[^ 16] The elements identified in these written agreements include the names of partners, the amount and type of contribution made by each partner, whether the partners hold a limited partnership interest, each partner’s initial percentage of ownership, the business activities of the limited partnership, whether and how partnership interests can be transferred, and the conditions allowing the dissolution of the limited partnership. See IRS Publication 541, Partnerships.
[^ 17] See IRS’s Instructions for Form 1065. See Section 1001 of the Uniform Partnership Act.
[^ 18] See the U.S. SBA’s Choose a business structure webpage.
[^ 19] See IRS’s SOI Tax Stats - Partnership Study Explanation of Selected Terms webpage.
[^ 20] For an example of limited partnerships and LLLPs, see page 21 of the Ohio Secretary of State’s publication, Start a Partnership in Ohio (PDF).
[^ 21] State law created and governs LLLPs. See, for example, page 21 of the Ohio Secretary of State’s publication, Start a Partnership in Ohio (PDF), and State of California Franchise Tax Board’s Limited liability limited partnership webpage.
[^ 22] For a discussion of one state’s LLLP provisions, see pages 21 to 23 of the Ohio Secretary of State’s publication, Start a Partnership in Ohio (PDF).
[^ 23] See IRS’s Tax Information For Partnerships webpage.
[^ 24] The partnership must also provide a Partner’s Share of Income, Deductions, Credits, etc. (Schedule K-1) to the IRS and to each partner, which breaks down each partner's share of the business's profits and losses. In turn, each partner reports this profit and loss information on Schedule E of the partner’s individual IRS Form 1040. See IRS’s Instructions for Schedule E.
[^ 25] Negative values are represented in parentheses on tax forms.
[^ 26] See Michael Spadaccini, Ultimate Guide to Incorporating in Any State (Irvine, CA: Entrepreneur Press, 2010), p. 8.
[^ 27] See Michael Spadaccini, Ultimate Guide to Incorporating in Any State (Irvine, CA: Entrepreneur Press, 2010), p. 8.
[^ 28] See William Meade Fletcher, Cyclopedia of the Law of Private Corporations, Vol. 1, section 41.31 (Sept. 2021 Update). See DeWitt Truck Brokers, Inc. v. W. Ray Flemming Fruit Co., 540 F.2d 681 (4th Cir. 1976) (court properly ignored the existence of a corporate entity where there was a failure to follow corporate formalities).
[^ 29] See Wachovia Securities, LLC v. Jahelka, 586 F.Supp.2d 972, 1002 (N.D.I.L. 2008) (disregarding a corporation’s existence when it failed to observe required corporate formalities such as holding regular meetings, taking minutes, and maintaining corporate records).
[^ 30] For instructions on electing a different taxation structure, see IRS’s S Corporations webpage and IRS’s Instructions for Form 1120.
[^ 31] When determining whether or not a corporation has the ability to pay the beneficiary the proffered wage, officers should refer to Volume 6, Immigrants, Part E, Employment-Based Immigration, Chapter 4, Ability to Pay [6 USCIS-PM E.4].
[^ 32] S corporations, partnerships, sole proprietorships, and limited liability companies (LLCs) are not taxed on business profits unless they elect otherwise; instead, the profits pass through the businesses to their owners, who report business income or losses on their personal tax returns.
[^ 33] See IRS Publication 542, Corporations.
[^ 34] In addition to start-up costs, operating expenses, and product and advertising outlays, a C corporation can deduct the salaries and bonuses it pays and all of the costs associated with medical and retirement plans for employees. See IRS’s Instructions for Form 1120.
[^ 35] See 26 U.S.C. 1361.
[^ 36] See IRS’s S Corporations webpage. A subchapter S corporation must be a domestic corporation; have only allowable shareholders (may include persons, certain trusts, and estates, but may not include partnerships, corporations, or non-resident shareholders); have no more than 100 shareholders; have only one class of stock (for example, no preferred stock allowed); and not be an ineligible corporation (such as certain financial institutions, insurance companies, and domestic international sales corporations).
[^ 37] Negative values are represented on tax forms by parentheses.
[^ 38] See 26 U.S.C. 448(d)(2).
[^ 39] See IRS Publication 542, Corporations.
[^ 40] See IRS’s Instructions for Form 1120.
[^ 41] When determining whether or not a corporation has the ability to pay the beneficiary the proffered wage, officers should refer to Volume 6, Immigrants, Part E, Employment-Based Immigration, Chapter 4, Ability to Pay [6 USCIS-PM E.4].
[^ 42] See the U.S. SBA’s Choose a business structure webpage.
[^ 43] While the default tax treatment for an LLC is pass-through taxation, as with all entities, it may elect to be taxed differently.
[^ 44] See IRS’s SOI Tax Stats - Partnership Study Explanation of Selected Terms webpage.
[^ 45] The powers and duties of members and managers are typically outlined in the LLC’s operating agreement. See U.S. SBA’s Basic Information About Operating Agreements webpage.
[^ 46] See IRS’s Limited Liability Company (LLC) webpage. A professional limited liability company (PLLC) is an LLC organized for the purpose of providing professional services, such as a doctor, chiropractor, lawyer, accountant, architect, landscape architect, or engineer. Some states permit LLCs to engage in the practice of a licensed profession through PLLCs. Exact requirements of PLLCs vary from state to state. Typically, a PLLC's members must all be professionals practicing the same profession. In addition, the limitation of personal liability of members does not extend to professional malpractice claims.
