Fraud Detection and National Security (FDNS) is the Directorate within USCIS responsible for identifying fraud, as well as threats to national security and public safety, within the US immigration system. And if your regional center is subject to an impromptu government site visit, they’re the ones you’ll likely find at your door.
Instances of such site visits are on the rise, and although the visits may come on the back of some suspicion, they may also be random — meaning that every regional center, no matter how careful and law-abiding, should take steps to prepare.
In this week’s article, “What EB-5 Regional Centers Should Expect During Site Visits,” attorney Larry Behar explains the protocols of FNDS site visits, provides a primer on which documents you should have handy to share, and outlines an appropriate action plan for dealing with the FDNS agents — from verifying their identities when they arrive to following up with your legal counsel after they’ve left.
An Administrative regional center site visit are conducted by employees of the USCIS Fraud Detection and National Security Directorate. Investigators from other government agencies may also conduct site visits, but they do so much less frequently. Upon arriving at the site, employees of the USCIS-FDNS will normally present a badge or other identification credential issued by the Department of Homeland Security. They will usually also present a business card with a 1-800 number for an FDNS hotline that company representatives may call to verify that the employee is conducting site visits for the FDNS.
Don’t be caught unawares. Read the article here: “What EB-5 Regional Centers Should Expect During Site Visits”
Get More
NES Financial, in collaboration with more than 20 EB-5 industry experts, has released the 2017 edition of its EB-5 eBook series, EB-5 Insider: Medallion Partners Share Insights on Industry Trends.
For many more articles like this one, download the free eBook now.
Contact us
Allow us to address your EB-5 needs by contacting us. We look forward to hearing from you!