March 1st, 2010 |
 It is interesting to look beyond the headlines used to promote regional center programs.
Here are some example headlines we found and the reasons you need to explore deeper to expose ALL the details before you choose a regional center for your EB-5 visa.
1. “The only Designated Regional Center in the U.S. controlled and supervised by State Government.”
The Regional Center investments that operate under the banner of a state can sometimes confuse prospective investors in terms of the implications of this status. For example, has the “State Government” any responsibility for repayment of the investment? Some investors assume such designation may offer a safety net. Another question might be: What role does the state government play in the exit strategy regarding the then value of the investment?
Some regional centers, at different times, have made this claim. One program that operated under a State banner is reportedly the subject of litigation. This could raise raises questions as to how far the “state” supervised the program.
2. “A 100% success record for EB-5 Visa approval and faster approval times.”
Many centers have a 100% successful track record, at least at I-526 stage. As regards faster approval times; centers generally get approvals within the USCIS average time lines however, for specific reasons relating to “Requests for Further Evidence” RFEs, and the nature of some programs, some centers have had longer approval times.
3. “In 2009, a total of 4,218 wealthy investors from outside the U.S. successfully applied for and received an EB-5 visa. But many are left asking what has accounted for the recent interest the program has been receiving”?
Firstly a few points regarding these figures which may seem a little pedantic but are important for reasons that can be explained.
The figure quoted includes the spouse and children of the investors; it does not mean there were actually 4218 individual investments in regional centers. - Many investors have a spouse and at least one child so the number of actual investors is nearer a third of the total number of visas. Secondly, the figure for 2009 contains a substantial number who invested in 2008; delays in processing carried these over into 2009.
The main change to be aware of in the figures for 2009 is actually the nationality of investors, with a greater proportion of Chinese investors in particular. China has seen a significant sales focus by a number of regional centers and their agents based in China. This has meant certain programs have mainly Chinese investors whose particular motivation and awareness may have implications.
4. “The regional center returned my investment in three years.”
Three years is generally unrealistic given current review times. That is unless the client is selling out at the moment their I-829 petition is approved. This could be extremely dangerous
Andrew Bartlett and Stephen Parnell are authors of Green Card via the Red Carpet. You can read excerpts of the book at our book website and/or contact the authors via Which EB5.
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Tags: andrew bartlett, china, Chinese investors, eb-5, exit strategy, Green Card via the Red Carpet, I-526, I-829, investors, litigation, regional center, request for further evidence, RFE, state government, stephen parnell, uscis, value of the investment, visa, Which EB-5
Posted in Immigration | No Comments » |
January 8th, 2010 |
 What happens if EB5 jobs are not created? Let’s look at a couple of hypothetical examples that could have a major impact if you are planning to use the the EB5 investor visa route for permanent residency in the USA.
Let’s say you have applied through a relatively new center that has few if any successful I–526 applications and whose program strategy requires a minimum total investment and minimum total number of investors to succeed. Say you invested and received your I-526 eighteen months ago. However, you have just learnt that the center has failed to obtain enough investors to complete its program, (a building of some sort) and you face not only losing your $500,000 investment but also your likelihood of I-829 petition success enabling you to achieve continued permanent residence in the USA.
Or, taking another scenario, let’s say you invested in a program which was based on a developing a commercial property; it might be for example a hotel or an office. In this case the investment was fully subscribed and the building completed. However, since the original planning stage the economic climate has changed and fewer tenants have moved in thus creating fewer jobs.
These are just two examples of issues that you should be considering before opting for any particular center. To discuss these points in more detail as well as which programs adopt a strategy that minimizes these issues contact info@WhichEB5.com
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Tags: eb-5, eb5, I-526, I-829, investors, jobs, permanent residence, USA
Posted in Immigration | No Comments » |
January 7th, 2010 |
 Each day we monitor the news regarding the success or failure associated with EB-5 regional center programs. We do this so that we can highlight these to our clients when they are considering the various EB5 options. We found the following information particularly interesting from an established regional center.
“99% of the over 1200 investors we are currently working with have had their I-526 petitions approved. Over 70 investors now have their I-829 petitions approved, and more are received each day. Please keep in mind: a) the infancy of the program, b) the number of investors per project varies, c) the general time-frame to receive I-829 approval is about three years and d) we are just now at the completion of our first completed 5-year project and investments are being returned to the investors.”
