EB-5 Glossary: I-526E, TEA, I-956F and Other Terms

At risk: EB-5 capital must genuinely face the possibility of loss as well as gain. A project may not guarantee a return or the return of capital.
Concurrent filing: An investor in the U.S. filing an I-485 adjustment of status at the same time as the I-526E.
Conditional permanent residence: The two-year green card granted after I-526E approval, made permanent through the I-829.
Cross-chargeability: Charging the main applicant to a spouse's country of birth, provided both immigrate together.
CSPA (Child Status Protection Act): The law that lets I-526E processing time be subtracted when deciding whether a child is still under 21. The child must seek permanent residence within a year of the visa becoming available. CSPA risk checker
Dates for Filing: One of the two Visa Bulletin charts; it sets when an application can be filed. USCIS says each month which chart it accepts.
Direct investment: Investing without a regional center, with the investor's own business directly employing 10 full-time workers.
Final Action Date: The Visa Bulletin date that decides when a green card can be approved. Since August 15, 2025, it is also used for CSPA.
Grandfathering: The protection that keeps regional center petitions filed on or before September 30, 2026 in processing even if the program lapses.
I-485: The application to adjust to permanent resident status from inside the U.S.
I-526E: The investor petition for regional center investments. Direct investors file the I-526.
I-829: The petition to remove conditions, filed in the 90 days before the conditional green card expires, showing the investment was sustained and the jobs created.
I-956: The form a regional center files to be designated or to amend its designation.
I-956F: The approval application for an individual project. Check a project's I-956F status before investing.
I-956G: A regional center's annual statement to USCIS.
I-956K: The registration form for overseas promoters and intermediaries.
EB-5 Integrity Fund: Fees paid by regional centers and investors to fund oversight and fraud prevention.
JCE (job-creating entity): The business that actually uses the capital and creates the jobs, such as the project developer.
NCE (new commercial enterprise): The entity the investor invests in directly, usually a limited partnership that lends to or invests in the JCE.
PPM (private placement memorandum): The project's offering document, setting out terms, risks and fees.
Priority date: The I-526E filing date, compared against the Visa Bulletin to see whether your turn has come.
Regional center: An entity designated by USCIS to pool EB-5 capital and count indirect jobs.
Redeployment: Reinvesting capital in another qualifying activity when a project repays during the sustainment period, to keep the investor eligible.
Set-aside visas: Visas reserved by law for rural (20%), high-unemployment (10%) and infrastructure (2%) projects.
Source of funds: The evidence that the investment money was lawfully obtained, with its full transfer path. Source-of-funds checklist
Sustainment period: How long the capital must stay invested and at risk; currently at least two years.
TEA (targeted employment area): A rural or high-unemployment area. TEA projects qualify for the lower minimum investment.
Visa Bulletin: The State Department's monthly chart of visa availability by category and country of birth. Visa availability checker