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December 19th, 2011 |
 Today we have published a very informative article on our Which EB5 website entitled:
Obtaining the EB-1 Green Card from L-1 Visa is Not Possible for Most Small Businesses
This article takes a long hard look at potential alternatives to the EB-5 immigrant investor visa and the risks that this particular alternative contains.
An extract from the article:
Many businesspeople, who plan to maintain a business in their home country, have started a small business in the U.S. with the plan to obtain permanent residence through the EB-1 Multinational Manager and Executive category. However, the majority of such people fail to reach the goal of obtaining permanent residence in this category. Why? The general answer is that USCIS’s decision track record in the EB-1 permanent residence and L-1 visa categories indicates that it believes that only the employees of large corporations are worthy of the green card in the EB-1 category, and eligible for extensions in the L-1 visa category.
To read the entire article simply click on the link below:
Obtaining the EB-1 Green Card from L-1 Visa is Not Possible for Most Small Businesses
Look out for more informative articles from EB5 Visa Experts in the days and weeks to come.
If you would like to speak to an experienced EB5 attorney and/or consultant, please feel free to email us at info@WhichEB5.com or call us at +1-561-771-1330
+Stephen Parnell
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Tags: attorney, consultant, EB-1, eb-5, EB-5 Visa, expert, green card, immigrant investor, L1, permanent residence, visa, Which EB-5
Posted in Immigration | No Comments » |
December 15th, 2011 |
 Yesterday was the last EB5 discovery day of 2011 and it was a great success – Thank You
Our EB5 discovery day meeting yesterday was a great success. I wanted to personally thank those who attended and especially those that stayed afterwards for one-on-one consultations. These new format meeting have been very succesful all year and we are going to expand the opportunity for you to attend in 2012.
During the first quarter of 2012 we will be holding our now famous EB5 Discovery Day meetings in the following cities:
These discovery day meetings are designed for a small group of potential EB5 clients who want to get an in-depth overview of the EB-5 Visa program in a personal setting followed by personal one-to-one meetings with expert EB-5 attorneys and consultants. No fee is charged to attend any of our meetings. You can get more expert EB-5 visa information in this meting than is possible with investing a week on the internet.
If you would like to attend one of our 2012 discovery days please use the following links to request location and date information.
EB5 Visa Discovery Day in Beijing
Existing Which EB5 client
Not yet registered with Which EB5
EB5 Visa Discovery Day in Miami
Existing Which EB5 client
Not yet registered with Which EB5 Existing Which EB5 client
EB5 Visa Discovery Day in Orlando
Existing Which EB5 client
Not yet registered with Which EB5 Existing Which EB5 client
Those of you who are new to the subject of the EB-5 visa program may want to read the only guide written for the exclusive use of potential EB-5 clients “Green Card via the Red Carpet” available in hard-copy or Kindle direct from Amazon.
We look forward to meeting you and discussing your EB5 questions and concerns in 2012. In the meantime we are available for Video & Telephone consultations at any time by appointment. Please email our client services director here to set up an appointment.
+Stephen Parnell
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Tags: amazon, attorney, Beijing, china, consultant, consultations, Discovery Day, EB-5 Visa, eb5, exclusive, Green Card via the Red Carpet, investing, kindle, miami, orlando, USA, Which EB-5
Posted in Immigration | No Comments » |
November 28th, 2011 |
 As we approach the end of the year it is normal for people all across the world to be busy with typical holiday time preparations and as such we normally see a marked downturn in new client contact. However, this year, in contrast to previous years, we are seeing continued strong demand for advice and guidance on all aspects of a potential move to the USA using the EB-5 Visa program.
