June 24th, 2011 |
 Many factors can be considered important if you are applying for a visa to live in the USA.
High on the list would be accuracy of the information you are given. I was chatting to a French family at a party in Siesta Key FL last week and they were telling me about their move from Marseilles to Sarasota a few months before. The family had settled into their new lifestyle very well and were loving life in the USA.
We talked about the E2 visa they had used to relocate to Florida and I asked about their plans when their children turn 21. They looked puzzled and seemed not to recognize the potential immigration issue that arises when children reach the age of 21. It turned out that no one, including their Attorney, had highlighted to them some of the potential problems with the E2 visa, including that children may have to leave the USA when they are 21.
Over the past few years I have come across other examples of immigrants to the USA not being aware of all the necessary facts. This problem is puzzling in that Immigration Consultants and Attorneys must know about these issues, and yet sometimes fail to highlight them to the families involved.
Above all, the consequences are devastating for the families involved. They may find their family structure at risk of being split up after a few years if one or more children have to leave the USA as a result of visa issues.
It has been reported that the E2 is not the most appropriate visa for families seeking permanent residence in the USA. Other options such as the EB-5 visa may be more appropriate. Whatever visa route a family may take, being provided with all the information by a competent professional is of the upmost importance.
Given the cost and upheaval of making a permanent move to another country the last thing a family wants to find out after they have relocated there is that they face being deported back after a few years because of a fact they were not aware of.
For an independent overview of all your immigration choices contact Which EB5 who will arrange a free consultation for you with a leading immigration attorney.
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Tags: consultants, E2, florida, immigrants, immigrating to the USA, immigration attorneys, problems, visa, Which EB-5
Posted in Immigration | No Comments » |
April 14th, 2011 |
 Around March to April each year the roads of Florida are filled with Canadians making their way back home having spent the last few months in Florida. Similarly the airports in Orlando, Miami and Tampa have a large number of Brits also returning home after enjoying that therapeutic Florida sunshine and relaxing lifestyle for the last six months.
Increasing numbers of overseas visitors love to spend as much of their retirement time in the sunny all year round climate of Florida. However, those wanting to retire and relocate permanently to the U.S. have often found it difficult, due to there being no specific visa that allows retirees to live there year round, even if they are wealthy and self supporting.
There has been talk for years of a silver retirement style visa, but nothing has ever materialized. Unless retirees have a close American relative or buy a business, permanent retirement to the States has always seemed a distant dream.
Not so anymore as more and more potential retiree’s consider the EB-5 visa regional centre pilot program. This visa category has been a blessing to retirees wishing to permanently retire to the States as it does not require them to directly operate a business.
In return for a $500,000 investment in an approved regional center program many can achieve their lifelong dreams of permanent residence in the USA. If you would like full details of exactly how this visa category can work for you read “How to Retire in Florida” and contact Which EB5 for details of how you can become a permanent resident retiree in Florida.
 Important: You will want to see our recent blog: Does the location of EB-5 Regional Center Programs really matter? before you start looking at regional center choices as it is possible that one of these might be waiting for you.
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Tags: british, canadian, eb-5, florida, how to retire in florida, location, miami, orlando, pilot program, regional center, regional centre, retire, retirement, silver visa, tampa, USA, visa
Posted in Immigration | No Comments » |
March 18th, 2011 |
 Stephen Parnell of Which EB5 with Senator Patrick Leahy of Vermont during an EB-5 stakeholders meeting in Washington DC. It is with great pleasure that I inform you that yesterday, Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-VT) introduced S. 642 (“Creating American Jobs Through Foreign Capital Act”) – which would permanently authorize the EB-5 RC Program – into the Congressional Record. The Honorable Senator also included a glowing statement about the EB-5 RC Program. A full text can be found below: We will circulate a PDF of the bill as soon as it is available.
