The RIA in Brief: What Changed in EB-5 After 2022

Background

In March 2022, Congress passed the EB-5 Reform and Integrity Act (RIA), ending a nine-month lapse of the regional center program and reauthorizing it through September 30, 2027.

Key changes

1. Higher investment amounts: $800,000 for TEA, $1,050,000 otherwise, adjusted for CPI every five years.
2. TEA designation moved to USCIS: states no longer designate high-unemployment areas.
3. Visa set-asides: 20% rural, 10% high-unemployment, 2% infrastructure.
4. Concurrent I-485 filing: applicants in the U.S. with a current priority date can file alongside the I-526E and receive work and travel authorization.
5. Stronger regional center oversight: annual I-956G filings, third-party fund administration, and an integrity fund.
6. Grandfathering: petitions filed before September 30, 2026 are protected regardless of future reauthorization.

What it means for investors

Projects face stricter compliance and more transparent disclosure, but investors must pay closer attention to each regional center’s compliance record and fund-administration setup.