A variety of factors are apparently at play here:
- Continued trouble, both financial and political, around the world
- A recent rally by the US Dollar that may continue, at least for a while, in light of the Euro debacle – This is seen by many as a sign that a move to the USA should be considered now and not later when the cost of exchanging local currency into $500,000 could potentially increase
- Recent figures from the United States Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) that the number of applications for the EB-5 Visa continues to climb, with the thought, that at some point in the near future, we might reach the annual maximum of 10,000 Visas
- Continued focus on the EB-5 program by Alejandro Mayorkas – Director, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service. Director Mayorkas is devoting considerable effort into streamlining the EB-5 program and he continues to make progress in that direction leading to increased awareness of the benefits this program offers potential immigrants
These are just some of the reasons we continue to see a very bright future for the EB-5 program. However, recently you may have noticed, in our blog postings that we continue to warn of the dangers of NOT obtaining experienced advice when considering the EB5 as your path to a new life in the USA. I would like to reinforce that warning again today. We continue to see new so-called experts enter the arena offering advice on the EB-5 program. All I can say is please ask anyone you may be considering as an EB5 consultant or advisor:
- How many clients they consult with each month
- How many successful I-526 petitions do they have
- Do they have any successful I-829 petitions
- How many Regional Centers have they successfully guided clients through
- How long have they been advising on the EB-5 program
- Which experts do they use to provide legal, investment, accounting and currency exchange advice to their clients
If you cannot get satisfactory answers to those questions please call +1-561-771-1330 or email info@WhichEB5.com for advice – We look forward to adding you to our long list of clients
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Tags: advice, advisor, Alejandro Mayorkas, consultant, eb-5, EB-5 Visa, eb5, I-526, I-829, immigrants, investment, legal, regional center, USA, uscis, Which EB-5
Posted in Immigration | No Comments » |
June 3rd, 2011 |
 For those of you planning on permanent residence in the USA and looking at the EB-5 visa, finding impartial information, particularly when you are many thousands of miles away is very important.
Although some EB-5 applicants start the information seeking process by either contacting Regional Centers directly, or by contacting an Immigration Attorney, both these approaches can have significant drawbacks.
The Regional Centers themselves are generally excellent at pointing out their strengths but are most unlikely to point out their potential weaknesses. The problem is the weaknesses could, in certain situations, lead to potential deportation and loss of your $500,000.
Immigration attorneys should be able to guide you through the legal process of immigration but it is unlikely they regularly visit the many and varied regional center programs which are spread out all over the USA; their knowledge of all the positives and negatives may be somewhat limited.
Many EB-5 applicants work with Consultants before deciding which EB-5 program is the most appropriate to meet their requirements.
As we have pointed out in our book Green Card via the Red Carpet Consultants operate in different ways and have different levels of experience in the EB-5 field.
It may be important to you to work with Consultants who have at least 250 successful clients from many different countries through different regional center programs and a 100% track record of success at each and every stage of the process.
You may also consider that Consultants should only work with EB-5 applicants rather than also offering their services to new and existing Regional Centers. You may be concerned that a Consultancy who also acts as an adviser for one or more Regional Centers which require EB-5 applicants to fill their places, could at some stage face potential difficulties with a conflict of interest.
You may also be concerned that your Consultants have an impeccable track record and wish to check for any previous issues that have been recorded by bodies such as the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority and The New York Stock Exchange.
For more information about the consulting services of WhichEB5 please contact us for an informal discussion about the EB-5 program. As first generation immigrants to The USA our Senior Partners understand the problems and concerns faced by immigrants better than most.
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Tags: consultant, eb-5, Green Card via the Red Carpet, Immigration, immigration attorney, regional center, USA, Which EB5
Posted in Immigration | No Comments » |
June 15th, 2010 |
Credibility
If Consultants or attorneys are setting out to give measured, balanced and reasoned advice on the strengths and weaknesses of different regional centers it should be considered important that they have at the very least actually visited the regional center programs so that they are familiar with what is exactly happening on the ground.
At these visits they need to be looking aggressively for any problem areas. It goes without saying that regional centers are likely to promote their strengths, but are also unlikely to highlight weaknesses. These visits need to focus on uncovering negative issues rather than simply being used as promotional opportunities involving photos and interviews which are unlikely to get behind the scenes to identify where the centers weaknesses may be. Visits that spend more time drumming up sales, rather than looking into the behind-the-scenes of the centers will be of limited value.
