Short answer: An Asian family selected a qualifying rural TEA project, invested USD 800,000, prepared complete source-and-path-of-funds documentation and filed Form I-526E. Because the case fell under the rural set-aside, it received priority processing and progressed to the conditional green card stage after I-526E approval. The case illustrates the value of set-aside selection, document preparation and timeline management.
Applicant background and goals
The applicants were a married couple with one minor child. They wished to obtain U.S. permanent residence through investment and to provide education opportunities for their child in the United States. The family had accumulated sufficient assets but wanted to avoid the longer waits that can affect the unreserved category, so they focused on the rural TEA route. See US EB-5 Investor Immigration.
Why a rural TEA project was chosen
Rural projects use the USD 800,000 minimum investment and benefit from a 20% visa set-aside and USCIS priority processing. For applicants concerned about backlogs, the set-aside categories are currently Current for most countries, including those born in China and India, which helps shorten the overall wait. After comparing several options, the family selected a rural project with a clear compliance record and a concrete job-creation plan.
Key steps in the preparation process
The most time-consuming part was source-and-path-of-funds evidence. The applicants assembled multi-year tax returns, bank statements, property-sale records and company dividend documentation, and worked with professionals to build a continuous timeline without unexplained gaps. They also completed the escrow and subscription documents for the investment. After I-526E was filed, priority processing produced a noticeably faster adjudication than typical unreserved cases.
Case highlights
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Investment type | Rural TEA regional-center project |
| Investment amount | USD 800,000 |
| Family members | Principal, spouse, one minor child |
| Key preparation | Complete source-and-path-of-funds file |
| Main advantage | Set-aside Current + priority processing |
| Stage reached | I-526E approved; conditional green card process underway |
Global Immigrate’s recommendation
Cases of this type show that selecting the right set-aside project, preparing source-of-funds evidence early and keeping documents consistent are central to reducing uncertainty. Every family’s asset structure and country of chargeability differ, so actual timelines and outcomes vary. A preliminary eligibility and source-of-funds review before choosing a project and filing schedule is strongly advised.
Data current as of October 2026.
This article is general information only and does not constitute legal or tax advice. Individual results vary.