January 18th, 2012 |
 There have been a number of articles in recent weeks about the job creation aspects of the EB5 visa program.
The visa can require applicants to invest $500,000 through what are termed regional center programs. Over 200 regional centers have been approved by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS).
In straightforward terms, each $500,000 investment requires the creation of ten jobs; these jobs are generally required to be in what is termed a targeted employment area (TEA).
The accusations relate to whether the jobs in certain programs are actually in true targeted employment areas. If they are not, the EB5 visa applicant could potentially find themselves in some difficulty two years later when it comes time to have conditions removed from their green card, I-829 petition time.
It is believed that USCIS are looking into some of the accusations.
The two year date is important as the permanent residency (green card), if approved, is initially granted on a conditional basis for a two-year period. At the end of that period the applicant applies for an I-829 petition and will need to show that the funds were utilized as agreed and ten jobs meeting the required criteria were created.
The issue of failure to create approved jobs has already seen a number of I-829 denials; this could lead to the eventual deportation of the EB5 visa holders.
This issue does illustrate just how important it is to carry out detailed due diligence before choosing which particular regional center program is right for all your needs. It is simply not safe enough to take at face value assurances that may be given by regional centers. It is too late to find out there is a problem after you have invested and obtained your conditional visa.
If you are planning to move to The USA on the EB5 visa, contact Chase Brodsky of WhichEB5 who will be happy to set-up a free consultation for you. Which EB5 have a 100% success record with EB5 visa immigrants.
+Stephen Parnell 
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Tags: due diligence, eb5, EB5 visa, gerrymandering, green cars, I-829, job creation, regional centers, TEA, uscis
Posted in Immigration | No Comments » |
January 16th, 2012 |
How long does an EB5 I-526 petition take?
Continuing our series on questions about the facts behind the EB5 visa, today we consider a question many applicants feel to be important when looking at regional center options.
Although The United States Citizenship and Immigration service (USCIS) regularly publish guidelines on the processing time for I-526 petitions, there continues to be differences between processing times for different regional center programs.
In the last month we have seen examples of I-526 petitions granted in less than two months for a client of one regional center and another petition for a client from a different center that took over a year. If you have a limited amount of time to get your EB5 visa approval you need to know which regional centers are faster than others.
In many ways this does not surprise us as it has become clear that some regional centers are far more in tune with USCIS guidelines than others as far as their paperwork and business plans which are clearly in line with the latest USCIS requirements.
If you are considering the EB5 visa, and speed of processing is an important issue for you, it is important to keep in mind that some regional center publicity material and some of their sales agents are not being accurate in their claims about processing times for their programs. Claims have been made which are contrary to reality.
Many regional centers make outlandish claims about how long it takes them to get an I-526 approval but very few can actually prove they enjoy consistently fast approvals; ask us for details of these centers so you can enjoy these genuinely fast approvals.
To find out the latest information about the processing times for EB5 visas, and the positive and negative aspects of various regional center programs contact Chase Brodsky at Which EB5
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Tags: eb5, EB5 visa, I-526, regional center, uscis, visa, Which EB5
Posted in Immigration | No Comments » |
January 12th, 2012 |
 Recently I saw some comments on Linkedin talking about what separates a good EB5 visa project form a bad one (from the perspective of the regional center operator).
This commentary was from an industry insider who goes on to offer some good advice to potential EB5 visa project operators. However, part of the original advice contained the following:
“What is the quality that separates the winners from the losers? Sizzle. Like a bright light on a Hollywood billboard, sizzle sells”.
Sizzle! I thought the subject being discussed was investing in an EB5 regional center project not a steak!
“At the end of the day all things being equal, the investor will choose the project that gives them bragging rights. At a card game, dinner party or mahjong table, the investment that shines the brightest also shines most brightly on its’ investor”. Really?
And I thought that the goal of an EB5 investor was a permanent green card and getting their money back at some defined point in the future. Investing in an EB5 visa with “sizzle” will not be what you want to brag about when your I-829 is rejected and/or you have lost your $500,000.