Likewise, touring the world giving sales presentations to potential clients may impress potential customers by providing face to face contact however; there is a world of difference between a slick sales campaign as opposed to a Consultant with actual in-depth knowledge on the positives and negatives of various regional centers.
Make sure your EB5 consultant is credible.
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Tags: consultant, eb5, regional center
Posted in Immigration | No Comments » |
December 15th, 2009 |
Expert advice can guide EB5 investors through the selection process
With the recent extension of the EB-5 program, the push is on for potential immigrants to find the right regional center investment. Using a consultant to help navigate the system and research regional centers is smart, but rushing into a decision is not.
Investors need to take a step back before they select a consultant and look at a number of key factors. The reality is there are consultants who don’t have enough experience, lack a proven track record or simply represent one regional center. An impartial, experienced hand is called for to help would-be EB-5 visa applicants protect their investment and their permanent green cards.
There are a number of things investors should ask before they make a decision to use a consultant. They include:
• Are consultants independent or are they associated with a certain regional center?
• Is there a fee charged?
• Have the consultants actually taken an in-depth look and reviewed the regional centers?
• Are the consultants also immigration attorneys? This may pose a potential conflict of interest.
• Have the consultants worked with other EB-5 immigrants in the past? What is their success rate?
• Do they have a track record of recommending more than one center?
• What kind of information can they provide?
Selecting a consultant is a smart way to work through your choice of an EB-5 Visa program. Taking time to make the right choice is vital for protecting the $500,000 investment and your green card status. Which EB-5 specializes in providing unbiased information and education to potential EB-5 visa immigrants. Get complete EB-5 Regional Center information now.
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Tags: attorney, consultant, eb-5, green card, immigrants, regional center, visa, Which EB-5
Posted in Immigration | No Comments » |
October 27th, 2009 |
How to Choose an EB-5 consultant
Choosing a consultant to guide you through the different EB5 regional centers programs can be an important first stage for potential EB-5 immigrant investors. Key points you need to consider include:
• Are the consultants truly independent, or are they associated with a particular regional center, acting more as an agent of that center rather than providing impartial and independent advice?
• Do they charge you a fee?
• Have the Consultants actually visited the proven centers? By visiting we mean an in-depth look and review of the center, not just attending a conducted tour and arranging a photo opportunity.
• Are the Consultants doubling up as the Immigration Attorneys who are advising you?
If so there may be a conflict of interest and an ethical dimension which has been the subject of much discussion at the recent (American Immigration Lawyers Association) AILA conference in California. At this Conference leading specialist EB-5 immigration Attorneys advised that while Attorneys working with clients on the EB5 visa should obviously provide advice on immigration law, they should not necessarily be giving advice on the relative positive and negative aspects of the regional center programs.
• How many actual EB-5 immigrants have they advised, what is their success and failure rate?
• Which centers have they recommended? One or several?
• What is the range of information they provide?
It is all very well knowing who the directors of the regional centers are , what the track record of the regional centers is, and how many EB-5 visa applicants they have attracted, but all these facts miss far more important points that are critical in the current economic times.
• What is the difference between equity and loan based programs?
• What is their knowledge on economic and job creation methodology?
• Do they have links to the leading independent EB-5 immigration attorneys, economists, international chartered accountants and business attorneys?
Please feel free to email your questions or concerns on selecting an EB-5 consultant to: info@whicheeb5.com
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Tags: agent, AILA, American Immigration Lawyers Association, applicants, conflict of interest, consultant, eb-5, eb5, ethical, fee, immigrant investor, immigration attorney, immigration law, impartial, independent, job creation methodology, questions, regional center, visa, Which EB-5
Posted in Immigration | No Comments » |
July 9th, 2009 |
As part of our ongoing due diligence we recently identified significant potential problems on a particular EB5 program, this reinforces one of our ongoing concerns that some families focus only on the legal implications of the visa and seek minimal advice or ask the wrong questions on the investment implications.
