I-956F

Application for Approval of an Investment in a Commercial Enterprise

Agency
USCIS
Revision
Edition 04/01/24
Fillable fields
318
Pages
17
Official source
USCIS form page
Checked
October 20, 2026
Fill I-956F online
Page 1 of form I-956F

Form I-956F: Application for Approval of an Investment in a Commercial Enterprise

Form I-956F, Application for Approval of an Investment in a Commercial Enterprise, is the form a designated regional center uses to request approval of each particular investment offering through an associated new commercial enterprise (NCE). The instructions call this a request for approval of a project.

The USCIS page quotes INA 203(b)(5)(F)(i): a regional center files an application for each particular investment offering before any investor files a petition by reason of investment in that offering. It also quotes INA 204(a)(1)(H)(i), which says an investor may file a petition after the regional center has filed this application.

The instructions say each Form I-956F may only include one commercial enterprise, and that the form may not be used to change the regional center's geographic area. Each person involved with the NCE and affiliated job-creating entity (JCE) completes Form I-956H.

Top of page 1 of Form I-956F: Application for Approval of an Investment in a Commercial Enterprise, as printed by USCIS

What's on Form I-956F

Parts 1 and 2: Application type and regional center

Initial application or amendment, the approved receipt number and NCEID for an amendment, the Form I-924 exemplar question, and the regional center's legal name, identification number and address.

Parts 3 and 4: NCE and job-creating entities

The NCE's name, structure, date and state established, EIN, address and census tracts, how it was formed, and whether it is a troubled business, then the same details for each JCE and whether it is affiliated.

Part 5: The project

The investment type (rural area, high unemployment area, infrastructure, high employment area or none of these), total cost, expected number of EB-5 investors, EB-5 funded costs, the nature of activity, NAICS codes and estimated jobs.

Parts 6 and 7: Offering documents and securities policies

Securities filings, all investment and offering documents, disclosure of risks, conflicts of interest, litigation or bankruptcy in the past 10 years, agent or finder compensation, and policies to monitor the issuance of securities.

Parts 8 to 10: Certifications, persons involved and fund administration

Certifications by the regional center and the issuer of securities, everyone involved with the NCE and affiliated JCE, the Form I-956H count, separate accounts for investor capital, fund administrators and SEC registered control.

Parts 11 to 14: Signatures and extra space

The authorized individual's statement and signature, the interpreter and preparer sections, and additional information space.

How to fill out Form I-956F

  1. 1

    Use the current edition and write clearly

    Type or print in black ink. The USCIS page says all pages come from the same edition with the edition date and page numbers visible, or USCIS may reject the form.

  2. 2

    Choose the application type in Part 1

    Select initial application or amendment. For an amendment, the instructions say to add the regional center identification number at the top of each page.

  3. 3

    Describe one NCE and its JCEs

    Each application covers one commercial enterprise. Extra JCEs go in Part 14. The instructions say USCIS will not approve a project tied to a JCE whose name falsely implies government association or endorsement.

  4. 4

    Select the investment type in Part 5

    Select all types that apply and answer the questions under each. A high unemployment area lists the 11-digit FIPS codes of the census tracts and the data sources used for the rates.

  5. 5

    Answer every question

    Write N/A where a question does not apply, for example when no managing company is used, and None for a zero. Identify each document by exhibit number and name.

  6. 6

    Attach Forms I-956H and sign

    Give the Form I-956H count in Part 9, have the certifiers sign Part 8, and have the authorized individual sign Part 11. This page lets you fill the form online free, then print it for signature.

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Where to file, evidence and fees

Where to file

The USCIS page lists a P.O. Box in Dallas, TX for U.S. Postal Service mail and a Lewisville, TX address for FedEx, UPS and DHL deliveries, both marked Attn: I-956F. The instructions say a United States address is needed to file.

Fee

The fee is on the USCIS Fee Schedule page (Form G-1055), which can change. Check it on the day you file.

Evidence the regional center provides

The instructions list a comprehensive business plan, a credible economic analysis of job creation, securities filings, all investment and offering documents, and a description of policies to comply with securities laws.

Other evidence

The instructions also ask for the form of investment from the NCE into the JCE, the NCE's formation and governing documents, and, for a high unemployment designation, the census tracts and weighted unemployment calculation.

Missing evidence

The instructions say USCIS may reject or deny an application that does not include the required evidence, under 8 CFR 103.2(b)(1).

Address changes

The regional center notifies USCIS within 30 days of a mailing address change for the regional center, NCE or JCE, by email to the EB-5 Program mailbox. The Lockbox does not process address changes.

Related forms

Who files Form I-956F?

  • Designated regional centers

    The USCIS page says Form I-956F can only be filed by an approved regional center. The instructions say it can be filed any time after designation to request approval of a project.

  • Regional centers amending an approved project

    An amendment gives the receipt number of the approved Form I-956F and the NCE Identification Number (NCEID) that USCIS assigned on the initial receipt notice.

  • Projects first approved on Form I-924

    Part 1 asks whether the project is the same one submitted with a Form I-924 or I-924 amendment approved as an exemplar before March 15, 2022, with that receipt number and approval date.

  • Qualified certifiers

    Part 8 is completed by a qualified certifier for the regional center and for any issuer of securities offered to investors, such as a principal executive or financial officer with knowledge of compliance policies.

  • Persons involved with the NCE and JCE

    The form says each person in a position of substantive authority over EB-5 capital at the NCE or affiliated JCE completes Form I-956H, attached to Form I-956F.

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Questions about Form I-956F

Who can file Form I-956F?

The USCIS page says only an approved regional center can file it. The instructions say a designated regional center can file it any time after designation.

Does the regional center file Form I-956F before investors file?

The USCIS page quotes INA 203(b)(5)(F)(i), which says the regional center files for each offering before any investor files a petition based on investment in that offering.

Can one Form I-956F cover several projects?

The instructions say each Form I-956F may only include one commercial enterprise. Extra job-creating entities for that enterprise go in Part 14.

Can Form I-956F change the regional center's geographic area?

No. The instructions say a regional center may not use Form I-956F to request a change in its geographic area.

What is an NCEID?

The NCE Identification Number. The instructions say USCIS assigns it when it issues the receipt notice for an NCE's Form I-956F, and an amendment lists it in Part 1.

What is the Form I-956F filing fee?

USCIS fees change, so this page does not list one. The I-956F page points to the USCIS Fee Schedule, and the instructions point to Form G-1055.