For more information contact us via our website Which EB5 dot com
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Tags: eb-5, eb5, exit stratergy, I-526, I-829, investors, regional center
Posted in Immigration | No Comments » |
December 27th, 2009 |
 Chinese EB-5 visa applicants to the USA face financial traps We have previously warned of the potential dangers for EB-5 investors who fail to obtain independent advice from experts. Experts who have visited many of the regional center programs are best qualified to provide this advice. Instead some potential immigrants rely on agents representing only one regional center or agents charging big fees to provide a very basic service, this is a bad practice.
Citizens of some countries maybe more at risk than others if they do not obtain impartial, independent advice particularly if they work with a consultant who also advises regional centers on how to market their regional center to potential Chinese immigrants; a recent article in the Chinese press highlights the dangers for Chinese citizens trying to immigrate to the USA.
The article in ‘China Daily’ warns that Chinese investors may be victimized by financial traps set up by Chinese immigration agencies and foreign investment organizations. We would add that this is an issue that reaches beyond China, we cover this problem in our book (Green Card via the Red Carpet) intended to assist immigrants considering the EB-5 program.
There have apparently been complaints regarding the handling of EB-5 immigration cases in China, an example given is Mrs. Zhang in Beijing who found herself charged a brokerage fee by the agency she was using that was far in excess of the figure originally quoted.
This is not a uniquely Chinese problem. Last year we reported cases of alleged fraud carried out on UK citizens who had handed over funds to an agency that failed to pass them on to the appropriate regional center.
We continue to stress the need for independent and impartial advice that points out the positives and negatives of different regional center programs. There is no reason why this advice should not be freely given to you.
For more information contact Which EB5 info@whicheb5.com
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Tags: china, chinese, eb-5, Green Card via the Red Carpet, immigrate, Immigration, independent, investors, regional center, USA, visa
Posted in Immigration | No Comments » |
December 14th, 2009 |
 How to Choose an EB5 Regional Center Picking the right regional center isn’t as easy as it sounds.
Foreign investors looking for fast-track permanent residency in the United States can take heart in the recent three-year extension of the EB-5 regional center program. This approval, however, shouldn’t be seen as cause to throw caution to the wind.
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services have approved a tremendous amount of regional centers that qualify for EB-5 investment status. On the surface, this provides excellent choice, but there are some pitfalls. Making the wrong decision on where to invest can result in a revocation of status after two years and also a loss of the initial $500,000 to $1 million investment.
EB-5 investors have several things beyond making their money back to worry about. They must also be certain the investment does meet the qualifications set by Washington, D.C., and it must also result in the creation of at least 10 jobs.
The EB5 program does provide an excellent way to speed up your Visa, and ultimately your citizenship process, but investors should take the time to educate themselves before moving forward. Making a $500,000 investment is a big undertaking no matter the circumstances.
Potential immigrants need to gain solid information about a number of factors before moving ahead. Some of the things to consider include which regional centers obtain green cards the fastest, which ones are offering a rapid return on investment and even which ones have a 100 percent rate of obtaining green cards.
What is the best way to choose an EB-5 Regional Center?
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Tags: citizenship, eb-5, eb5, green card, immigrants, investment, investors, permanent residence, regional center, united states, visa, washington dc
Posted in Immigration | No Comments » |
December 11th, 2009 |
An Indian expert on US immigration law recently presented a new theory on immigration. He explained that now maybe the right time to enter the US. He went on to say:
“There been a decline in number of Indian students going to the US. A significant decline of 15% has been noted in the flow of students bound for the US. However, this decline has not affected genuine students wanting to take advantage of the US education system, which is undoubtedly the best. This decline has happened only in relation to the students who are prospective emigrants and want to use student visas to sneak into the US. They are backing out now because they feel that, in the present circumstances, even if they invest in a US degree, they may not be able to earn on the campus. The US authorities always wanted to curb such an inflow and recession has helped them in streamlining the influx of Indian students some of who are now turning to the EB5 visa.
