ELIS
for
E B-5
Big Brother
and Your
EB-5 Petition
by Soyini Coke
The Electronic Immigration System (ELIS) was introduced in May 2012 to streamline the process of
submitting petitions to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). While the I-526 is the only
form relevant to the EB-5 process currently accepted by the system, USCIS has a stated objective to
migrate away from a paper-based model to an electronic model, much like the banking industry. The
promises of improved efficiency will be welcomed by all stakeholders. However, digital submissions
will have far-ranging implications beyond the obvious improvements in customer service. When
weighing implications, it is important to examine why electronic submission matters and how one
can adjust to meet the changing environment.
Although not explicitly stated, ostensibly, e-filing through
ELIS has been instituted to help address the extensive backlog
of EB-5 petitions. As of the fourth quarter of 2013, there are
7,131 I-526 petitions pending. USCIS is taking 11 months
to process I-526 petitions, 12