Are you a Business Investor? Interested in the EB-5 Visa???

Business Investors and Immigration- Immigrate to the US through your business

EB-5 Visa: If you are a Business investor or an entrepreneur and you want to immigrate to the US through the EB-5 visa program – keep on reading!

The U.S government created the EB-5 Visa Immigrant Investor Program in 1990 to encourage foreign investment in U.S. businesses. The way it works is this – foreign nationals from all over the world invest at least $500,000 or $1,000,000 in a business that creates at least 10 jobs for U.S workers [either U.S citizens or permanent residents]. In exchange for this investment, the foreign nationals and their family members are eligible to become permanent residents of the United States.

How to get an EB-5 Visa

Currently there are two ways for foreign investors to get an EB-5 visa:

1. Through direct investment either in a brand new business or an already existing business; OR
2. By investing capital through a ‘Regional Center’. A ‘Regional Center is a firm approved by the US Government to actively manage funds from investors and the immigration approval process. As at December 2016, United States Citizenship and Immigration Services approved 865 Regional Centers.

When people think about the EB-5 visa investment, they usually think about either starting a new business or investing in an existing business. They also think about how their investment needs to create at least 10 new jobs or preserve existing permanent jobs in the US for US workers. This is the EB-5 Direct Investment program.

sin embargo, there are a lot of benefits from investing through a Regional Center! One of the most important benefits is this – when you invest in a Regional Center you are able to count both direct and indirect jobs created by your investment! This is unlike the Direct Investment program, whereby only direct jobs created by your investment will count towards the ‘job creation’ requirement. Investors who invest in a Regional Center can meet the job creation requirement by showing how they created indirect jobs through their investment. The Regional Centers combine resources from various investors to execute major commercial ventures for example – building roads and infrastructure [in conjunction with federal and state government agencies].

Important things to know about EB-5 visa

• No matter which investment type you choose [Direct Investment or Regional Center], the minimum investment is the same- usually $1,000,000. sin embargo, in Targeted Employment Areas [es decir, rural areas or areas with high unemployment] the investment is reduced to $500,000.
• EB-5 capital includes cash, inventario, assets, cash equivalents and loans secured by the investor personally
• You can’t use the assets of your EB-5 business as collateral for any loan to run the business.
• No criminal funds allowed! Money or assets acquired through unlawful or illegal means [like criminal activities] will not be accepted as EB-5 capital.
• Your EB-5 capital must be your own! You can’t use borrowed money as EB-5 capital.

EB-5 investment visa is one viable way for foreign entrepreneurs to legally immigrate to the US with their families. It’s a win-win situation:- on the one hand, foreign investors and their families get the chance to become United States permanent resident with all its benefits, rights and privileges. On the other hand, substantial cash and investments are injected into our US economy, thousands of jobs are created and a much needed economic boost is given to deserving areas within our country.

Watch out for more blogs on other business and investment immigration opportunites in the United States. For quality, dedicated and excellent Immigration services, contact Paul Law Firm by email to uchenna@upaullaw.com or 713.858.7445.