There has been a steep fall in the number of H1B visas too, on which the maximum number of Indian techies used to enter the US. In the wake of the slowdown, the US authorities initiated new measures that include the denial of certain business incentives to firms hiring skilled immigrant workers on H1B visas. That shrunk the number of H1B visas. An alternative is the EB-5 investor category visa, which has started luring increasing numbers of Indians”. Link to original article
For more information visit: www.EB5-INFO.com
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Tags: eb-5, eb5, education, H-1B, Immigration, indian, investors, students, US degree, USA, visa
Posted in Immigration | No Comments » |
December 10th, 2009 |
 Be very careful with the source of your EB5 Visa information As immigrants to the USA ourselves, we feel a strong empathy with those of you looking down the path of immigration to the USA. We understand the importance of being given as much information as possible to make that all important life changing decision.
If you are considering the EB5 investor regional center visa and are searching as many sources as possible for information on particular centers, you would probably want to know of complaints relating to the agents of any particular regional center.
It was of concern therefore, that while doing one of our regular searches this week, which included looking at a couple of overseas emigration exhibitions, that we noted that an EB5 regional center website listed a representative on its stand. This individual is presently facing a case of alleged racketeering involving an immigrant who relocated to the USA.
We cannot emphasize enough the need for caution when you are considering immigration, as exposure to a different way of life and culture can leave you potentially vulnerable.
For information on the EB-5 regional center program please register for all the information now.
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Tags: complaints, eb-5, eb5, emigration, investors, regional center, USA, visa
Posted in Immigration | No Comments » |
November 10th, 2009 |
 In an attempt to determine which is the most appropriate regional center program some families carry out due diligence with statistics.
The problem with statistics is they display data any way the supplying companies want. Are the centers with the highest number of approvals the best choice for you?
Statistics may give you the figures, they will not give you all the conclusions to draw from them.
For example, the statistics will not tell you:
• If the I-526 and/or I-829 approvals were for a particular project and the center now operates a different type of program.
• They will not tell you if USCIS has changed its perspective on the program for that regional center.
• The statistics will not tell you the likelihood or otherwise of investors getting their capital investment back from that center.
• They will not tell you the implications of most of the applicants coming from a particular country.
Statistics make up an element of your due diligence but they must be taken in context to have any value for you. If you want to know how and if the statistics you have are a contributing factor for you you can ask us questions via email at: info@whicheb5.com or by calling us at: +1-559-EB5-INFO
The EB-5 Investor Green Card regional center visa program can be an excellent way to quickly become a permanent resident of the United States. Which EB5 researches regional centers; you make the same investment plus get all the independent advice of Which EB-5 at no cost to you.
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Tags: (559)-EB5-INFO, due diligence, eb-5, I-526, I-829, investor green card, investors, regional center, research, statistics, united states, uscis, Which EB-5
Posted in Immigration | No Comments » |
October 30th, 2009 |
These type of programs focus on your $500,000 investment (in an approved regional center program) being used as part of a fixed term loan to a company, business or economic development agency, rather than being used as a direct investment in a specific building, resort or enterprise.
This type of program is becoming increasingly popular as many potential EB-5 visa investors are focusing on three issues:-
• Obtaining their green cards in a timely manner
• Having conditions removed after two years
• Maximizing the likelihood of the return of their $500,000
Effectively, rather than investing in programs such as commercial real estate, resorts and mixed fund investments which may not have a clear specific and dated exit strategy, an alternative is to invest in a regional center program which loans the funds to an infrastructure development project, such as developing roads, sewerage systems etc. The loan has a specific time period usually five or six years.
Such programs may have several advantages namely:-
• The exit strategy is clear and a defined end to your investment is indicated
• The projects may be with quasi public sector agencies, which in the current economic climate may be seen by some clients as a viable alternative to private companies.
• Some well structured programs use an advantageous job creation model - in effect this may reduce the worries posed by other models
However there are very few proven center currently operating this program, if you would like further details please contact Which EB-5 at: info@whicheb5.com
The EB-5 Investor Green Card regional center visa program is an excellent way to quickly become a permanent resident of the United States. Which EB5 researches regional centers; you make the same investment plus get all the independent advice of Which EB-5 at no cost to you.
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Tags: commercial real estate, eb-5, economic climate, economic development agency, exit stratergy, green card, independent advice, infrastructure, investor green card, investors, job creation, mixed fund investment, quasi public, regional center, resorts, specific time, visa, Which EB-5
Posted in Immigration | No Comments » |
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