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Mr. LEAHY. Mr. President, today I am introducing the Creating American Jobs Through Foreign Capital Investment Act. This bill does one simple thing: It makes the EB-5 regional center program permanent. The EB-5 Regional Center Program has been highly successful since its inception in 1992, but it has always lacked the security of assured continuity. Extending the program by a few years at a time hampers the growth of the program and creates a disincentive for immigrant investors to bring their capital investments to the United States. EB-5 regional center programs have drawn jobs and millions of investment dollars to struggling communities and regions of our country. We can expand these job-creating programs and allow new regional centers to compete for investments with quality projects–if the EB-5 authorization is made permanent in law.
The State of Vermont and Vermont entrepreneurs recognized the potential of this program early on, and Vermont gained regional center status in 1997. Our State and the Vermont entrepreneurs who took advantage of the regional center planned their projects with great care. As a result, both the State and our entrepreneurs have successfully attracted investors and created jobs. Other states have taken note of Vermont’s success, and today there are now about 135 designated regional center programs across the country, which are creating jobs in States like Alabama, Arizona, California, Florida, Iowa, and New York, to name just a few.
A regional center program is an economic engine for the state or region in which it is located. In a small state like Vermont, the economic activity generated by EB-5 projects at resorts like Jay Peak and Sugarbush has created direct jobs in those communities. Some of those jobs are for the construction and expansion phase, and others are for long-term employees of the resorts. These resort expansions bring more tourists to Vermont to enjoy skiing and summertime activities. Then there are the multiplier effects of these projects. Our visitors spend money while skiing and touring Vermont, supporting other Vermont businesses with every purchase they make. The economic activity is not limited to tourism, and there are other innovative projects in the pipeline in Vermont–projects like biotechnology; water purification; and manufacturing. Because the entire State of Vermont is a designated regional center, there is great potential for diversity both in terms of projects and geographic location.
The Regional Center program attracts foreign investors seeking legal permanent residency and a chance to invest in the American economy. Investors must pledge a minimum of $500,000 to a project within a Regional Center, and they independently apply for EB-5 visas. If approved by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration, USCIS, foreign investors are granted conditional 2-year green cards. After 2 years, these investors must provide proof that they have created at least 10 jobs as a result of their investments, and that they have met additional investment requirements set by USCIS.
The Federal Government authorizes approximately 388,000 green cards each year. Out of that number, only 10,000 annually are reserved for the EB-5 program. The vast majority of the green cards issued by our Government are family-based and available to anyone who meets the admissibility criteria, irrespective of personal wealth. It is true that this program requires a significant up-front investment from a prospective immigrant, but that does not disadvantage others who wish to become permanent residents. Most importantly, that investment directly benefits American communities and workers at no cost to American taxpayers. Similar programs have long yielded extraordinary economic benefits for the people of Canada, Australia and other countries.
There is virtually no substantive opposition to the EB-5 program. Most elected officials will agree that creating jobs and capital investment is a good, bipartisan goal.
The bill I introduce today makes the program permanent, but I am also working on a broader package of improvements to the EB-5 program to modernize it and ensure it operates efficiently, and as Congress intended. We must make sure that the immigration agency has the tools it needs to keep the program free from fraud and abuse. We must offer stakeholders an efficient process with fair standards so that they have confidence in the program. I am developing legislation in consultation with stakeholders and agency officials to make changes that will bring about lasting improvements for everyone involved.
The EB-5 regional center program is one small corner of our overall immigration system–and it is one that generates tangible, ongoing economic benefits for Americans in the form of jobs and capital investment in local communities. It is an American success story, and we can build on its success with a continuing charter, with careful cultivation, and with appropriate oversight.
Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the Record.
There being no objection, the text of the bill was ordered to be printed in the Record, as follows:
S. 642
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the “Creating American Jobs Through Foreign Capital Investment Act”.
SEC. 2. PERMANENT REAUTHORIZATION OF EB-5 REGIONAL CENTER PROGRAM.
Section 610 of the Departments of Commerce, Justice, and State, the Judiciary, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 1993 (8 U.S.C. 1153 note) is amended–
(1) by striking “pilot” each place such term appears; and
(2) in subsection (b), by striking “until September 30, 2012”.