All too often clients start by asking which particular program gives the highest investment return; this is not only the WRONG QUESTION TO ASK it can also be extremely dangerous.
With so many regional centers offering the EB-5 pilot program, up to 49 at the latest count, it is inevitable issues would arise sooner or later particularly with some investors from counties where English is not their first language. Frequently these families are reliant on local sales agents representing only one or two programs and it is possible that a significant number of investors do not realize the potential weaknesses of the program they entered.
A regional center that has, according to a recent report, run into problems, sold extensively in Asia with legal advice focused mainly on obtaining the visa. The majority of investors failed to obtain separate independent advice of any other options and the investment implications of the center in question. The problem now is not only do they stand to lose all or part of their $500,000 investment by making an inappropriate decision on their program of choice, but also their right to stay in the USA if the project fails and the jobs are not created.
As part of our due diligence process we monitor programs closely to identify issues. Being aware of what is happening at the regional centers is very important and pretty much impossible to do if you are several thousand miles away, possibly relying on a local sales agent or an attorney focused specifically on just the legal emigration question as opposed to the potential investment repercussions.
The potential problems with this particular center, as well as the earlier cases of alleged fraud by a visa consultant, (currently being investigated by the U.S. Secret Service) emphasize the importance of seeking independent advice before selecting a center. There are some excellent programs available and the EB5 visa is for many both the fastest and perhaps the only option for permanent residency, but obtaining impartial advice is critical.
For questions and answers on your personal EB-5 options and choices please contact Which EB5 directly.
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Tags: alledged fraud, consultant, eb-5, eb5, impartial, independent advice, investment return, permanent residence, pilot program, regional center, USA, visa, Which EB-5
Posted in Immigration | No Comments » |
June 11th, 2009 |
When considering the time lines for the EB-5 investment, you need to consider a few time lines that all need to be coordinated and work in conjunction with one another. Those are:
• Your own personal timeline based upon your and your family’s goals and plans for relocation (we will discuss this further in later blogs). You should discuss this time frame with your regional center selection advisor and with your immigration attorney, so that you can plan realistically, and then set and reach your goals as promptly as possible.
• The timeline for searching for the right regional center for you, for conducting due diligence to make sure that it is right for you, for registering with the regional center and investing, and for filing your I-526 petition with USCIS. Once again, your EB-5 advisor/consultant and immigration attorney can prove invaluable in guiding you through these processes and setting a realistic time lines for their completion. They are familiar with the amount of time that it will take to gather the information from the regional center, to work with the business attorney, CPA, and possibly other business consultant assisting you in the due diligence phase prior to your investment. Once you will have made your investment, then the work is primarily in the hands of your immigration attorney, and so then it will then come down to his or her time frame for processing your case.
• The time line for USCIS to process your I-526 petition, and then for USCIS also to process your adjustment of status or for the State Department to process your application for an immigrant visa, is beyond your and everyone else’s control; however, your immigration attorney can advise you of what the current processing time is, and can help you to avoid needless delays due to inadequate documentation or other problems.
Not all of these time lines are set in stone, and so while we can provide you with some idea of what you are looking at in terms of timing and planning, no one can guarantee them—these are all beyond any of our control in that regard. What we can do is present you with a comprehensive understanding of the tasks ahead of you and the relative timeline on which you can base your plans. This will prove extremely beneficial as you begin to take action, investing and applying for your permanent resident status.
Knowing how the process should go and being prepared to meet the requirements and challenges at every step of the way will make your immigration process go as smoothly as possible, and give you the best preparation for a relatively speedy and successful application.
If you haven’t done so already I would recommend contacting the experts at Which EB5 who can start providing the information and guidance you need.
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Tags: adjustment of status, advisor, consultant, CPA, eb-5, guarantee, I-526, immigrant visa, immigration attorney, investment, permanent residence, processing time, regional center, state department, uscis, Which EB-5
Posted in Immigration | No Comments » |
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