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EB-5 Compliance & Background Check Services

Exceeding Compliance Regulations Everyday

What Are EB-5 Background Checks?

The EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program, created by Congress in 1990, was designed to drive U.S. economic growth through job creation and foreign investment. Each year, 10,000 EB-5 immigrant visas are made available for qualified investors who contribute significant capital to new or troubled American enterprises.

To maintain program integrity, EB-5 background checks are mandated by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). These screenings verify that each investor’s funds originate from lawful sources and that all parties meet the strict eligibility criteria set by federal immigration laws.

Comprehensive background checks for EB-5 participants include criminal and civil history searches, tax liens, bankruptcies, UCC search and UCC filing reviews, government exclusion list checks, credit and business credit reports, and more. Each component plays a crucial role in confirming lawful investment sources and preventing fraudulent activity.

Ultimately, these checks safeguard the EB-5 program’s reputation, ensuring compliance, transparency, and trust among investors, regional centers, and U.S. communities that depend on EB-5 funding to create jobs and stimulate growth.

Why EB-5 Background Checks Matter

In a program where millions of dollars and thousands of jobs are at stake, background screening is vital. EB-5 background checks help mitigate risks that can compromise both investor eligibility and enterprise credibility.

By verifying investor integrity, lawful funding sources, and financial transparency, Global Verification Network protects stakeholders from the threats of fraud, money laundering, and reputational harm. These checks also help businesses, attorneys, and regional centers comply with evolving USCIS and international standards, ensuring no detail is overlooked.

Thorough screenings support compliance across all levels of the EB-5 ecosystem, confirming that investors, regional centers, and enterprises meet immigration and financial regulations. In doing so, these verifications protect the program’s mission: creating and sustaining U.S. jobs while fostering responsible investment.

Who Is Subject to EB-5 Background Checks?

Background checks in the EB-5 program extend beyond the primary investor. The USCIS requires thorough vetting of:

  • Immigrant Investors:Individuals applying for EB-5 visas must undergo detailed financial and personal screenings, including criminal record checks, litigation history, and source-of-funds verification.
  • Accompanying Family Members:Spouses and dependent children are also screened to ensure they meet eligibility criteria and pose no legal or security risks.
  • Business Partners and Associates:Regional center affiliates, business owners, and project managers may be reviewed to ensure full compliance and transparency.

This level of scrutiny ensures fairness, consistency, and due diligence. Screening all relevant parties contributes to faster case processing, minimizes compliance delays, and protects the overall integrity of the EB-5 program.

Global Verification Network’s Vetting Reports May Contain the Following:

  • Criminal History Searches. Our criminal background investigations entail searching through all relevant hardcopy and electronic records at municipal, county, state and federal levels. Global Verification Network tracks any information regarding misdemeanors and felonies. We also search for information regarding any charges for embezzlement, tax evasion, counterfeiting, wire fraud, driving issues and more.

  • Civil Litigation History Searches. With civil litigation history searches, we comb sources at the county and federal levels for information that identifies individuals who have been involved in product liability, breach of contract and/or small claims suits.

    Judgments, Tax Liens and Bankruptcy Searches

    It is important for EB-5 immigrant investors to participate in the program with a clean and clear financial history. Here, we seek to identify applicants who have adjudicated bankruptcy cases or who have any type of outstanding judgments or liens against them for a better understanding of the application’s approach to financial management.

  • Uniform Commercial Code (UCC) Searches. Our team searches the UCC database to uncover any lingering tax liens and debtor information not covered in standard searches.

  • Government Databases Exclusions List Searches. These types of searches include OFAC, FINRA, SEC and more and the information sought here involves:

    • Foreign assets and investments
    • Business associations in targeted areas
    • Investment compliance with securities rules and laws

  • Credit Reports. With each participant’s signed consent only, Global Verification Network searches for information about that participant’s bill payment history, loans, current debt and other financial information. Credit reports also reveal where the participant works and lives — and whether he or she has been arrested, sued or filed for bankruptcy.

  • Business Credit Reports. Business owner credit report scores are as important as individual credit report scores. In this report, we search for similar information to individual credit reports, including how well the business pays its bills on the corporate credit card.

  • Media/Social Media Searches. Additional screening is sometimes necessary for some EB-5 investor applicants and social media searches can offer the necessary insights. Applicants must submit all social media activity — including all handles and screen names — for the past five years on all visa applications. We search for posts related to a business or any activity that may bar them from eligibility with the program.

  • Real Property Searches. Immigrant investors applying for an EB-5 visa may own properties in their homeland. We perform a real property search for our clients to determine the impact any real properties may present in the decision-making process.

  • Education and Professional License Verifications. As another measure of the immigrant investor’s integrity put forth by the EB-5 program, we search for information regarding candidates’ educational background, licensure and certifications for themselves, as well as any accreditations for their business.

  • Reference Verifications and Validations. It is crucial to determine whether the EB-5 immigrant investor applicant is who he or she claims to be. Our team will search for documents that include the candidate’s passport, U.S. Department of State-issued visa and the individual’s visa application or immigrant petition.

  • Other Specialty Investigative Services. Upon request, we are happy to perform any other searches needed to ensure EB-5 compliance in every case. Additional investigative EB5 services we conduct include:

    • Driver records search moving violations and alcohol-related matters
    • Prohibited and restricted parties search to uncover any information on known terrorists, illegal weapons traders, money launderers, narcotics traffickers and people subject to any economic sanction
    • International searches that cover many of the same issues that may be found in the U.S. at various levels

Why Choose Global Verification Network?

The EB-5 program continues to evolve, with reforms and regulatory changes shaping how investments and compliance are managed. Staying ahead of these shifts is essential for investors and stakeholders to succeed in the competitive EB-5 landscape. Global Verification Network provides expert guidance and thorough background screening to help clients adapt to changing compliance requirements, reducing risks and ensuring eligibility.

By engaging in thorough EB-5 immigrant investor background screening, you gain several advantages:

  • Verification of immigrant investor credentials and biographical information
  • Fewer financial losses due to poor money management or other shortcomings when you learn about them before making your final selection
  • Enhanced security and safety for U.S. citizens, local area residents and future customers
  • Ability to extend acceptance to exceptional immigrant investors quickly

By offering continuous updates on regulatory changes and tailored services, Global Verification Network ensures EB 5 compliance while minimizing potential delays. Our screening process verifies investor credentials, mitigates risks of fraud and enhances security for all parties involved. With a high demand for EB-5 visas, acting promptly is key and Global Verification Network equips clients with timely, comprehensive checks to streamline decision-making.

As a trusted leader in background screening for the visa program industry, Global Verification Network empowers clients to navigate the EB-5 program with confidence and precision.

Contact Us to Learn More and to Get Started Today

If you are searching for a vetting company to provide you with the detailed information you need to help make more informed decisions about a prospective employee, prospective tenant, business partner or financial professional, Global Verification Network can help.

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