[^ 47] See Marilyn E. Phelan, Nonprofit Organizations: Law and Taxation, sections 1:1, 4:1, and 7:1 (Oct. 2022 Update).
[^ 48] See IRS’s Exempt Organization Types webpage.
[^ 49] See Marilyn E. Phelan, Nonprofit Organizations: Law and Taxation, section 1:2 (Oct. 2022 Update).
[^ 50] See 26 U.S.C. 501.
[^ 51] To qualify, the non-profit organization must be organized and operated exclusively for the exempt purposes set forth in IRC 501(c)(3)—charitable, religious, educational, scientific, literary, testing for public safety, fostering national or international amateur sports competition, and preventing cruelty to children or animals—and no part of their net earnings “may inure to any private shareholder or individual.” See 26 U.S.C. 501(c)(3). See IRS’s Exemption Requirements – 501(c)(3) Organizations webpage.
[^ 52] See IRS’s Instructions for Form 990 Return of Organization Exempt From Income Tax.
[^ 53] See IRS’s Instructions for Form 990 Return of Organization Exempt From Income Tax and IRS’s Tax Guide for Churches and Religious Organizations (PDF).
Relocation of Guidance to Appendix
This chapter was moved to an appendix while USCIS reviews the March 15, 2022 EB-5 Reform and Integrity Act of 2022 (PDF).
Historical Guidance
ALERT: On June 22, 2021, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, in Behring Regional Center LLC v. Wolf, 20-cv-09263-JSC, vacated the EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program Modernization Final Rule (PDF).
On June 22, 2021, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, in Behring Regional Center LLC v. Wolf, 20-cv-09263-JSC, vacated the EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program Modernization Final Rule (PDF). While USCIS considers this decision, we will apply the EB-5 regulations that were in effect before the rule was finalized on Nov. 21, 2019, including:
- No priority date retention based on an approved Form I-526;
- The required standard minimum investment amount of $1 million and the minimum investment amount for investment in a Targeted Employment Area (TEA) of $500,000;
- Permitting state designations of high unemployment TEAs; and
- Prior USCIS procedures for the removal of conditions on permanent residence.
In other words, we are applying the regulations in effect before Nov. 21, 2019 in this chapter.
ALERT: Statutory authorization related to the EB-5 Immigrant Investor Regional Center Program expired at midnight on June 30, 2021.
Statutory authorization related to the EB-5 Immigrant Investor Regional Center Program expired at midnight on June 30, 2021. This lapse in authorization does not affect EB-5 petitions filed by investors who are not seeking a visa under the Regional Center Program. Due to the lapse in authorization related to the Regional Center Program, USCIS will reject the following forms received on or after July 1, 2021:
- Form I-924, Application for Regional Center Designation Under the Immigrant Investor Program, except when the application type indicates that it is an amendment to the regional center’s name, organizational structure, ownership, or administration; and
- Form I-526, Immigrant Petition by Alien Investor, when it indicates that the petitioner’s investment is associated with an approved regional center.
In general, we will not act on any pending petition or application of these form types that is dependent on the lapsed statutory authority until further notice.
The goal of the Regional Center Program is to stimulate economic growth in a specified geographic area. The regional center model can offer an immigrant investor already defined investment opportunities, thereby reducing the immigrant investor’s responsibility to identify acceptable investment vehicles. If the new commercial enterprise is located within the geographic area, and falls within the economic scope of the defined regional center, reasonable methodologies can be used to demonstrate indirect job creation.[1] A regional center can be associated with one or more new commercial enterprises.
A regional center seeking to participate in the Regional Center Program must submit a proposal using the Application For Regional Center Under the Immigrant Investor Program (Form I-924).
USCIS may designate a regional center based on a general proposal for the promotion of economic growth, including increased export sales, improved regional productivity, job creation, or increased domestic capital investment. The statute further provides that a regional center shall have jurisdiction over a limited geographic area, which shall be described in the proposal and consistent with the purpose of concentrating pooled investment in defined economic zones.
In addition, the establishment of a regional center may be based on general predictions, contained in the proposal, concerning the kinds of commercial enterprises that will receive capital from immigrant investors, the jobs that will be created directly or indirectly as a result of such capital investments, and the other positive economic effects such capital investments will have on the area.[2]
The regulations state that the proposal must:
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Clearly describe how the regional center focuses on a geographical region of the United States and how it will promote economic growth through increased export sales, improved regional productivity, job creation, and increased domestic capital investment;
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Provide in verifiable detail how jobs will be created directly or indirectly;
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Provide a detailed statement regarding the amounts and sources of capital which have been already committed to the regional center;
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Provide a description of the promotional efforts taken and planned by the sponsors of the regional center;
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Include a detailed prediction[3] how the regional center will have a positive impact on the regional or national economy based on factors such as increased household earnings, greater demand for business services, utilities, maintenance and repair, and construction both within and without the regional center; and
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Be supported by economically or statistically valid forecasting tools, including, but not limited to, feasibility studies, analyses of foreign and domestic markets for the goods or services to be exported, or multiplier tables.[4]
The level of verifiable detail required for a Form I-924 to be approved and provided deference may vary depending on the nature of the application filing.[5]
A. Regional Center Application Proposals
The regional center proposal must include a management and operational plan to administer, oversee, and manage the proposed regional center, including but not limited to how the regional center:
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Will be promoted to attract immigrant investors, including a description of the budget for promotional activities;
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Will identify, assess, and evaluate proposed immigrant investor projects and enterprises;
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Characterizes the structure of the investment capital it will sponsor; for example, whether the investment capital to be sought for job-creating companies will consist solely of immigrant investor capital or a combination of immigrant investor capital and domestic capital, and how the distribution of the investment capital will be structured (for example, loans to developers or venture capital); and
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Will oversee all investment activities affiliated with, through, or under the sponsorship of the proposed regional center.