The trouble is: All things are not equal. The one with the “bragging rights” is the one with the green card and a reasonable chance of getting the $500,000 back.
With over 200 regional centers available to a potential EB5 visa applicant to choose from, some selling sizzle rather than the genuine opportunity for permanent residence in the USA, it becomes almost impossible, without genuine independent help, to separate those who have a goal of getting you invested in their project without any regard for your future from those professional regional center operators with a long-term view of this business and a true wish to see their clients get, and keep, their green card.
Get advice from an experienced EB5 attorney and consultant BEFORE you choose a regional center, it just might save you $500,000
Get started with your EB5 visa research by contacting Which EB5 via email info@whicheb5.com or +1-561-771-1330
+Stephen Parnell
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Tags: eb5, eb5 investor, eb5 regional center, EB5 visa, green card, I-829, WhichEB5
Posted in Immigration | No Comments » |
January 11th, 2012 |
 Could the EB5 visa investment requirement of $500,000 be increased?
Ongoing uncertainty in many countries throughout the world has resulted in increased interest in immigration to the USA.
All over the globe political concerns including the uncertainty in Korea after the death of Kim Jong II, environmental concerns such as natural disasters in Japan and economic concerns such as the problems in the Euro zone make the USA seem an ideal oasis of calm by comparison.
The fact that recent USA labor figures show unemployment finally starting to decline emphasize that the US is beginning to put its problems behind it. The USA has many advantages including its transparent political system and world leading education system which have made it the preferred choice for so many families seeking to improve their family’s quality of life.
For many, the preferred route to achieve this has been the EB5 visa, it is one of the few readily available options that allows an entire family (applicant, spouse and unmarried children under 21) to get permanent residence in the USA in a relatively quick time.
Currently the EB5 visa requires an investment of $500,000 in what the United States Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) terms a “Regional Center”. However, there has been commentary by certain leading political figures that the $500,000 investment, which has not been altered for over ten years, could be increased in September 2012. If you are considering the EB5 immigrant investor visa as the best method to achieve permanent residency in The USA, you may be interested in a significant point made by Senator Grassley of Iowa, who is the ranking member of the Senate Committee on The Judiciary. In his statement on reauthorizing the EB5 regional center pilot program, Senator Grassley made a number of points including:-
“I think it’s important to consider whether the dollar amounts should be raised. They have remained at $500,000 and $1 million since the early 1990s.”
The increased popularity of the EB5 visa makes such an increase a possibility, and in the event of such an announcement, it is likely there will be a rush of applicants to beat an increase. Such a rush would have consequences in terms of supply and demand of places. In theory there are over 200 regional centers offering programs qualifying for the EB5 visa, however, currently many of them are inactive.
Of those regional centers currently offering projects, a significant number have very limited experience and/or potentially very speculative programs which show only a few previous investors.
Many potential EB5 visa applicants require programs that can point to an unblemished record, including the following:-
1. A good record of applications progressing through USCIS system in a timely manner, (times can vary from under six months to well over a year).
2. A 100% record of I-526 success.
3. A 100% record of I-829 success. At this stage conditions are removed from the green card.
4. The return of the full $500,000 within a reasonable time period. Many feel this needs to be between four to six years.
Despite lavish claims made by a number of regional centers at the beginning of 2012 it seems that only one regional center will have fully met all these criteria. (Further factual information can be obtained from WhichEB5).
It is important to be aware that in 2011 a number of regional centers programs were investigated by USCIS and later closed. In other cases families had I-829’s rejected. It is important to be very careful when choosing a regional center program and look beyond the all too typical sales hype and false promises.
For those looking at the EB5 visa as the best route to settle your family in the USA, but wanting the widest possible choice of regional center programs, there may be regional centers, which although not fulfilling all the four criteria above, may be of interest depending upon your own specific requirements. Arrange a free briefing through WhichEB5 now and you can be updated on the options available and the latest news about the EB5 visa program.
