Bridge Financing

Q: Under what circumstances will USCIS approve bridge financing?

A: Pursuant to 8 C.F.R § 204.6(j)(4)(i), the new commercial enterprise, not the EB-5 investors, must create the requisite employment. As such, it is acceptable for the developer or the principal of the new commercial enterprise, either directly or through a separate job-creating entity, to utilize interim, temporary or bridge financing – in the form of either debt or equity – prior to receipt of EB-5 capital. If the project commences based on the bridge financing prior to the receipt of the EB-5 capital and subsequently replaces it with EB-5 capital, the new commercial enterprise still gets credit for the job creation under the regulations.

Taken directly from USCIS EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program Quarterly Stakeholder Engagement on May 1, 2012.