Geographic Area
An officer reviews the proposed geographic boundaries of a new regional center to determine if they are acceptable. USCIS considers geographic boundaries acceptable if the regional center applicant can establish by a preponderance of the evidence that the proposed economic activity will promote economic growth in the proposed area.[6] The determination is fact-specific, and the law does not require any particular form of evidence, such as a county-by-county analysis.
In addition, a regional center’s geographic area must be limited, contiguous, and consistent with the purpose of concentrating pooled investment in defined economic zones.[7] To demonstrate that the proposed geographic area is limited, the regional center applicant should submit evidence demonstrating the linkages between proposed economic activities within the proposed area based on different variables. Examples of variables to demonstrate linkages between economic activities can include but are not limited to:
-
Regional connectivity;
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The labor pool and supply chain; and
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Interdependence between projects.
Moreover, in assessing the likelihood that the proposed economic activity will promote economic growth in the proposed geographic area, an officer reviews the impact of the activity relative to relevant economic conditions. The size of the proposed area should be limited and consistent with the scope and scale of the proposed economic activity, as the regional center applicant is required to focus on a geographical region of the United States.[8] The regional center applicant must present an economic analysis of its proposed economic activity in the proposed geographic area that is supported by economically or statistically valid forecasting tools.[9] The Form I-924 instructions provide further information regarding the requirements of the economic analysis.
B. Types of Regional Center Projects
An actual project refers to a specific project proposal that is supported by a Matter of Ho (PDF) compliant business plan.[10]
A hypothetical project refers to a project proposal that is not supported by a Matter of Ho (PDF) compliant business plan.
The term exemplar refers to a sample Immigrant Petition by Alien Investor (Form I-526), filed with Form I-924 for an actual project. This type of regional center proposal contains copies of the commercial enterprise’s organizational and transactional documents, which USCIS reviews to determine if they are in compliance with established eligibility requirements.
1. Hypothetical Projects
If the Form I-924 projects are hypothetical projects, general proposals and general predictions may be sufficient to determine that the proposed regional center will more likely than not promote economic growth, improved regional productivity, job creation, and increased domestic capital investment. A regional center applicant seeking review of a hypothetical project should clarify in the Form I-924 submission that the project is hypothetical. General proposals and predictions may include a description of the project parameters, such as:
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Proposed project activities, industries, locations, and timelines;
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A general market analysis of the proposed job creating activities and explanation regarding how the proposed project activities are likely to promote economic growth and create jobs; and
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A description, along with supporting evidence, of the regional center principals’ relevant experience and expertise.
While hypothetical project submissions are sufficient for regional center designation, previous determinations based on hypothetical projects will not receive deference. Actual projects will receive a de novo officer review during subsequent filings (for example, through the adjudication of an amended Form I-924 application, including the actual project details or the first Form I-526 immigrant investor petition).
Organizational and transactional supporting documents are not required for a hypothetical project. If a regional center applicant desires a compliance review of organizational and transactional documents, the application must include an actual project with a Matter of Ho (PDF) compliant business plan and an exemplar immigrant investor petition.
2. Actual Projects
Applications for regional center designation based on actual projects may require more details than a hypothetical project to demonstrate that the proposal contains verifiable details and is supported by economically or statistically sound forecasting tools. A regional center applicant seeking review of an actual project should clarify in the Form I-924 submission that the project is actual.
Actual projects require a Matter of Ho (PDF) compliant comprehensive business plan that provides verifiable detail on how jobs will be created. Absent fraud, willful misrepresentation, or a legal deficiency,[11] USCIS defers to prior determinations based on actual projects when evaluating subsequent filings under the project involving the same material facts and issues.
Organizational and transactional documents for the new commercial enterprise are not required. If a regional center applicant desires review of organizational and transactional documents for program compliance, the regional center application must be accompanied by an exemplar Form I-526 immigrant investor petition.
If regional center applicants opt not to file a Form I-924 amendment, the investor should identify his or her Form I-526 immigrant investor petition as an actual project being presented for the first time. Additionally, the immigrant petition should contain an affirmative statement signed by a regional center principal confirming that the regional center is aware of the specific project being presented for the first time as part of the immigrant investor petition.
In cases where the regional center application is filed based on actual projects that do not contain sufficient verifiable detail, USCIS may approve the projects as hypothetical projects if they contain the requisite general proposals and predictions. The projects approved as hypotheticals, however, do not receive deference in subsequent filings.
In cases where some projects are approvable as actual projects, and others are not approvable or only approvable as hypothetical projects, the approval notice should identify which projects have been approved as actual projects and will be accorded deference. The approval notice should also identify projects that have been approved as hypothetical projects but will not be accorded deference.
3. Exemplar Filings
Regional center applications, based on actual projects, including a Form I-526 immigrant investor exemplar petition, require more details than a hypothetical or actual project submitted without an exemplar. A regional center applicant seeking review of an exemplar should state that the project is an actual project with a Form I-526 exemplar.
