United States EB5 Visa

What Is The United States EB5 Visa Program

The EB5 Visa is a residency-by-investment program which requires a financial commitment of at least USD 800,000.
This program grants a conditional Green Card for 2 years, after which a petition can be filled to remove those conditions.

The Benefits

Citizenship and Family Inclusion

  • Obtaining a Green Card (Permanent Residence in USA) for the investor and family members.

Dependents included:

  • Spouse.
  • Children under 21.

Travel and Quality of Life

Right to live, work, and study in the U.S.

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    EB5 visa Requirements

    • Invest in a New Commercial Enterprise located in a Targeted. Employment Area (TEA) or outside a TEA:
      • Investment in TEA: the minimum qualifying investment is USD 800,000.
      • Investment outside TEA: the standard minimum qualifying investment is USD 1,050,000.
    • Must provide proof of the source of funds used for investment.
    • Investment must be at risk and meet a statutory job creation of at least 10 jobs.

    Investment Options

    The Direct Investment Option

    • Set up a New Commercial Enterprise (NCE).
    • Make the necessary investment into the NCE.
    • The NCE must directly create 10 permanent full-time jobs for qualified U.S. workers.

    The Regional Centre Option

    • No requirement for the applicant to set up an NCE.
    • The applicant meets the statutory job creation requirements based notably on economic projections counting direct and indirect jobs.

    EB5 Visa Process

    Arrows process

    Due Diligence and Application

    • Submit the completed application forms and required documents.

    eb5 Visa process time Approval

    • Countries experiencing high EB5 Visa demand are subject to a backlog delaying the application’s processing time.

    Residency

    • The USCIS will grant residency to successful applicants once applicants receive the 2-year conditional green card.
    • Before the 2nd anniversary of the conditional Green Card, the candidate must file a petition for removal of the condition set on the conditional Green Card.

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    With 30 years of immigration experience, each of Harvey Law Group’s lawyers carefully studies each client’s needs, resources and determines the immigration solution that best aligns with our client’s vision and values.



      Frequently Asked Questions

      The EB-5 Immigrant Investor Visa Program is a U.S. government program that allows foreign investors to become permanent residents of the United States by investing in a U.S. business. The program was created in 1990 to stimulate the U.S. economy by attracting foreign capital and creating jobs.

      To qualify for the EB-5 visa, investors must invest at least $800,000 in a new commercial enterprise (NCE) that will create at least 10 full-time jobs for U.S. workers. The NCE can be any type of business, but it must be located in a Targeted Employment Area (TEA), which is an area with high unemployment or rural areas.

      Alternatively, investors can invest $1,050,000 in a commercial enterprise associated with a regional center. Regional centers are economic development organizations that have been approved by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to participate in the EB-5 program. Regional centers typically develop and manage investment projects that create jobs in rural or economically distressed areas.

      If an investor’s EB-5 petition is approved, they will be granted a conditional two-year green card. To remove the conditions on their green card, investors must show that their investment has created at least 10 full-time jobs for U.S. workers.

      Advantages of the EB-5 Visa

      • The EB-5 visa is a relatively fast and straightforward way to obtain a green card for the investor and their family members.
      • There is no minimum education or language requirement for the EB-5 visa.
      • Investors can live, work, and study in the United States while their EB-5 petition is pending.
      • Investors can obtain U.S. citizenship after five years of permanent residency.

      EB-5 Visa Requirements

      • Make a qualifying investment in a U.S. business.
      • Meet the job creation requirements.
      • Provide proof of the source of funds used for investment.

      EB-5 Visa Process

      1. Submit the completed application forms and required documents to USCIS.
      2. USCIS will review the application and determine whether the investor is eligible for the EB-5 visa.
      3. If the application is approved, USCIS will issue the investor a conditional two-year green card.
      4. Within two years of the conditional green card being issued, the investor must file a petition to remove the conditions on their green card.
      5. USCIS will review the petition and determine whether the investor has met the job creation requirements.
      6. If the petition is approved, USCIS will remove the conditions on the investor’s green card and the investor will become a permanent resident of the United States.

      EB-5 Visa Cost

      The cost of the EB-5 visa will vary depending on the individual applicant’s circumstances. However, the following costs are typically associated with the EB-5 visa program:

      • Minimum investment amount: $800,000 (TEA) or $1,050,000 (outside TEA).
      • USCIS filing fees: $3,675 (Form I-526) + $1,140 (Form I-485) + $85 (biometrics fee).
      • Other costs: medical exam fees, translation fees (if applicable), immigration attorney fees (optional).

      The total cost of the EB-5 visa is generally estimated to be between $50,000 and $100,000.

      Important Note

      The EB-5 visa program is complex and subject to change. It is important to consult with an experienced immigration attorney to discuss your specific eligibility and to get help with the application process.

      The I-526 petition is the name of the form used to file the application of an investor who wishes to immigrate to USA via the EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program.

      The I-526 form contains all the details of the EB-5 investment and the project in which the investor is investing his/ her funds in.

      The I-526 approval means that USCIS has reviewed and approved the investor’s EB-5 application.

      The I-829 petition is the name of the form used to file the application of an approved EB-5 investor who holds a Conditional Green Card.