Contact Chase Brodsky on +1-561-771-1330 or via email at chase@whicheb5.com – Request full details of EB5 Visa programs
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Tags: committee on the judiciary, eb5, EB5 visa, green card, I-526, I-829, immigrant investor, Immigration, immigration to the usa, investor visa, japan, kim jong ii, Korea, natural disasters in japan, permanent residence, regional center, regional centers, residency in the usa, senate committee, Senator Grassley, united states citizenship and immigration service, USA, uscis, WhichEB5
Posted in Immigration | No Comments » |
January 10th, 2012 |
 Recently I received a question from a potential EB5 client asking for information on how he might find a regional center that did not charge an administration fee.
My reply centered on the client’s motivation, aside from the obvious, to choose a regional center project based upon a lack of, or a very low, administration fee. The response I received intrigued me so I thought I should share it with our readers and offer some thoughts. Here is the client’s response:
“Where in official docs it is mentioned that investment beneficiaries can or may charge rather variable amounts for their admin fees?
I thought it goes without saying that the investment money makes it possible that all their needs are covered by investment itself”.
Whenever I see a question from an EB5 client that is confused it offers a chance to try to clear-up potential future confusion by offering a little commentary.
Keep in mind that the decision to charge an administration fee by the regional center is their decision alone. The USCIS do not have any involvement in the negotiation of these fees. The fees charged by a regional center for participation in one of their projects is typically governed by a) the regional centers want to recoup some of the costs of putting the project together, b) to offset some of the regional centers fees for legal documents, marketing and other expenses and c) market driven forces. i.e. the need to be competitive in the EB5 marketplace.
From feedback of previous clients, I can say that I have never heard from anyone that they were going to use the amount of an administration fee (or the total lack thereof) as criteria for the choice of regional center project.
Typical administration fees charged by EB5 regional centers range from $35,000 to $60,000. Keep in mind that in addition to these fees you will incur legal fees of your own for filing of your I-526 petition, consular processing or adjustment of status and filing of your I-829 petition to remove conditions (after approx.. two years). Legal fees do vary based upon your choice of EB5 attorney. It is imperative that you engaged an experienced EB5 attorney NOT simply an experienced immigration attorney.
More about this tomorrow when we discuss “Consular Processing” procedures and the need for expert advice before attending a consular interview.
+Stephen Parnell
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Tags: consular processing, eb5, EB5 Attorney, regional center, uscis
Posted in Immigration | No Comments » |
January 9th, 2012 |
 Encouraging economic data from The USA was contained in the latest jobless figures which showed the jobless rate falling to a three-year low, with an extra 212,000 people finding jobs. (Some credit going to the EB5 visa program). These figures have helped drive the unemployment rate down to 8.5% but a number of politicians have stressed that more needs to be done.
With the Presidential elections due later in the year, there is substantive political pressure to further reduce the jobless figures and the EB5 visa remains one method that effectively creates new jobs for American workers and does NOT have a cost to the American tax payer.
The EB5 visa works on the basis that immigrants to the USA can be granted permanent residency status for themselves, their spouse and their unmarried children under 21 in return for investing $500,000 in what is termed a Regional Center program. The United States Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) has to date approved over 200 of these centers.
The performance of the regional centers has varied considerably; some have already created thousands of jobs benefiting the US economy, where others have collapsed achieving very little and potentially losing some or all of the investor funds.
For those of you planning to move to the USA and seeking independent impartial advice on the various regional center options the EB5 regional center program is expected to be extended at some stage during 2012, although there has been some discussion as to whether the required investment level may be raised above the current $500,000 level.
For more information on how the EB5 visa can obtain permanent residency in the USA for you and your family please contact Chase Brodsky on +1-561-771-1330 or via email at Chase@WhichEB5.com or register for EB5 visa information here.