Exemplar filings require a Matter of Ho (PDF) compliant comprehensive business plan that provides verifiable detail on how jobs will be created, as well as organizational and transactional documents for the new commercial enterprise.
Absent fraud, willful misrepresentation, or a legal deficiency, officer determinations based on exemplar filings are accorded deference in subsequent filings under the project with the same material facts and issues.
While an amended Form I-924 is not required to perfect a hypothetical project once the actual project details are available, some applicants may choose to file an amended Form I-924 application with a Form I-526 exemplar to obtain a favorable determination. These exemplar filings are accorded deference in subsequent related filings, absent material change, fraud, willful misrepresentation, or a legally deficient determination.
C. Regional Center Annual Reporting
Designated regional centers must file a Supplement to Form I-924 (Form I-924A) annually that demonstrates continued eligibility for designation as a regional center in the EB-5 Program.[12] The regional center must file the form within 90 days of the end of the fiscal year (between October 1 and December 29). The Form I-924A instructions specifically list required information that must be submitted.[13]
If the regional center fails to file the required annual report, USCIS issues a Notice of Intent to Terminate (NOIT) to the regional center for failing to provide the required information. This may ultimately result in the termination of the regional center’s designation if the regional center fails to respond or does not file a response which adequately demonstrates continued eligibility.
D. Regional Center Amendments
Because businesses’ strategies constantly evolve, with new opportunities identified and existing plans improved, a regional center may amend a previously approved designation. The Form I-924 instructions provide information regarding the submission of regional center amendment requests.[14]
To improve processing efficiencies and predictability in subsequent filings, many regional centers may seek to amend the Form I-924 approval to reflect changes in economic analysis and job creation estimates. Such amendments, however, are not required in order for individual investors to proceed with filing the immigrant petitions or petitions to remove conditions on residence based on the additional jobs created, or to be created, in additional industries.
Formal amendments to an approved regional center’s designation are not required when a regional center changes its industries of focus, business plans, or economic methodologies; however, a regional center may find it advantageous to seek USCIS approval of such changes before they are adjudicated in individual immigrant investor petitions.
Requests to Change Geographic Area
When a regional center requests to expand its geographic area, the proposed geographic area must be limited, contiguous, and consistent with the purpose of concentrating pooled investment in defined economic zones.[15]
Any requests for geographic area expansion made on or after February 22, 2017 are adjudicated under the current guidance in the Form I-924 instructions which requires that a Form I-924 amendment must be filed, and approved, to expand the regional center’s geographic area. The Form I-924 amendment must be approved before an I-526 petitioner may demonstrate eligibility at the time of filing his or her petition based on an investment in the expanded area.
If the regional center’s geographic area expansion request was submitted either through a Form I-924 amendment or Form I-526 petition filed prior to February 22, 2017, and the request is ultimately approved, USCIS will continue to adjudicate additional Form I-526 petitions associated with investments in that area under prior policy guidance issued on May 30, 2013.[16] That policy did not require a formal amendment to expand a regional center’s geographic area, and permitted concurrent filing of the Form I-526 prior to approval of the geographic area amendment.
E. Termination of a Regional Center Designation
USCIS issues a NOIT if:
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USCIS determines that a regional center no longer serves the purpose of promoting economic growth, including increased export sales, improved regional productivity, job creation, and increased domestic capital investment; or
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The regional center fails to submit required information to USCIS.[17]
The NOIT will provide the grounds for termination and provide at least 30 days from receipt of the NOIT for the regional center to respond to the allegations in the NOIT. The regional center may offer evidence to contest the allegations in the NOIT. If the regional center overcomes the allegations in the NOIT, USCIS issues a Notice of Reaffirmation that affirms the regional center’s designation.
If the regional center fails to overcome the allegations in the NOIT, USCIS terminates the regional center’s participation in the Regional Center Program. In this case, USCIS notifies the regional center of the termination, the reasons for termination, and the right to file a motion, appeal, or both. The regional center may appeal the decision to USCIS’ Administrative Appeals Office within 30 days after service of notice (33 days, if the notice was mailed).[18]
Footnotes
[^ 1] For a definition of indirect jobs, see Chapter 2, Eligibility Requirements, Section D, Creation of Jobs, Subsection 4, Measuring Job Creation [6 USCIS-PM G.2(D)(4)].
[^ 2] See Section 610(a) of the Departments of Commerce, Justice, and State, the Judiciary, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 1993, Pub. L. 102-395 (PDF, 83.2 KB), 106 Stat. 1828, 1874 (October 6, 1992), as amended.
[^ 3] An applicant can submit a general prediction which addresses the prospective impact of the capital investment projects sponsored by the regional center, regionally or nationally. See Form I-924 instructions.
[^ 4] See 8 CFR 204.6(m)(3).
[^ 5] For more information about the types of regional center projects, see Section B, Types of Regional Center Projects [6 USCIS-PM G.3(B)].
[^ 6] See Section 610(a) of the Departments of Commerce, Justice, and State, the Judiciary, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act of 1993, Pub. L. 102-395 (PDF, 83.2 KB), 106 Stat. 1828, 1874 (October 6, 1992), as amended. See 8 CFR 204.6(m)(3)(i) (requiring a clear description of how the regional center focuses on a geographical region of the United States and how it will promote economic growth).