      Before the 2nd anniversary of the Conditional Green Card’s issuance date, the investor has to file the I-829 petition to remove the conditions on his permanent resident status.

      To remove the conditions, the investor will have to prove that his/ her EB-5 investment has allowed the creation of 10 full-time jobs in the EB-5 project.

      The I-829 approval means that USCIS has reviewed and approved the investor’s removal of conditions application.

      A Regional Center (“RC”) is an economic unit, public or private, that promotes economic growth, regional productivity, job creation, and increased domestic capital investment.

      Regional Centers are designated by USCIS.

      USCIS is entitled to terminate a Regional Center in case the RC is no longer promoting economic growth in USA.

      As of September 10, 2018, there were 886 designated Regional Centers in USA.

      Targeted Employment Area (“TEA”) is defined as a rural area or an area experiencing an unemployment rate of at least 150% above the national employment average.

      The Department of Homeland and Security (“DHS”) is the authority in charge of the designation of geographic zones as TEA.

      Having an EB-5 project located in a TEA allows for a reduced minimum EB5 Visa investment amount.

      In a TEA, the EB-5 minimum investment is USD 800,000 instead USD 1,050,000 which is the  EB-5 standard amount.

      EB-5 Direct investment:

      A direct investment (in other words, not via a Regional Center) requires the investor to control and manage the EB-5 project.

      As part of the requirements to manage the project, the investor will be in charge of the creation of 10 full-time direct jobs for qualified US workers.

      In such case, it is an active investment.

      Regional Center:

      If the client invests via a Regional Center, he/ she does not have to get involved in the management, since the Regional Center will be managing the project. In such case, it is a passive investment.

      Selecting an EB-5 project requires a strict Due Diligence Phase in order to carefully assess the following:

      • Total amount of investment vs total amount of EB-5 investment;
      • Expenses and costs in connection with the project’s construction;
      • Financial forecasts and project’s economic analysis;
      • Number of EB-5 investors required for the EB-5 raise vs job creation calculation and cushion;
      • Investment holding period and exit strategy (repayment of the EB-5 investment and interests);
      • USCIS I-924 approval (designation of the Regional Center) and existing I-526 approvals;
      • Country of origin of the EB-5 investors (i.e. backlog and retrogression for investors from Mainland China, Vietnam, and other countries over quota);
      • Project’s on-site visit and meetings with project’s representatives.

      The Source Of Funds (“SOF”) of the EB-5 investment is the key part of the I-526 petition. Evidencing the investor’s SOF will require a full review and understanding of the investor’s assets.

      It will require analyzing notably:

      • Income from salaries, bonuses;
      • Income from real estate rentals;
      • Client shareholding, profits of his/ her business (companies, household) and dividends distributed;
      • Assets transfer, such as real estate transactions, equity, stocks;
      • Loans and mortgages;
      • Gifts from relatives;
      • Insurance and allowances.

      From an immigration standpoint, the investor is protected as long as the Job Creation requirement is satisfied.

      If the project has created 10 full-time jobs for U.S. workers, the investor will be in position to remove the conditions set on his Green Card and obtain the right to live, work, study in USA for life.

      From a business standpoint, if the project goes bankrupt, the investor will not be in position to get back the EB-5 investment.

      That is the reason why HLG does not agree to file the I-526 petitions of clients who choose their own EB-5 project.

      HLG will assist clients for the processing of their I-526 petitions only if the clients invest in a project on which HLG has conducted the Due Diligence Phase mentioned at Question 6 above.

      Successful I-526 petitioners will have all the same rights as a Permanent Resident (Unconditional Green Card holder) while holding the Conditional Green Card.

      However, the Conditional Green Card is only valid for 2 years. The I-829 petition will allow the investor to obtain an Unconditional Green Card and the right to live, work, study in the USA for life.

      While both Green Card holders and U.S. citizens have the right to live, study, work in USA indefinitely, some of the differences between the 2 statuses are listed below:

      • The Green Card does not provide free mobility outside USA;
      • To become citizen, a Green Card holder will have to live in USA for 5 years prior to be entitled to file for citizenship via naturalization;
      • Green Card holders are not allowed to vote and run for U.S. elections;
      • U.S. citizens can live outside USA for an unlimited period of time while Green Card holders must file for Re-Entry Permits;
      • US citizens can sponsor immediate relatives or family members such as parents, married children, and siblings;
      • Permanent residents can lose their immigration status if they commit crimes.

      Green Card holders may apply for Re-Entry Permits to be entitled to stay outside the United States for more than 6 months per year.

      Any person aged 21 years or over can be the Principal Applicant (“PA”).

      For married couple, the choice of the PA will be made based on the spouse who plans to stay longer and spend most of his/ her time in the U.S.

      In case one of the spouses needs to travel back and forth between USA and his/ her country of origin, HLG will advise him/ her to be Dependent Spouse.

      Yes. In such case, the documents evidencing the adoption and custody over the child must be submitted as supporting documents of the I-526 Petition.

      No. Only U.S. citizens are entitled to file Sponsorship applications for their parents.

      The EB-5 visa requires a minimum investment of $800,000, plus USCIS filing fees and other costs.

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