What is the EB-5 Investment Visa program?

The EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program allows foreign nationals to invest in U.S. businesses and secure permanent residency. With as little as $800,000, you can start your journey toward a Green Card for you and your family.

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Benefits

Advantages for EB-5 Investors

Fast-Track to U.S. Residency

Experience a streamlined path to U.S. permanent residency. The EB-5 visa offers an accelerated route, reducing waiting times and providing access to the American dream.

Inclusive Family Benefits

Investing in the EB-5 program secures residency for you, your spouse, and children under 21. Enjoy extended benefits, including access to education and family unity.

Boundless Opportunities

With an EB-5 visa, enjoy freedom to live and work in the United States. No sponsorship, language, or education prerequisites hinder your pursuit of success.

Eligibility

Ready to Begin Your EB-5 Journey?

Our team is here to guide you every step of the way. Let’s turn your investment into a secure future for you and your family in the United States.

Investment

Requires an investment of minimum $800,000 for TEA or $1.05 million for non TEA areas.

Process

Application involves several steps and documentation.

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TEA Regional Center Project

Investment amount for filing an EB-5 Visa petition

$ 860K-$900K

Total investment amount + fees for EB-5 process including attorneys & USCIS

$ 800K

Investment into the escrow account of the EB-5 Project

$ 70,000

Regional Center admin fees (negotiable)

$ 15K-$20K

Immigration attorney fees for filing I-526E petition

$ 12,160

USCIS filing fees for I-526E petition

Investor Guide

Steps in EB5 Process

Initial Consultation

Understand your needs and how they relate to the EB-5 program requirements

Filing the EB-5 Petition

Project selection and submit an I-526E petition with the USCIS

Receiving Your Conditional Green Card

Once your I-526E is approved, you are eligible to receive your conditional green card

1-829 Filling

Apply for a permanent green card between 21 to 24 months

Return of Investment

You are eligible to get back your EB-5 investment after 24 months

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Questions

Frequently Asked Questions

The EB-5 immigrant investor program allows two routes for investors:

1. Direct EB-5 Investment:

In a direct investment project, the EB-5 petitioner invests capital in a new commercial enterprise that creates a minimum of 10 direct,full-time qualifying jobs. A direct job is defined as that in which the employee is a W-2 employee of the new commercial enterprise.

This route is commonly taken by investors who want to start and operate their own business in the U.S., invest in a startup company, or buy into an existing enterprise. Investors that choose this route would likely invest in an operations-based business (as opposed to real estate projects) due to the limited scope of qualifying jobs.

It is important to note that for any EB-5 investment, the requisite jobs must be created as a result of the investment. So, for those choosing the direct EB-5 route and investing in existing enterprises, be sure that the business has a plan, and the likely prospect, of creating additional jobs with your investment.

To ensure your petition is properly prepared for submission to USCIS, it is important to work with an experienced immigration attorney, business plan writer, and tax consultant.

2. Regional Center EB-5 Investment:

A Regional Center is an entity that is designated by USCIS to promote economic growth in a specific region by sponsoring and managing projects that are funded with EB-5 capital. As compared to the EB-5 Direct Investment route, which is typically used to funnel investment into individual operating businesses, Regional Centers are used to pool investment from multiple EB-5 investors to fund larger projects, such as commercial and residential real estate development, hotel developments, infrastructure projects, and manufacturing facilities. The investment and job creation requirements are the same in both the Direct and Regional Center routes, but the way funds are structured differ, and Regional Center projects can count both indirect and induced job creation, in addition to direct jobs.

Approximately 90-95% of invested EB-5 capital has been invested through Regional Centers. This model is popular because it offers a turnkey investment solution for investors:

Investors are not actively engaged in day to day management of a business
Projects can count indirect and induced jobs, as well as direct jobs
Regional Centers are tasked with tracking data and statistics regarding job creation, which makes process of proving job creation at the final phase of the process easier for investors
Most Regional Center projects are located in a Targeted Employment Area and therefore qualify for the lower investment amount
Prior to investing, I conducted extensive research into both routes and found that the Regional Center option was the better route for me because it allowed me to have minimal involvement in the new commercial enterprise and continue my work.