[^ 7] See Section 610(a) of the Departments of Commerce, Justice, and State, the Judiciary, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act of 1993, Pub. L. 102-395 (PDF, 83.2 KB), 106 Stat. 1828, 1874 (October 6, 1992), as amended.
[^ 8] See Section 610(a) of the Departments of Commerce, Justice, and State, the Judiciary, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act of 1993, Pub. L. 102-395 (PDF, 83.2 KB), 106 Stat. 1828, 1874 (October 6, 1992), as amended. See 8 CFR 204.6(m)(3)(i).
[^ 9] See 8 CFR 204.6(m)(3).
[^ 10] See Chapter 2, Eligibility Requirements, Section B, Comprehensive Business Plan [6 USCIS-PM G.2(B)].
[^ 11] Legal deficiency includes objective mistakes of law or fact made as part of the USCIS adjudication.
[^ 12] See 8 CFR 204.6(m)(6).
[^ 13] See Form I-924A instructions.
[^ 14] See Form I-924 instructions.
[^ 15] For a discussion of an officer’s review of a regional center’s proposed geographic area, see Section A, Regional Center Application Proposals [6 USCIS-PM G.3(A)].
[^ 16] See EB-5 Adjudication Policy Memo (PDF, 829.48 KB), PM-602-0083, issued May 30, 2013.
[^ 17] See 8 CFR 204.6(m)(6).
[^ 18] See 8 CFR 103.3. See 8 CFR 204.6(m)(6).
There is no specific form that petitioning employers must use to comply with the notice of filing requirements for Schedule A petitions. The following is a sample notice of filing that petitioners may elect to use in the workplace. USCIS developed this sample for stakeholders’ convenience. It is not intended to be relied upon to create or confer any right(s) or benefit(s), substantive or procedural, enforceable at law by any person or other party in benefit applications before USCIS, in removal proceedings, in litigation with the United States, or in any other form or manner.
Officers should accept notices that are modeled after the sample, but should not require use of the exact sample. Petitioning employers may use other notice formats as long as they comply with the DOL regulations.
Notice of the Filing of the Application for Permanent Employment Certification
This notice is being provided as a result of the filing of an Application for Permanent Employment Certification (ETA Form 9089). The employer intends to permanently employ a foreign national in the job opportunity described below.
Any person may provide documentary evidence bearing on the application to the Certifying Officer of the U.S. Department of Labor. The address of the Certifying Officer is:
_____________________________________________________________________
This Notice of Filing will be posted between 30 and 180 days before filing the permanent labor certification application.
INFORMATION ABOUT THE JOB OPPORTUNITY
EMPLOYER’S NAME: _________________________________________________________
POSITION TITLE: ____________________________________________________________
POSITION DUTIES: __________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
RATE OF PAY: $________ per ____________
ADDRESS(ES) OF EMPLOYMENT: ______________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
EMPLOYER STATES:
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There is no bargaining representative for the job opportunity with the employer in the location(s) of intended employment.
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This notice was clearly visible and unobstructed while posted. It was posted for at least ten (10) consecutive business days in a conspicuous location in the workplace, where the employer’s U.S. workers could readily read the posted notice, including but not limited to locations in the immediate vicinity of the wage and hour notices.
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DATE POSTED: __________________________________
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DATE REMOVED: ________________________________
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LOCATION(S) WHERE THE NOTICE WAS POSTED: ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
[SIGNATURE] DATE
___________________________ ___________________________
[PRINTED NAME AND TITLE]
___________________________
On November 19, 2019, USCIS provided more clarity on several requirements for special immigrant juvenile (SIJ) classification, including the following:
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USCIS reaffirmed and clarified that the petitioner must have been a juvenile under the relevant state law definition of “juvenile” (or equivalent term) when the juvenile court order was issued;[1]
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USCIS clarified the definition of a juvenile court for purposes of SIJ classification and provides examples of the types of evidence that may be provided to establish that a court is acting as a qualifying juvenile court;[2]
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USCIS clarified guidance on what constitutes a qualifying “dependency” or “custody” determination from the juvenile court for the purposes of SIJ classification eligibility;[3]
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USCIS clarified guidance on the statutorily-mandated USCIS consent function;[4]
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USCIS clarified guidance on what qualifies as a similar basis to abuse, neglect, or abandonment under state law;[5] and
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USCIS reaffirmed for officers that the agency no longer requires that the juvenile court had jurisdiction to place the juvenile in the custody of the unfit parent(s) in order to make a qualifying determination regarding the viability of parental reunification.[6]
These updates and clarifications of current USCIS policy guidance are based on USCIS interpretation of the applicable terms in DHS regulations and the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA). An agency is not required to use the Administrative Procedure Act’s (APA) notice-and-comment procedures to issue an interpretive rule or one that amends or repeals an existing interpretive rule,[7] or when modifying rules of agency organization, procedure, or practice.[8] However, the instruction to not require evidence that a state court had jurisdiction to place the juvenile in the custody of the unfit parent(s) in order to make a qualifying determination regarding the viability of parental reunification was a policy change in response to the resource strain of ongoing litigation. As with all other policy guidance USCIS issues, these updates and clarifications to officers do not add to the substantive regulations, create legally binding rights, obligations, or change the substantive standards by which USCIS will evaluate SIJ petitions. Accordingly, USCIS published no Federal Register notices requesting public comment because public notice is not required for these internal policy changes and clarifications.
