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Foreign Investors EB5 Visa

Florida EB5 Investor Visa

The EB-5 Visa for Immigrant Investors is a United States visa created by the Immigration Act of 1990. The EB-5 Regional Center process provides a method of obtaining a green card for foreign nationals who personally invest their funds in a U.S. corporation or entity designated as a Regional Center by the USCIS (U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service). To obtain the immigrant visa (the green card/permanent residency) the foreign national must personally invest at least US $1,050,000 which will create at least 10 full time jobs either directly or indirectly. In addition, by investing in certain Regional Centers located in TEA’s (Targeted Employment Areas); i.e. areas that are rural or areas of high unemployment, the required investment amount is only US $800,000.

 

The Immigrant Investor Pilot Program was created by Section 610 of Public Law 102-395 on October 6, 1992. This was in accordance with a Congressional mandate aimed at stimulating economic activity and job growth, while allowing eligible aliens the opportunity to become lawful permanent residents. This “Pilot Program” allows a foreign national investor to obtain first a Conditional Permanent Residency for a two-year period. Toward the end of the two-year period, the foreign national investor has to file another petition (i.e. showing the total required investment was made and that the investment created 10 full time jobs either directly or indirectly during the two-year period). If the petition is approved, then the foreign national obtains the unconditional Alien Card, which is full permanent residency in the US.

 

A Regional Center is defined as any economic unit, public or private, engaged in the promotion of economic growth, improved regional productivity, job creation and increased domestic capital investment.

 

Prior law required the investment in the Regional Center to generate an increase in export sales, however statutory amendments in 2000 and 2002 no longer require this increase. The individual receiving the visa is not required to actively manage the business invested in.  Foreign national investors who wish to invest their personal funds in their own new or existing business or operation, and who wish to have an active role in the direction and management of the U.S. operation should consider the traditional EB-5 process. An investment of either US $1,050,000 million or US $800,000 will be required. Foreign national investors who prefer a more passive role in the management of their investment should consider the EB5 Regional Program.

 

 Basic Requirements of the EB-5 Program:

 

  • The investor must start or invest in an established business or Regional Center in the U.S.
  • The investor must invest $1,050,000 million USD or $800,000 USD if investing in certain regional centers in targeted employment areas.
  • The investor must create 10 full-time jobs for U.S. workers.
 

 General Information for EB-5 Investors:

  • No prior business experience is required. Likewise, the investor is not required to demonstrate any minimum level of education. The only requirement for the investor is that he/she has the required net worth and capital.
  • No need to speak English.
  • Investor must be in good health.
  • Assets invested must be lawfully gained and source of funds identified.
  • Money may be gifted by a parent or relative within approved guidelines.
  • Husband, wife and any of their unmarried children under the age of 21 are eligible. It is possible for adopted children to be included in the family if adopted under the age of 16.
 

 Process:

  • Once approved for the EB-5 immigrant visa, the investor receives a “conditional” Green Card, which must be reissued after two years and is subject to removal of certain conditions.
  • One year and nine months after it is issued, there is a three-month window during which the investor must file another application with the USCIS to certify that all of the funds have been invested and employment created in a regional center whether directly or indirectly.
  • When the conditional resident status has been lifted, full resident status is granted and a permanent Green Card is issued.
  • Once you obtain a Green Card and become a legal permanent resident, you have most of the rights and obligations of a U.S. citizen, except that you cannot vote and you are not entitled to some public benefits. You are subject to the same tax filing requirements, tax rates and deductions as U.S. citizens.
  • One of the most important rights legal permanent residents possess is the right to obtain U.S. citizenship after five years.
 
Call us today to inquire more: 407-401-8790 

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Type of Processing

Processing Times
3-4 Years
1 Years
6 Months

Visa set-aside

Availability
 

Our experience with national interest & rural investments

Since the lapse of the Regional Center Program, we’ve focused on non-commercial-real-estate projects, many in the national interest and in rural locations.


In that time, we have reviewed and offered 12 of these projects that met our standards. Four of those projects have received approval by USCIS for expedited processing (the fastest processing possible).


We’ve structured such investments to be beneficial to both U.S. businesses and immigrant investors. In 2022 and beyond, we are committed to offering a wide selection of quality national interest and rural EB-5 investment solutions for faster processing.

Frequently asked questions

'The EB-5 process has four main steps. 1) Select an appropriate EB-5 project. 2) File your investor petition (Form I-526). 3) Once your petition is approved you’ll receive conditional permanent residency (a Green Card), that lasts two years. To enter the U.S., you’ll file form DS-260 in your home country, or form I-485 if you are already living in the U.S. 4) File for removal of conditions (Form I-829) two years after attaining your conditional permanent residency.'

A Targeted Employment Area (TEA) investment is $800,000. Add an administration fee that is typically $50,000, and lawyer fees of $15,000 to $25,000, and a USCIS ling fee of $3,675.

The main factors involved in the wait time for an EB-5 Green card are the time it takes to process an I-526 petition, and whether or not there is an immediately available visa upon approval. I-526 processing can take four to five years for a standard petition, about six months for an expedited petition, and is estimated to take about a year for rural-investment petitions.

