February 24th, 2010 |
 EB-5 Visa Program - Fastest Way to a Green Card? Each year we work with several hundred applicants keen to use the EB5 route to permanent residence in the USA. Their reasons vary – however the majority fall into three main groups.
1. Those seeking to retire and live permanently in the States, often in the warmer climate of Florida or California, who had not realized that a suitable visa option is now available.
2. Overseas students about to be educated at Universities and Colleges in the States who want to be able to work while they study, or those who have just graduated and want to remain and work in the States. The EB5 has been particularly attractive for students from India following complications with the few other options.
3. Those relocating to the States with their families who have found that the complications of the E2 visa and the L1 visa can make these options risky, particularly if their children have to leave the USA at 21.
Read Green Card via the Red Carpet for extensive information on the EB-5 Visa program
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Tags: california, E2, eb-5, eb5, florida, India, investment visa, L1, permanent residence, USA
Posted in Immigration | No Comments » |
February 10th, 2010 |
 How secure is the job creation method used by the EB-5 Regional Centers? The question of job creation can be very important as it is one of the key points when conditions are removed to make your green card permanent (I-829) However, it is often insufficiently researched or neglected completely.
We do have concerns regarding the requirement of regional center programs to create 10 jobs per investor to comply with USCIS requirements. In many cases these jobs will, at I-829 stage require evidence, such as individual tax records, to prove that the jobs exist. If a program runs into difficulties such as insufficient investors, rising costs, business collapse, failure to find tenants, insufficient record keeping, the jobs may not be created or counted.
Let’s look at a couple of hypothetical examples that could have a major impact:
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 number of investors to succeed. Say you invested and received your I-526 eighteen months ago and you have just learnt that the center has failed to obtain enough investors to complete its program. You face not only losing your $500,000 investment but also the likelihood of successful I-829 processing, enabling you to achieve continued permanent residence in the USA.
Taking another scenario, let’s say you invested in a program which was based on a developing a commercial property. 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.
You should be aware that there is an alternative job creation methodology in use by a small number of regional center programs, the use of economic models based on infusion of capital. If such a model is used to calculate job creation projections at the I-526 stage an investor could receive credit for job creation at the I-829 stage simply by the regional center establishing that they invested the requisite amount into the new enterprise, and that the enterprise spent that capital.
USCIS has clarified that this form of capital investment involves more than simply investing a certain amount of investment dollars into a particular industry. “An important aspect to any economic analysis model is the feasibility and quality of the business plan that is the basis for determining the appropriate inputs into an economic model. If the infusion of capital occurs according to the approved business plan and economic analysis, and the capital investment scheme comes to fruition in the manner outlined in the business plan, then the economic data provided in support of the Form I-526 petition regarding indirect job creation may be sufficient to demonstrate the creation of the indirect jobs without the submission of further data about job creation at the Form I-829 petition stage”.
For further information on this very important aspect of your permanent green card eligibility contact the partners at WhichEB5.
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Tags: economic model, green card, I-526, I-829, job creation model, permanent residence, regional center, uscis
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 4th, 2010 |
 Where can I get EB5 help and advice? We always stress the need for EB-5 immigrant investors to obtain independent advice prior to investing in one of the seventy plus regional center programs.
Recent items of news illustrate just how important it is to be educated before selecting an EB-5 program.
On the negative side it was reported that four Korean investors in a Clark County South Dakota dairy farm, each invested $500,000 in the farm in an attempt to gain permanent U.S. resident status under the government’s EB-5 program. But according to a complaint filed this month in U.S. District Court in Sioux Falls, the farm was titled in such a way that left out the Korean investors.
On the positive side we advised you recently on news from a regional center where funds are presently being returned to investors who obtained unconditional permanent residence in the USA.
We understand the five places in a popular program for a University Medical Center have been filled already – not surprising given the popularity for programs with clear specific exit strategies. For more information please contact info@WhichEB5.com
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Tags: eb-5, eb5, immigrant investor, korean investors, permanent residence, visa
Posted in Immigration | No Comments » |
December 17th, 2009 |
 Thanks to the recent three-year extension of the EB5 Visa program this path to a permanent residency in the United States is becoming increasingly popular. Considering what potential immigrants will have at risk it is smart for them to exercise caution throughout the process.
The EB5 Visa program calls for potential immigrants to make an investment of at least $500,000 in an approved EB5 regional center. These centers are generally in areas that have been identified as those that would benefit from an economic infusion and job creation.
Once investments are made in government-approved regional centers potential immigrants receive a two-year conditional green card. The conditions are removed at the end of two years if certain requirements are met.
EB-5 Visas are extremely useful for immigrants that desire a relatively fast way to permanent residency.
Since immigrants will have both their residency status, and initial half-million-dollar investment riding on the regional center’s performance, it is imperative to make certain the choice of regional center is viable.
Even after potential immigrants receive independent information about regional center choices it is perfectly acceptable for them to seek additional help and advice.