Unfair Surprise and Reliance Interest
An agency can change its interpretation of a regulation at different times in its history as long as the interpretative changes create no unfair surprise.[9] In this case, USCIS is not changing its policy regarding SIJ adjudications. USCIS is updating this guidance to clarify what the law and regulations permit or require because of potential confusion. It has never been USCIS official policy to grant SIJ classification based on a state judge’s order that is sought primarily to permit the noncitizen to obtain lawful immigration status.
USCIS has analyzed the potential for and taken into account serious reliance interests that may be engendered by the practices USCIS officers may have followed prior to this clarification. USCIS acknowledges that a person who may have been approved for SIJ classification before this policy alert may no longer be approved by an officer following this clarifying guidance in rendering their decision. An advocate or representative of an SIJ petitioner, not knowing of this policy, may erroneously petition the state court judge who is handling their client’s case to issue an order with findings of fact in support of the petitioner’s eligibility for SIJ that does not provide relief from parental abuse, neglect, abandonment or a similar basis under state law. However, the statutory and regulatory eligibility criteria have never permitted SIJ classification to be approved using such state court orders, nor has it been official USCIS policy. Therefore, an SIJ petitioner cannot be said to have acted in reliance on the continuation of a practice and policy that has not been a USCIS practice and policy and which is contrary to the law. USCIS must limit the approval of SIJ classification to cases who are eligible based on a valid court order as required by the INA regardless of its effects on parties who may rely on erroneous state court orders.
With respect to the policy change to no longer require evidence that a state court had jurisdiction to place the juvenile in the custody of the unfit parent(s) in order to make a qualifying determination regarding the viability of parental reunification, USCIS made that change in response to the strain of litigation. USCIS anticipated that the change would not negatively impact petitioners with potential reliance interests, rather it would reduce their evidentiary burden.
Implementation
USCIS implemented this policy update immediately, as it was merely a clarification. However, USCIS still allowed interested parties an opportunity to comment by providing a 10-day comment period, as is generally provided for Policy Manual publications.
Footnotes
[^ 1] See Chapter 2, Eligibility Requirements, Section A, General [6 USCIS-PM J.2(A)] and Section B, Age-out Protections For Filing with USCIS [6 USCIS-PM J.2(B)].
[^ 2] See Chapter 2, Eligibility Requirements, Section C, Juvenile Court Order [6 USCIS-PM J.2(C)].
[^ 3] See Chapter 2, Eligibility Requirements, Section C, Juvenile Court Order, Subsection 1, Dependency or Custody [6 USCIS-PM J.2(C)(1)].
[^ 4] See Chapter 2, Eligibility Requirements, Section D, USCIS Consent [6 USCIS-PM J.2(D)].
[^ 5] See Chapter 3, Documentation and Evidence, Section A, Juvenile Court Order(s) and Administrative Documents, Subsection 1, Qualifying Juvenile Court Determinations [6 USCIS-PM J.3(A)(1)].
[^ 6] See Chapter 2, Eligibility Requirements, Section C, Juvenile Court Order, Subsection 2, Parental Reunification [6 USCIS-PM J.2(C)(2)].
[^ 7] See Perez v. Mortgage Bankers Assoc., 135 S.Ct. 1199 (2015).
[^ 8] James v. Hurson Associates, Inc. v. Glickman, 229 F.3d 277 (D.C. Cir. 2000)
[^ 9] See Long Island Care at Home Ltd. v. Coke, 551 U.S. 158, 171 (2007). See Christopher v. SmithKline Beecham Corp., 567 U.S. 142 (2012).
Updates
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is issuing policy guidance in the USCIS Policy Manual to clarify how USCIS evaluates evidence to determine eligibility for extraordinary ability and outstanding professor or researcher first preference employment-based immigrant visa classifications.
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is issuing policy guidance in the USCIS Policy Manual to confirm the evidentiary requirements for physicians seeking a national interest waiver of the job offer requirement based on work in an underserved area or at a U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs facility.
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is updating guidance in the USCIS Policy Manual to address instances where the last day of filing a benefit request or response to a Request for Evidence or a Notice of Intent to Deny, Revoke, Rescind, or Terminate, falls on a Saturday, Sunday, or federal holiday.
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is issuing policy guidance in the USCIS Policy Manual to address the analysis of an employer’s ability to pay the proffered wage for certain employment-based immigrant petition adjudications.
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is updating policy guidance in the USCIS Policy Manual regarding on-site inspections for special immigrant and nonimmigrant religious worker petitions.
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is issuing policy guidance in the USCIS Policy Manual to incorporate changes resulting from the EB-5 Reform and Integrity Act of 2022.
6 USCIS-PM G.1 - Chapter 1 - Purpose and Background
6 USCIS-PM G.2 - Chapter 2 - Eligibility Requirements
7 USCIS-PM A.3 - Chapter 3 - Filing Instructions
7 USCIS-PM A.6 - Chapter 6 - Adjudicative Review
7 USCIS-PM A.7 - Chapter 7 - Child Status Protection Act
7 USCIS-PM B.2 - Chapter 2 - Eligibility Requirements
7 USCIS-PM B.8 - Chapter 8 - Inapplicability of Bars to Adjustment
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is issuing policy guidance in the USCIS Policy Manual to reorganize and expand on existing guidance related to special immigrant religious workers.
