Who qualifies for an EB-5 visa?
The EB-5 visa is an immigrant visa for investors, entrepreneurs, and anyone who is looking to start a business in the USA. To qualify for an EB-5 visa, you are required to invest a minimum of $1,800,000 in a US business.
Who can apply for an Eb5 visa?
USCIS administers the EB-5 Program. Under this program, investors (and their spouses and unmarried children under 21) are eligible to apply for a Green Card (permanent residence) if they: Make the necessary investment in a commercial enterprise in the United States; and
How do I qualify for an EB-5 visa?
Qualifying for the EB-5 Visa requires proof of one of the following:
- Provide Proof For Investment From Lawful Business
- or Provide Proof For Investment Funds From Gifts
- or Provide Proof For Investment Funds From Inheritance
- or Provide Proof For Investment From Sale of Real Estate, Stocks, Business
- or Provide Proof For Investment From Loans (Only loans that qualify are loans backed by EB-5 applicant's assets.)
What do you need to know about Eb5 visa?
What Should You Know About EB-5 Visa? Investment Visa EB-5. This program was created by Congress in 1990 to stimulate United States economy creating new job opportunities by foreign capital investment. It was enacted as a pilot in 1992 and has been reauthorized since then.
Who are eligible for EB-5 visa?
USCIS administers the EB-5 Program. Under this program, investors (and their spouses and unmarried children under 21) are eligible to apply for a Green Card (permanent residence) if they: Make the necessary investment in a commercial enterprise in the United States; and.
How does EB-5 visa work?
What is an EB-5 Visa? The EB-5 (employment-based, 5th preference) investor visa grants permanent resident status to investors who satisfy certain criteria. With this visa, the applicant's spouse and unmarried children below the age of 21 may also receive a green card.
How long does a EB-5 visa take?
six monthsThe average processing time for the EB-5 Visa is six months, and the initial application and petition are usually approved within 60 days from the date of filing. You will, however, have to also wait for the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (“USCIS”) and Department of State to schedule an interview.
How much money do you need for an EB-5 visa?
The EB5 visa is an investment-based visa for investors. The basic requirements to get an EB5 visa are that you must invest at least $1,800,000 (or in some cases $900,000) in a US business and create 10 jobs for US workers.
Is EB-5 green card worth it?
Among high-profile scams, stringent eligibility requirements, and exceedingly long processing times, investors are left wondering whether petitioning for an EB5 visa is still worth it. For many, the simple answer is yes, the EB5 visa is still the golden ticket to the American Dream it has always been portrayed to be.
Do you get your money back in EB-5?
As most EB-5 cases are set up on loan-based models, once the investment is made and the partnership has made the loan, the investment is locked in until the loan term matures and can be paid back. Please review your offering documents, and consult with your lawyer and regional center.
Can I get green card if I buy house in USA?
“Will I qualify to receive a green card because I bought a house in the United States?” No. You can't get a green card simply by buying a house in the U.S. In fact, owning real estate doesn't ordinarily give you any visa or other immigration benefits.
Can I take a loan for EB-5 visa?
So, yes, you may take out a loan for your EB5 investment capital. However, a loan is trickier to handle than a gift. If secured by personal assets, be prepared to show a promissory note listing the personal security that secures the loan. The USCIS permits unsecured loans for the EB-5 program.
How many EB-5 visas are issued each year?
10,000 newThe EB-5 visa program has an annual maximum of approximately 10,000 new visas issued per year. At least 3,000 of these visas are reserved for new I-526 visa petitions filed based on investments in projects sponsored by a Regional Center.
Can I buy a US citizenship?
Investors can obtain US citizenship, however, it is better to use a US passport when traveling abroad to maintain status. If a person wants to get another citizenship after the American one, he will lose his US passport. Details about the difference between second and dual citizenship.
What is the current priority date?
Priority date: This is the date that U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) received your I-130 petition. Think of this date as your place in the green card line. You can find your priority date on the I-797 form mailed by USCIS approving your I-130 petition.
Can we buy US citizenship?
US Citizenship by investment EB-5 and E2 are not a citizenship by investment program, However; after getting a Green Card via the EB-5 visa route, investors can apply for USA citizenship after five years of Permanent Residency. This process is known as Naturalization.
What is Form I 526 used for?
What Is the Purpose of Form I-526? This form is used by a standalone investor to petition U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) for status as an immigrant to the United States under section 203(b)(5) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA), as amended.
How much do you need to invest for an E 2 visa?
$100,000 US dollarsThe applicant must make a substantial investment to qualify for the E2 investor visa. However, the law does not state a minimum dollar amount. Generally, the applicant should be prepared to invest at least $100,000 US dollars in the enterprise to have a good E2 visa case.
What is the EB-5 visa?
The EB-5 Visa Program: What It Is and How It Works. The Immigrant Investor Program, also known as “EB-5,” has become an increasingly important source of investment for development projects in the United States, attracting billions of dollars to the U.S. economy and creating tens of thousands of jobs in the United States.
How many EB-5 visas are there?
There are 10,000 EB-5 visas available each Fiscal Year (FY). To qualify for the EB-5 program, immigrants can invest directly in a job-creating business, or can invest through regional centers approved by USCIS to promote economic growth in designated areas.
What is Congress Doing on EB-5?
