How do I prepare for immigration after EB-5 application submission?

The I-526 petition may be pending for an estimated 12 to 15 months. During this period you may start preparing the individual applications for conditional permanent residency.

Once your I-526 petition is submitted, you will wait in your home country for it to be approved and then consular process your immigrant visa to come to the United States as a conditional permanent resident. You may work, study, or do whatever else you are doing in your home country while your I-526 petition is pending. You may consider engaging in estate and tax planning with a U.S. tax/estate planning attorney in the meantime.

Yes, the current processing time for the I-526 petition is about a year. After approval, the case is sent to the National Visa Center, then to the U.S. consulate in your home country. You will have to pay visa fees and prepare the immigrant visa application, then attend an interview at the consulate. After the I-526 is approved, you should not try to enter the United States.

Truthfully, you really just wait. You might prepare documentation needed for your interview with the U.S. consulate. You can check with them to see what documents you need to bring with you for your visa interview.

It will take about 12 - 14 months in most cases. You will need your birth certificate, marriage certificate, and police clearances from all countries where you have lived six months or longer since age 16, but do not get these too soon as many have a short shelf life. Also any divorce decrees, current passport, criminal records.

You can start getting your personal documentation, birth and marriage-related civil documents.