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is issuing policy guidance in the USCIS Policy Manual on the transition of the responsibility to adjudicate certain Afghan special immigrant visa (SIV) petitions to the U.S. Department of State (DOS) and to incorporate other changes to the Afghan and Iraqi SIV classifications resulting from the Emergency Security Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2021.
6 USCIS-PM H.1 - Chapter 1 - Purpose and Background
6 USCIS-PM H.8 - Chapter 8 - Certain Iraqi Nationals
6 USCIS-PM H.9 - Chapter 9 - Certain Afghan Nationals
6 USCIS-PM H.10 - Chapter 10 - Certain Iraqi and Afghan Translators and Interpreters
7 USCIS-PM F.10 - Chapter 10 - Certain Afghan and Iraqi Nationals
This technical update to Volume 6 clarifies the Policy Manual alert boxes published on April 27, 2022 relating to the recent EB-5 Reform and Integrity Act of 2022, which authorizes an EB-5 Immigrant Investor Regional Center Program and includes various implementation effective dates for the program. On June 24, 2022, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California in Behring Regional Center LLC v. Mayorkas, et al, 3:22-cv-02487, issued a preliminary injunction enjoining USCIS “from treating as deauthorized the previously designated regional centers.” The April 27, 2022 alert remains posted for historical purposes.
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is updating policy guidance in the USCIS Policy Manual to incorporate changes from the Special Immigrant Juvenile Petitions Final Rule (SIJ Final Rule), including updated citations, new definitions, and clarifications.
This technical update to Volume 6, Part F aligns language related to documentation required for submission with a national interest waiver petition with the Form I-140 instructions. Specifically, consistent with those instructions, this update removes reference in the Policy Manual to the requirement that a petitioner submit two copies of the employee-specific portions of a permanent labor certification (without DOL approval).
This technical update incorporates the policy guidance that U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced March 7, 2022, to consider deferred action (and related employment authorization) for noncitizens classified as Special Immigrant Juveniles (SIJs) who are ineligible to apply for adjustment of status to lawful permanent resident (LPR) status solely due to visa unavailability. This guidance became effective May 6, 2022.
This technical update to Volume 6 alerts readers to the passage of the EB-5 Reform and Integrity Act of 2022, which authorizes an EB-5 Immigrant Investor Regional Center Program and includes various implementation effective dates for the program. The alert boxes refer readers to uscis.gov for the latest information on the implementation of that law. In addition, this update reserves and moves all of the content in Chapter 3 (Regional Center Designation, Reporting, Amendments, and Termination) to an appendix (Regional Center Program Prior to March 15, 2022) as Congress repealed that program.
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is issuing policy guidance in the USCIS Policy Manual on interview waiver criteria for family-based conditional permanent residents (CPRs) filing petitions to remove the conditions on permanent residence.
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is updating the USCIS Policy Manual to align existing guidance on certain first preference immigrants with a recent Policy Manual update relating to nonimmigrants of extraordinary ability.
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is updating the USCIS Policy Manual to consider deferred action (and related employment authorization) for noncitizens classified as Special Immigrant Juveniles (SIJs) who are ineligible to apply for adjustment of status to lawful permanent resident (LPR) status solely due to visa unavailability. This guidance becomes effective May 6, 2022.
This technical update to Volume 6 provides information in a footnote on the latest resources available to determine critical and emerging technologies.
This technical update to Volume 6 removes references to the period of time for which the Petition by Investor to Remove Conditions on Permanent Resident Status (Form I-829) receipt notice shows proof of conditional permanent resident status.
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is updating policy guidance in the USCIS Policy Manual to address requests for national interest waivers for advanced degree professionals or persons of exceptional ability.
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is updating guidance in the USCIS Policy Manual regarding the determination of whether a child born outside the United States, including a child born through Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART), is considered born “in wedlock.”
6 USCIS-PM B.8 - Chapter 8 - Children, Sons, and Daughters
12 USCIS-PM H.2 - Chapter 2 - Definition of Child and Residence for Citizenship and Naturalization
12 USCIS-PM H.3 - Chapter 3 - U.S. Citizens at Birth (INA 301 and 309)
12 USCIS-PM H.4 - Chapter 4 - Automatic Acquisition of Citizenship after Birth (INA 320)
12 USCIS-PM H.5 - Chapter 5 - Child Residing Outside of the United States (INA 322)
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is revising policy guidance in the USCIS Policy Manual to comply with a recent court order.
This technical update explains that on June 22, 2021, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, in Behring Regional Center LLC v. Wolf, 20-cv-09263-JSC, vacated the EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program Modernization Final Rule (PDF). While USCIS considers this decision, USCIS will apply the EB-5 regulations and policies that were in effect before the rule was finalized on November 21, 2019.
This technical update is part of an initiative to move existing policy guidance from the Adjudicator’s Field Manual (AFM) into the Policy Manual. This update does not make major substantive changes but consolidates and incorporates existing AFM guidance into the Policy Manual, streamlining USCIS’ immigration policy while removing obsolete information. This guidance replaces Chapters 22.1 and 22.2 of the AFM, related appendices, and policy memoranda.
This technical update directs readers to visit the USCIS webpage for the latest information on Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) program extensions and visa numbers for Afghans who were employed by or on behalf of the U.S. Government.
This technical update replaces all instances of the term “alien” with “noncitizen” or other appropriate terms throughout the Policy Manual where possible, as used to refer to a person who meets the definition provided in INA 101(a)(3) [“any person not a citizen or national of the United States”].