Because of the knowledge I have obtained through my research and experience, I can guide you through the process for either route.

The EB-5 process can be complicated, and working with experienced advisors and professionals ensures that you avoid common pitfalls that could, at best, extend processing times and, at worst, lead to a denial. The various professionals that typically collaborate on any EB-5 petition include:

1. EB-5 Advisor:

An EB-5 advisor can serve as a quarterback for your EB-5 journey by vetting service providers, engaging in due diligence on projects, and working with you one-on-one to ensure a smooth process. As a FINRA registered Agent I interact with Regional Centers, EB-5 immigration attorneys, securities attorneys, economists, and business plan writers on a daily basis. I constantly conduct due diligence on projects and I remain cognizant of changes in EB-5 policies and regulations. As part of my services, I offer recommendations to investors detailing the pros and cons of each project. If an investor chooses the Direct EB-5 Investment route, I not only provide guidance through the process of successfully establishing the business, but also provide access to my network of professionals to ensure the EB-5 petition is approved by USCIS without a hitch.

2. Immigration Attorney:

Your immigration attorney will assist with immigration planning; develop a source of funds strategy and help compile the associated documentation; and ensure that you remain in compliance with immigration regulations. Your immigration attorney will work with you throughout the process, starting with the I-526 petition and ending with your citizenship application. As the EB-5 process involves multiple intertwined steps, it is crucial that you choose an experienced attorney with in-depth knowledge of the complexities of EB-5 law.

3. Regional Center/Investment Issuer:

The Regional Center manages your investment throughout the EB-5 process. It is important to thoroughly vet the Regional Center by asking in-depth questions about prospective projects and the Regional Center’s track record, and validating the information with our advisor and attorney. As your EB-5 advisor, I can analyze and compare Regional Centers and their sponsored projects so you can select the best fit for your immigration and investment goals.

If you choose the EB-5 Direct route, you will not work with a Regional Center and instead will require additional service providers to complete a comprehensive petition. These include:

4. Business Plan Writer:

The business plan is a crucial aspect of the I-526 petition as it is the document that USCIS uses to determine whether the proposed business will meet the job creation requirements. If you are pursuing an EB-5 visa through the Regional Center route, the associated Regional Center will develop a business plan for each sponsored project that is USCIS compliant, as well as an economic report that projects indirect and direct job creation using approved methodologies. If you are pursuing the Direct EB-5 route, you must furnish your own business plan for the I-526 petition. EB-5 business plans must meet specific criteria set forth by USCIS and are more complex than standard business plans. It’s important to work with a business plan writer that has extensive experience in the EB-5 industry and a successful track record of approvals with USCIS. As your EB-5 advisor, I can connect you with the industry’s leading plan writers.

5. Economist:

Economists develop Economic Impact Reports and can also conduct analyses of project locations to determine whether they are Targeted Employment Areas and, thus, qualify for the lower investment amount.

Economic Impact Reports are typically only used for Regional Center projects, as they analyze direct as well as indirect and induced job creation (the latter of which can only be counted under the Regional Center model). A comprehensive business plan (complete with direct job projections backed by cited industry benchmarks and market data) is sufficient for Direct EB-5 projects.

In the Direct EB-5 route, an economist is needed to conduct an analysis of a project’s location to ensure that it qualifies as a TEA. New regulations that went into effect at the end of November 2019 changed the definition of a TEA, making certain locations more difficult to qualify. An economist can run an analysis of unemployment and labor force data to determine whether a location does or does not qualify. This is important during the project planning process and is also documentation that must be submitted with an I-526 application.

6. Securities Attorney:

A securities attorney can develop operating agreements and company formation documents for new ventures. He or she would also be key in assembling private placement memorandums and offering documents for ventures that are raising capital.

Regardless of the route you plan to take to obtain your EB-5 visa, I can put together the right team to handle your case.

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Ready to Begin Your EB-5 Journey?

Our team is here to guide you every step of the way. Let’s turn your investment into a secure future for you and your family in the United States.

Start Your EB5 Journey