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Tags: Alabama, and New York, arizona, Australia, california, Canada, Creating American Jobs Through Foreign Capital Act, eb-5, florida, green card, Immigration, Iowa, jay peak, permanent, permanently authorize the EB-5 RC Program, regional center, Sen. Patrick S. Leahy D-Vt., Sugarbush, vermont
Posted in Immigration | No Comments » |
November 4th, 2010 |
 Increasing numbers of overseas visitors love to spend part of the year in the sunny all year round states of Florida, California and Arizona. However, although you may qualify for a six month visa, those wanting to retire and relocate permanently to the U.S. have often found it impossible as there used to be no specific visa that allows retirees to live in the USA year round even if they are wealthy and self supporting.
There has been talk for many years of a silver visa but nothing ever materialized. Unless retirees have a close American relative or buy a business, permanent retirement to the States has always seemed an impossible dream.
Not so anymore as more and more potential retiree’s consider the EB-5 visa regional centre pilot program. This visa category has been a blessing to retirees wishing to permanently retire to the States as it does not require them to directly operate a business.
In return for a $500,000 investment in a U.S. Government approved regional center program many people each year (up to 10,000 every year) can achieve their lifelong dreams of permanent residence in the USA. For more information contact us using the form on this page or via email at info@whicheb5.com
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Tags: arizona, california, eb-5, florida, pilot program, regional center, retirement, silver visa, USA, visa
Posted in Immigration | No Comments » |
October 20th, 2010 |
 Increasing numbers of overseas visitors would love to relocate to the sunny all year round states of Florida, California and Arizona. However, although they may qualify for a six month visa – for those wanting to retire and relocate permanently, there is no specific visa that allows overseas retirees to live year round in the USA, even if they are wealthy and self supporting.
Although there has been ongoing talk for years of a silver visa, nothing has ever materialized and indeed nothing looks likely to. Therefore, unless these retirees have a close American relative, permanent retirement to the States has seemed a never to be fulfilled dream.
The EB-5 visa regional center pilot program has been a blessing to many retirees wishing to permanently retire to the States. In return for a $500,000 investment in an approved program (that may be in the region of a five or six year commitment) many have achieved their lifelong dreams.
Contact us for information on retiring to the USA using the EB-5 investor visa.
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Tags: arizona, california, eb-5, florida, investment, investor, retire, silver visa, USA, visa
Posted in Immigration | No Comments » |
July 21st, 2010 |
 An Irish family who had significant agricultural holdings had been monitoring the progress of the EB-5 visa for several years. They had originally purchased property on the east coast of Florida and taken lengthy holidays to see how they would adjust to the American way of life. They then purchased other properties for rental, taking advantage of the bottoming of the property market and to build an earnings portfolio for eventual relocation. They required a visa route that offered permanent residency and green cards for all the family, and wished to increase their property portfolio once they had resettled in Florida. After a detailed briefing with us they decided the EB5 pilot program was the most appropriate option and looked into the various programs in more detail. They emphasized that they required a program which had not suffered from long delays caused by requests for further evidence (RFE’s), they were also concerned that the program had been operating for several years, complied with job requirements and had a clear and specific exit strategy. After investigating the alternatives and narrowing them down to two options they opted for a project which to date has a 100% track record of approval. Following clarification on a number of issues they invested $500,000 – there where additional administration and attorney fees. The family required an Attorney based in Florida with a track record of working on EB-5 applications and also had a number of questions for us regarding possible locations to resettle in, the schooling system, removals, property, transfer of pets, health coverage etc. The I-526 approval took three months and the couple were then interviewed at the U.S. Consulate and granted visas.