1 USCIS-PM - Volume 1 - General Policies and Procedures
2 USCIS-PM - Volume 2 - Nonimmigrants
6 USCIS-PM - Volume 6 - Immigrants
7 USCIS-PM - Volume 7 - Adjustment of Status
8 USCIS-PM - Volume 8 - Admissibility
9 USCIS-PM - Volume 9 - Waivers and Other Forms of Relief
10 USCIS-PM - Volume 10 - Employment Authorization
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is updating the USCIS Policy Manual regarding the special immigrant juvenile (SIJ) classification to incorporate changes agreed to in the settlement agreement resulting from the Saravia v. Barr class action lawsuit.
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is issuing policy guidance in the USCIS Policy Manual to address Schedule A designations.
This technical update is part of an initiative to move existing policy guidance from the Adjudicator’s Field Manual (AFM) into the Policy Manual. This update does not make major substantive changes but consolidates and incorporates existing AFM guidance into the Policy Manual, streamlining USCIS’ immigration policy while removing obsolete information. This guidance replaces Chapters 22.3 and 26 of the AFM, related appendices, and policy memoranda.
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is issuing clarifying policy guidance in the USCIS Policy Manual regarding deployment of investment capital, including further deployment after the job creation requirement is satisfied.
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is updating and incorporating relevant Adjudicator’s Field Manual (AFM) content into the USCIS Policy Manual. As that process is ongoing, USCIS has moved any remaining AFM content to its corresponding USCIS Policy Manual Part, in PDF format, until relevant AFM content has been properly incorporated into the USCIS Policy Manual. To the extent that a provision in the USCIS Policy Manual conflicts with remaining AFM content or Policy Memoranda, the updated information in the USCIS Policy Manual prevails. To find remaining AFM content, see the crosswalk (PDF, 332.97 KB) between the AFM and the Policy Manual.
1 USCIS-PM - Volume 1 - General Policies and Procedures
2 USCIS-PM - Volume 2 - Nonimmigrants
3 USCIS-PM - Volume 3 - Humanitarian Protection and Parole
4 USCIS-PM - Volume 4 - Refugees and Asylees
5 USCIS-PM - Volume 5 - Adoptions
6 USCIS-PM - Volume 6 - Immigrants
7 USCIS-PM - Volume 7 - Adjustment of Status
8 USCIS-PM - Volume 8 - Admissibility
9 USCIS-PM - Volume 9 - Waivers and Other Forms of Relief
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is issuing policy guidance in the USCIS Policy Manual to address the limited circumstances in which USCIS has delegated authority to the U.S. Department of State to accept and adjudicate the Form I-130 filed abroad at U.S. embassies and consulates. This guidance becomes effective February 1, 2020.
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is updating the USCIS Policy Manual regarding the special immigrant juvenile (SIJ) classification.
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is revising its policy guidance in the USCIS Policy Manual to align with the EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program Modernization Final Rule, published on July 24, 2019, and effective November 21, 2019. Note: On June 22, 2021, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, in Behring Regional Center LLC v. Wolf, 20-cv-09263-JSC, vacated the EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program Modernization Final Rule (PDF). While USCIS considers this decision, USCIS will apply the EB-5 regulations and policies that were in effect before the rule was finalized on November 21, 2019.
This technical update replaces all instances of the term “foreign national” with “alien” throughout the Policy Manual as used to refer to a person who meets the definition provided in INA 101(a)(3) [“any person not a citizen or national of the United States”].
1 USCIS-PM - Volume 1 - General Policies and Procedures
2 USCIS-PM - Volume 2 - Nonimmigrants
6 USCIS-PM - Volume 6 - Immigrants
7 USCIS-PM - Volume 7 - Adjustment of Status
8 USCIS-PM - Volume 8 - Admissibility
9 USCIS-PM - Volume 9 - Waivers and Other Forms of Relief
10 USCIS-PM - Volume 10 - Employment Authorization
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is revising policy guidance in the USCIS Policy Manual to clarify its policy on debt arrangements.
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is updating guidance in the USCIS Policy Manual regarding a regional center’s geographic area, requests to expand the geographic area, and how such requests impact the filing of Form I-526, Immigrant Petition by Alien Entrepreneur.
This technical update clarifies that the rescission of the policy regarding the tenant-occupancy methodology does not affect petitions pending on May 15, 2018 (the date USCIS announced the rescission).
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is revising policy guidance in the USCIS Policy Manual to reflect that, as of May 15, 2018, USCIS no longer considers tenant occupancy to be a reasonable methodology to support economically or statistically valid forecasting tools.
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is updating policy guidance regarding the documentation of conditional permanent resident (CPR) status for employment-based fifth preference (EB-5) immigrants.
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is updating the USCIS Policy Manual to provide further guidance regarding the job creation and capital at risk requirements for Form I-526, Immigrant Petition by Alien Entrepreneur, and Form I-829, Petition by Entrepreneur to Remove Conditions on Permanent Resident Status.
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is issuing policy guidance regarding the eligibility requirements for regional centers and immigrant investors.
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is issuing policy guidance regarding the special immigrant juvenile (SIJ) classification and special immigrant-based (EB-4) adjustment of status, including adjustment based on classification as a special immigrant religious worker, SIJ, and G-4 international organization or NATO-6 employee or family member, among others.
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