It can be useful to consult with a business attorney and/or a Certified Public Accountant to have the security of the investment evaluated, EB-5 Visa applicants can never be too cautious.
For further help or information please contact Which EB5 today
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Tags: advice, attorney, certified public accountant, eb-5, eb5, green card, help, immigrants, investment, permanent residence, regional center, visa, Which EB-5
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 2nd, 2009 |
Over the past few years we have been approached by many prospective regional centers to work for them on a sole agency basis. Others have asked us to assist them with their application to USCIS for regional center status.
However, we decided early on that as immigrants ourselves our specialization lay in providing impartial, educational information for those considering the EB-5 route to permanent residency.
With so many choices on the market the range of options available may appear to be overwhelming and we feel potential immigrants to the USA need all the information they can get to make a decision they feel happy with. We felt we could not do that to our satisfaction if we had a potential conflict of interest by either working as sole agents for any regional center or advising a group seeking to set up a regional center.
 Too many people have based life-altering decisions to obtain permanent residence in the U.S. on incomplete and inaccurate information and some have come to regret their decision. Our goal for you is to be fully informed before you make such important and life altering choices and to ultimately ensure that you come to love your new life in the U.S.A. as we have.
For more information see EB5-INFO
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Tags: permanent residence, regional center, USA, uscis, Which EB-5
Posted in Immigration | No Comments » |
November 19th, 2009 |
 Complaints about Visa's I had a phone call over the weekend from a very nice lady. She was asking whether I knew about a recent conference in Orlando Florida attended by over 400 immigrants who were having problems with the renewal of their E2 and L1 visas.
I had to admit I knew nothing about this conference but was not surprised that there were so many people attending given the number of people we had been working with over the past few years who were turning to the EB-5. This was not because they particularly wanted to invest $500,000 but simply because they recognized, in their specific cases, it was their only way to obtain permanent residence in the USA.
The lady who phoned me told me about the anger and misery at this conference, of course all the stories have a family at the end whose lives have been thrown into disruption. I was surprised that with the E2 and H1-B in particular, the attorneys who had originally advised these families had, according to reports, not always pointed out the potential dangers of these visa types. After all, it’s a major problem if you relocate to the States, live here many years and then find you, or even your children, face deportation because you have not been told about the implications of your visa. It really is a very sad business. It can be avoided with the right information and advice.
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Tags: alternatives, conference, E2, eb-5, florida, H1-B, immigrants, L1, orlando, permanent residence, USA, visa
Posted in Immigration | No Comments » |
November 13th, 2009 |
 Be careful what you focus on This question is often asked by those pursuing the EB-5 route to permanent residency in the USA, potentially it is a question that misses the point and has potential dangers attached to it.
For example let’s say a regional center offers a particularly high investment return – consider the following point.
You are applying for a visa that happens to be an investment visa. If that investment fails, or jobs are not created when you apply for your removal of conditions after twenty one month’s not only do you risk losing your money, but you and your family could lose their green cards and possibly even face deportation.
In solely focusing on the highest investment return you may have jeopardized your original purpose of choosing the EB-5 visa route, which presumably is to gain entry and remain permanently in the USA.
More cautious individuals usually focus on the likelihood of their green card being granted – then conditions being removed after two years (so you can stay in the U.S.A.) and at least the return of their $500,000 – rate of return is perhaps seen as a bonus not the deciding factor.
Contact Which EB5 for more on this subject
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Tags: eb-5, eb5, green card, investment, permanent residence, regional center, USA, visa
Posted in Immigration | No Comments » |
November 12th, 2009 |
 Frustrated looking for EB-5 information? Sitting at your computer getting a headache trying to find as much information as possible on the EB-5 visa?
Looking for impartial information on regional centers can be so frustrating. Some centers promise you everything you are looking for, they seem to focus on how wonderful they are but don’t offer you any insight into possible negatives. Turning to immigrations attorneys can also be of limited help if they just provide bland legal details or the technicalities of the EB-5. In some countries you may even have come across consultants who you hope give impartial advice but are working directly with one of the centers, plus they often charge you a big fee!
The EB-5 visa can be an excellent option if you are looking for legal permanent residence in the U.S.A. but finding information from your viewpoint is fraught with danger. We have even come across many well meaning blogs from fellow EB-5 applicants that are unfortunately riddled with dangerous errors.
So much can depend on the decision you make regarding choice of regional center program – that decision can affect whether get your green card, whether you keep it, and whether you get your $500,000 back at some point in the future. Quite often one of the only effective methods of discovering the reality of what’s happening with a regional center is to visit it, but it’s pretty time consuming to visit any number of centers.
To find out more about what we have discovered during our visits to the regional centers contact us via email at info@whicheb5.com or by phone at +1-559-EB5-INFO
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Tags: blogs, eb-5, EB5-INFO, green card, immigration attorney, information, permanent residence, regional center, visa, Which EB-5
Posted in Immigration | No Comments » |
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