Read more EB-5 Success Stories here
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Tags: attorney, consulate, eb-5, exit strategy, florida, green card, I-526, Irish, permanent residence, Relocation, removal of conditions, visa
Posted in Immigration | No Comments » |
April 27th, 2010 |
 Looking for EB-5 Visa opportunities at new and existing Regional Centers in the USA Thank you to all our regular blog readers for inquiring about my well being. It seems that you have all become accustom to seeing daily updates from me and miss my ramblings when I’m on the road, so my thanks go out to all of you that emailed and called. Now I’m back in Florida, at least for a while.
Last week I racked-up the frequent-flyer miles in my constant trip around the USA looking at new and established regional centers. This last journey was interesting as I visited one regional center with an appointment and another where I just turned-up to look around at what they are doing.
The investor visa program is on the growth path again with some new and some not so new business plans hoping to attract money form wealthy foreigners looking for a path to permanent residence. From what I saw during this recent trip it appears that a potential investor visa applicant has a lot of choice. However, don’t be fooled, it takes a lot of local, on the ground, looking around to separate the simply ambitious from the sound idea worthy of your $500,000 in exchange for a green card.
If you would like to discuss my findings or any other point regarding your choice of regional center please let me know as I am now booking one-on-one consultations for the next three weeks after which I’ll be back on the road looking out for interesting developments in the EB-5 visa world. (You can contact me using the form on the right).
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Tags: eb-5, florida, green card, investor visa, regional center, USA
Posted in Immigration | No Comments » |
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 » |
January 19th, 2010 |
 Retire in the USA using the EB5 Visa - Live in the Sunshine States or anywhere else Increasing numbers of overseas visitors love to spend part of the year in the ‘sunny all year round’ states of Florida, California and Arizona. However, those wanting to retire and relocate permanently to the U.S. have often found it difficult or near impossible due to no specific visa that allows retirees to live in America year round, even if they are wealthy and self supporting.
There has been talk for years of a silver visa but nothing ever materialized. Unless retirees have a close American relative, or buy a business, permanent retirement to America has always been simply a dream. Not so any longer, as more potential retiree’s consider the EB-5 visa regional centre pilot program as the answer to living permanently in the USA. This visa category has been a blessing to retirees wishing to permanently retire to the States as it does not require them to directly operate a business.
In return for a $500,000 investment in an approved regional center program many people can achieve their lifelong dreams of permanent residence in the USA. If you would like full details of exactly how this visa category can work for you visit Which EB5 for complete EB-5 visa details.
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Tags: America, arizona, california, eb-5, florida, pilot program, regional center, retire, silver visa, USA, visa
Posted in Immigration | No Comments » |
January 6th, 2010 |
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One of our EB5 clients, Brian Thompson, was recently featured on (NPR) Public Radio – Below is a transcript from part of the interview with him which was covered on the Morning Edition.
“News of job creation programs has been widely reported lately, but there’s one program that many people have never heard about: Under U.S. immigration law, foreigners can invest in an American business and, in exchange, receive a green card.
This has long been a small, obscure program, but as domestic sources of financing have dried up, the number of EB-5 visas issued this way has tripled in the past year.
For investor Brian Thompson and his wife the motivation was to leave England for a place with better weather. A few years ago they put $500,000 into the redevelopment of a Seattle warehouse that is being turned into a hotel. Once it opens Thompson hopes to make his money back and then some. But the immigrant investor program requires a certain degree of risk, and if the business venture falls through, so do the green cards.
That would be the worst-case scenario,” Thompson says. “We’d be stuck in England, left without the pot of money that we’d worked all our lives for.
But so far the hotel project is on track. And since you don’t have to live where you put your money, Thompson and his wife are happily retired in Florida.
Half a million dollars is the minimum required — an investment in a more competitive area must be $1 million — and across the country, government-approved consultants have popped up to help match this foreign money with American companies.
Immigration attorneys say a big motivation for many investors is to educate their children in the U.S., since a participant’s entire immediate family also qualifies for a green card”.
More Which EB5 client success stories can be found by clicking this link now.
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Tags: eb-5, eb5, florida, green card, immigration attorney, immigration law, National Public Radio, npr, seattle, USA, visa
Posted in Immigration | No Comments » |
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