Far far awAn expedited EB-5 project is one that is considered by the U.S. government to serve a compelling government or public interest. These determinations can result in shorter processing times for both the project (exemplar expedite) and the investor (investor expedite).ay, behind the word mountains, far from the countries Vokalia and Consonantia, there live the blind texts. Separated they live in Bookmarksgrove right at the coast

There are a few expedited projects currently in the market, and we’ve seen investors tending to receive approval within six months, and sometimes in just weeks. Remember that an expedited project does not mean that the investment has less immigration or financial risk.

Investments on the Countrywide marketplace investment platform have varying levels of potential return. Some investments will cap the investor’s return, sometimes offering a potential maximum return of 1% per year or less. Other investments aim at providing opportunities with a potential for higher returns Examine your investment options carefully and reach out to our registered broker representatives to identify the right investment for your risk tolerance and investment goals. (Remember that past performance cannot be a guarantee of future results.)

There are two reasons why EB-5 capital is less attractive to strong projects: the cost to properly structure an EB-5 investment, and the uncertainty of when EB-5 funds will become available to the project. Thus, to offset these factors and make EB-5 capital attractive, a strong project will require a significant saving on the cost of EB-5 capital. This saving is reflected in the return offered to investors.

Regulations require that EB-5 investments must be equity investments. But, as is often the case with regional center investments, the EB-5 fund that collects investor capital then makes a loan to a job-creating entity (JCE). Investors are typically repaid upon the redemption of the loan by the EB-5 fund, but this is not always the case. Review our investment terms and the offering documents carefully to understand how EB-5 investors are treated. With a direct investment, the structure is far simpler: the investor makes an equity investment directly into the business that creates the jobs. The investor can therefore have the exibility of when to sell their equity and exit on market terms and rates.

Yes. To qualify for the $800,000 investment amount (instead of the $1,050,000 standard investment) the project must be located in a Target Employment Area (TEA), or be an infrastructure project. To qualify for TEA designation, the project must be in a rural area or a high-unemployment area (50% above national average. The investments currently on Countrywide Marketplace are $800,000 investments.

Yes. The proceeds of a loan can be used to make an EB-5 investment, but the loan can not be secured by the project being invested in.

Historically, investors were prohibited from using unsecured loans for their investment, but in 2020 the D.C. Circuit court ruled that EB-5 investors can use the proceeds of unsecured loans for their investment capital. Consult with your lawyer.

Yes, you may use a gift to finance your EB-5 investment. However, the details of the gift (person, timing, source of their funds, etc.) need to be evidenced in your I-526 petition, as part or all of your Source of Funds review.

No. Only spouses and unmarried children under 21 may be included (as derivatives) on a petition.

  • Yes. Many investors have chosen this path. The EB-5 Reform and Integrity Act of 2022 now allows investors with an H-1B visa to file concurrently file their I-526 petition and I-485, for adjustment of status. Concurrent filing removes the restrictions of H-1B, E-2 and F-1 visas, and lets an EB-5 investor live, work and study anywhere in the U.S.

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It is permanent. You can live and work anywhere in the U.S. and its territories; children can attend university at in-state tuition rates; no language requirements; and it’s relatively simple. Further, an EB-5 visa allows you to apply for U.S. citizenship after five years.

Yes, you can, if you can provide clear evidence that the digital assets are of legal origin and that you were the owner.

Proving that this investment capital was obtained legally and was owned by an investor is challenging due to the perceived anonymity of cryptocurrency. Thus, it is critical to develop a source of funds strategy with an attorney who understands cryptocurrency and how USCIS perceives it.

Typically, the investor converts his digital currency into conventional currency before giving his funds to the investment project. However, when proceeds from the sale of digital currency come from a country with no legal framework for cryptocurrency exchange, USCIS may question the legality of these funds. An experienced attorney will help provide evidence of the transaction in terms applicable to the conventional sale of assets, with as much transparency as possible, and all required taxes paid.

No daily management of the business operations is required. The USCIS policy manual states that an EB-5 investor must be “engaged in the management of the new commercial enterprise, either through the exercise of day-to-day managerial responsibility or through policy formulation.” Voting rights with regard to policy formulation, as a limited partner or board member, will fulfil this requirement.

Yes. This can be done through a job-creating business with an investment of approximately $200,000, and then increasing the investment to $800,000, so long as 10 jobs are created. We can introduce potential E-2 applicants to business brokers and immigration lawyers.

All EB-5 investments must be “at risk,” as per USCIS program requirements. But the risk of getting your capital returned in a timely manner is manageable. And investment due diligence is vital.

Some regional center offerings are structured in a way that gives comfort to the investor that they will be repaid if their EB-5 petition is denied; but each investment will have a different treatment of returning investment capital. Differences include under what circumstances an investor is fully refunded; whether the money is set aside for such a purpose; and from whom the repayment will be made, since the EB-5 capital will have already been invested in the project by the time the application is denied. With a direct equity investment, investors may be required to keep their money in the business for one year. After that time, they can sell whenever they like, including if their I-526 petition is denied. In most cases, the issuer is not obligated to refund the investment amount back to the investor — the equity investment may have risen or fallen in value since it was originally made and selling the investor’s interest is determined by market forces (demand).

There is a reasonable amount of flexibility in terms of traveling outside the U.S. for periods of up to six months, but you will need a Re-entry Permit if you intend to be outside the U.S. for a year or more. Consult with your lawyer.

Yes, and the savings can be significant. Children with a Green Card can qualify for in-state tuition fees which are often a fraction of what international students pay. Students can also benefit from scholarships and grants — and better acceptance rates than international students.