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Tags: american, eb5, EB5 visa, immigrants, regional centers, USA, uscis
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:
- Beijing – China
- Miami – FL – USA
- Orlando – FL – USA
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 » |
December 14th, 2011 |
 H-1B visa holders who are approaching the six-year limit on their visa may find they face a major problem in holding onto their jobs and maintaining their lives in the USA. Once an H-1B visa holder has reached the six-year limit, or if they are laid off, the ability to extend the H-1B visa is often gone. In many cases, unless the person can qualify for a different visa, it becomes necessary to leave the U.S. for a year to restore H-1B visa eligibility.
Even if the H-1B visa holder manages to hold on to the job and the visa sponsorship, it can take many years to get permanent residency status (green cards) despite years of waiting. It has been pointed out that if you are an Indian or Chinese professional with an advanced degree, due to the country-specific green card backlog in the EB-2 category, you are little better off than your fellow countrymen with a bachelor’s degree.
Students holding F1 visas also face problems given the current economy has created a difficult job market, particularly at a time when there are many highly qualified U.S. citizens and permanent residents available who do not need H-1B visa sponsorship. In some cases, overseas students are even having a difficult time to find an employer just to maintain eligibility to stay in the U.S. for the optional practical training period, let alone to find sponsorship for an H-1B visa or the green card.
With the help of the EB5 visa program, people in these difficult situations can get green cards. The EB-5 visa program has its own specific annual quota of green cards and at present there is no backlog. The only delay is the about one year that it can take to go through the entire EB-5 immigration process.
Once the EB-5 investor obtains conditional residence they have all the rights and benefits of a permanent resident. This means they are no longer dependent on the existing U.S. employer, or on finding employment with a U.S. employer, indeed they can even go into business for themselves.
The EB-5 visa can give freedom, more career options, competing on equal terms with U.S. citizens and permanent residents in the labor market and business world, and the security that allows you to stay in the U.S.
As long as you maintain your investment in a regional center that achieves its business plan and creates 10 jobs per investor you will receive permanent residence after the two-year conditional period.
The importance of obtaining independent impartial advice before considering relocation to the USA is critical. As a first step it is worth reading the only published consumer guide on the EB-5 process Green Card via the Red Carpet.
For more impartial information on the EB-5 visa contact EB5 Experts at Which EB5 via Email or telephone at +1-561-771-1330
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Tags: chinese, eb-2, EB-5 Visa, eb5, eb5 experts, F1, green card, Green Card via the Red Carpet, H-1B, Immigration, permanent residence, sponsorship, USA, visa
Posted in Immigration | No Comments » |
December 8th, 2011 |
 Sometimes when we are consulting with potential EB5 clients they tell us of rumors or stories they have heard on been told about the rules of the EB-5 visa program. Just recently a client told us of a disturbing piece of news they had received, not from an unauthorized source, but from an American Consulate office. This client told us that they had contacted their local American Consulate and were told, with some certainty, that the EB-5 visa program was not available for those who are Guatemalan Citizens.
We commented to the client that we were sure this was not the case but to be totally accurate with our response we consulted with expert EB5 attorney Anthony Olson who confirmed that this is simply not the case. In fact there are no exclusions from participation in the EB5 visa program due to citizenship.
In fairness to the staff of this particular U.S. Consulate we would add that sometimes a request for information can get lost in the context of the question at hand and a simple clarification might have explained the mis-information. It is possible that the officer in questions may have referred to the E2 visa that does have restrictions based upon the country of origin.
Should you wish to clarify any point of information you have received on the EB-5 visa program, no matter the source, we at Which EB5 will be happy to answer your question(s) and, if necessary, get outside expert opinion on your behalf.
To set-up a personal EB5 consultation please contact Chase Brodsky at Which EB5 via Email or by telephoning +1-561-771-1330
+Stephen Parnell
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Tags: citizenship, E2, EB-5 Visa, eb5, EB5 Attorney, EB5 Consultation, expert opinion, Guatemalan, U.S. Consulate
Posted in Immigration | No Comments » |
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