Two Fast I-956F Approvals: How Wright Goforth Helped CIVIC and DOCS Move Ahead

In EB-5, time is critical. However, the process of I-956F adjudication may stretch beyond a year (the current processing time averages 14 months[1]), and is often slowed by inconsistent documentation, lack of verifiable detail, or non-transparent methodologies.

When time is of the essence, Wright Goforth’s extensive EB-5 experience can make the difference. In 2024, we helped two of our clients to achieve approvals in a fraction of the average time:

• DOCS Hospital Project – Approved in only four months.

• CIVIC Veterans Affairs Medical Center – Approved in just 78 days.

With Wright Goforth’s guidance, these projects were quickly approved, with no Request for Evidence (“RFE”) or other inquiry from USCIS. These successes were the product of a deliberate process, aligned workstreams, and strong legal and sponsor partners designed and structured from day one for both USCIS compliance and investor readiness.

The Projects

Both CIVIC and DOCS were large-scale healthcare developments in TEA-designated, high-demand urban markets. Each project addressed critical community needs while creating job counts well above EB-5 minimums. 

• DOCS Hospital Project in Los Angeles expands healthcare access in one of the country’s largest metropolitan regions, adding capacity and services to meet a growing population’s needs.

• CIVIC Veterans Affairs Medical Center will deliver a modern, state-of-the-art VA facility in the Bay Area, home to one of the largest veteran populations in the U.S.

This project addresses urgent healthcare infrastructure gaps, replacing an aging, overburdened hospital with a facility capable of serving hundreds of thousands of veterans. Note that this project was also approved as Infrastructure, therefore qualified for visas reserved for that category.

For both sponsors, a quick processing time from USCIS was crucial. Together with the sponsors and legal teams, Wright Goforth set clear goals for each project :

• Submit a complete, fully compliant I-956F with no gaps or inconsistencies.

• Demonstrate TEA eligibility and job creation through clear, transparent data.

• Be ready to launch investor marketing immediately upon approval.

Our Role and Process

1. Compliance as the Foundation

To minimize the chances of an RFE or other inquiries, Wright Goforth developed business plans meeting Matter of Ho and all USCIS requirements, including:

• Detailed project descriptions and capital stack breakdowns.

• Job creation methodologies tied directly to verified construction and operational budgets.

• TEA designation documentation with census tract mapping.

• Timelines aligned with both EB-5 program milestones and construction feasibility.

Wherever possible, the above were supported by extensive third-party verification, further reducing the odds of an RFE.

2. Clarity for Two Audiences

While the immediate audience for each business plan was USCIS adjudicators, each document was designed to also function an investor-ready marketing tool, reducing the need for supplemental investor-focused documents. Wright Goforth’s business plans included:

• Translating complex financial and economic models into plain, precise language.

• Highlighting return of capital strategies, key milestones, and risk mitigation.

• Including visuals such as site plans, renderings, and job creation timelines to make the projects easy to understand and present to potential investors.

3. Parallel Workstreams for Consistency

For both projects, we developed the business plan and economic impact analysis in close coordination with each client’s legal team, including KLDP, SAUL Ewing LLP, and Lexcuity PC. Because mismatched/conflicting figures and descriptions across different documents is a common cause of RFEs and extended review times, Wright Goforth ensured that every component produced by Wright Goforth and the legal teams utilized the same verified dataset,  streamlining and speeding up the USCIS review process.

Why It Worked

The speed at which these two projects received approval was based on alignment. By working closely with each sponsor’s legal team, Wright Goforth ensured that every document submitted to USCIS told the same story, relied on the same data, and supported the same conclusions. This clarity allowed adjudicators to quickly and efficiently review the projects without requesting additional information or clarification.

However, a quick approval doesn’t create much of an advantage if the capital raise is bogged down with the need to create additional materials. With business plans that structured for both compliance and marketing,, both projects were able to begin raising capital on day one of approval, without the need for revisions or rewrites.

The Outcomes

• CIVIC: Approved in 78 days.

• DOCS: Approved in 4 months.

These faster-than-average timelines kept financing and construction schedules on track and enabled immediate investor outreach.

Key Lessons for EB-5 Sponsors

Fast adjudication is rarely about luck… it’s the result of coordinated processes, attention to detail, and documents that satisfy both USCIS adjudicators and investors.

• Start with compliance, build for clarity. Meeting USCIS requirements is essential, but plans that also speak to investors create greater long-term value.

  
  

• Align every workstream. Consistency between the business plan, economic analysis, and legal filing is critical to avoiding delays and achieving quick approval.

  
  

• Plan for post-approval. A filing-ready document that is also investor-ready shortens the time from approval to capital commitments.

Need an I-956F package built for both timely approval and investor traction?

Reach out to Wright Goforth today.

[1] https://egov.uscis.gov/processing-times/