Despite the increased usage of the EB-5 program, it remains a provisional visa program. Since its inception, Congress has reauthorized the program several times, most recently in December 2015. Currently it is set to expire on September 30, 2016. Congress must act in order to keep the program running after this date.
How much investment is required for an EB-5 visa?
It requires a minimum investment of $1 million, or $500,000, if the investment is in a rural or targeted high unemployment area where unemployment is 150% of the national average.
What is the purpose of the USCIS visa program?
Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) in that it is the only visa program whose stated purpose is to create jobs and growth . This mandate creates special challenges and opportunities.
How many EB-5 visas were issued in 2008?
The number of EB-5 visas issued to foreign investors increased from a low of 64 in 2003 to more than 1,300 in 2008, according to a 2010 government-commissioned study by ICF International.
What was the denial rate for removing conditions on permanent residency in 2005?
Since 2005, approval rates have improved: the denial rate for petitions to remove conditions on permanent residency has dropped from 38% in 2005 to 6% in 2012, greatly improving the odds of success and the reliability of the program as a vehicle for investors to obtain residency.
When will the EB-5 be extended?
On Dec. 27, 2020, President Trump signed a law extending the Regional Center Program through June 30, 2021. USCIS policy on EB-5 adjudications is in Volume 6, Part G of the USCIS Policy Manual. All EB-5 investors must invest in a new commercial enterprise that was established: After Nov. 29, 1990; or. On or before Nov. 29, 1990, that was:
How many employees are required to be on an EB-5?
An EB-5 investor must invest the required amount of capital in a new commercial enterprise that will create full-time positions for at least 10 qualifying employees.
How long does an EB-5 investor have to show job maintenance?
The investor must show that the number of existing employees is, or will be, no less than the pre-investment level for a period of at least two years.
What is the minimum investment amount for EB-5?
21, 2019, including: The required standard minimum investment amount of $1 million and the minimum investment amount for investment in a Targeted Employment Area (TEA) of $500,000; ...
What is the I-485 form?
Form I-485, Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status, and any Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization, and Form I-131, Application for Travel Document, associated with a Form I-485 application that is based on a Form I-526 filed by an approved regional center.
When will I-526 be accepted?
In addition, we again will accept the April 15, 2019 , version of Form I-526, Immigrant Petition by Alien Entrepreneur, because the Nov. 21, 2019, version of the form reflects updates from the now-vacated rule. Alert: Statutory authorization related to the EB-5 Immigrant Investor Regional Center Program expired at midnight on June 30, 2021.
Is there a retention date for I-526?
No priority date retention based on an approved Form I-526;
How to get an EB-5 visa?
To get an EB-5 visa, an investor can make a direct investment or they can invest in a regional center. Regional centers are specialized companies that collect investment funds from multiple EB-5 investors to fund a large-scale project such as a resort or apartment complex.
What are the requirements for an EB-5 visa?
One of the key requirements of the EB-5 visa is that the funds used for an EB-5 investment must be lawfully obtained.
Can an EB-5 investor get a green card?
The EB-5 visa is an immigrant visa category, so as a successful EB-5 applicant, you can get your green card are be on the path to US citizenship. As an EB-5 investor, your spouse and your unmarried children under 21 years old can also qualify to get their green cards. Your children have access to a US education.
Who files the I-526?
After putting together all the necessary documentation, your attorney will file the Form I-526 on your behalf.
Do you have to invest money to get an EB-5 visa?
No, an investor does not have to invest money to qualify for an EB-5 visa.
Do you have to work for a sponsor company on an EB-5?
As an approved EB-5 visa holder, you do not have to work for a sponsor company. You are free to work in any lawful capacity. You are free to live and work anywhere in the United States. You are eligible to work in the US without having to apply for special work authorization. 3.
What is an EB-5 Visa ?
If you are a citizen of a country other than the United States and are looking to start a life in America, then you should consider applying for the EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program, administered by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).
What are the requirements of EB-5 Visa?
EB-5 visa applicants are required to invest at least $ 900,000 into a Regional Center project as long as the investment is either within a high-unemployment area or a rural area in the United States. If these conditions are not met, the minimum qualifying investment becomes $1,800,000.
Who is Eligible to Apply for an EB-5 Visa?
As long as you satisfy the requirements for the EB-5 visa, and you are not ineligible for some other reason (such as a criminal record), then you are eligible to apply for an EB-5 visa.
What is the form I-526?
Your immigration lawyer will then prepare and file a Form I-526 on your behalf (this is the initial immigrant petition filed with USCIS). Once this is approved, you are eligible to become a conditional permanent resident.
EB-5 Investor Program
Congress Created the EB- 5 program in 1990 to stimulate the US Economy through job creation and capital investment by foreign investors. It works by linking US businesses looking to raise capital with foreign investors who are seeking a US Visa, there by creating a “win- win” situation .
Eligibility
A minimum investment amount of $500,000 USD or equivalent Currency is required . These funds have to be validate, must be an accredited investor.
Advantages of EB-5 Program
Direct route to a Green Card and permanent residency in the U.S. for the investor and his/her immediate family (spouse & unmarried children under age 21 ).
EB-5 Process
Investor deposits $500,000 into a secure escrow account and pay legal fees only. No administrative Cost.