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 » |
August 19th, 2009 |
A number of people that considered applying for the Canadian immigrant investor visa program had not realized that the USA has operated a similar program.
The Canadian program requires a $400,000 Canadian Dollar investment for a five year period as a no interest loan to the government. The U.S. EB5 program requires a $500,000 US dollar investment in a wide range of government approved regional centers.
The Canadian program requires that the investor has qualifying business experience and satisfies a points system, the US program does not have these restrictions.
The Canadian program guarantees the loan but offers no interest or chance of capital growth over a period of five years and two months – the U.S. EB-5 program is not guaranteed but offers approximately 60 USCIS approved regional centers covering a wide variety of business structures, including loans to quasi-government infrastructure projects, vacation resorts, property investments etc and offers a variety of interest payments and/or potential capital growth.
There are no restrictions as to where you can live in the U.S. so whether your choice is California, Hawaii, Florida, New York or indeed anywhere else, the U.S. EB5 immigrant investor option enables you to work, retire or study there.
The EB-5 Investor Green Card regional center visa program is an excellent way to quickly become a permanent resident of the United States. Which EB5 researches all regional centers; you make the same investment plus get all the independent advice of Which EB-5 at no cost to you. Contact us now for complete information.
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Tags: california, eb-5, eb5, florida, green card, investor green card, New York, regional center, USA, visa, Which EB-5
Posted in Immigration | No Comments » |
July 17th, 2009 |
Today we look at an Irish family who had significant agricultural holdings in Ireland and wanted to provide an elevated standard of living for their family by relocating permanently to the U.S.A.
The family 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/vacations 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 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 processing delays caused by requests for further evidence by the USCIS (RFE’s), they also wanted a program that had previously complied with job requirements and had a clear and specific exit strategy.
After investigating the alternatives and narrowing it down to two options they opted for an infrastructure project which to date has a 100% track record of approval. Following clarification on a number of issues they invested $500,000 – plus regional center administration and attorney fees.
The family decided to sell their business and property assets in Ireland which provided them with total net worth well in excess of the required figure. The I-526 approval took three months and the couple were then interviewed at the U.S. Consulate and granted visas.
If you are planning to retire permanently to the USA and are interested in the EB5 regional center pilot program you can contact the partners of Which EB-5 for a personal consultation using this link
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Tags: american, eb-5, florida, Irish, job requirements, pilot program, regional center, Relocation, request for further evidence, RFE's, USA, uscis, visa, Which EB-5
Posted in Immigration | No Comments » |
July 16th, 2009 |
Today we look at a case study that relates to an Australian family who wished to relocate to Florida.
The husband owned large specialist employment businesses in Australia and the UK. He required a visa route that offered permanent residency and green cards for all the family – with older teenage children he was concerned that other visa types might present too much risk for their future.
After a briefing with us they decided to look at the EB-5 pilot program in more detail and subsequently decided to invest $500,000 in a Limited Partnership under a Regional Center in a Targeted Employment area. The Project involved the demolition, renovation and construction of a warehouse/storage complex for mixed use.
The family decided to sell their business and property assets which provided them with total net worth well in excess of the required (by regulation) million dollar figure.
The family wanted 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, moving, property, transfer of pets, health coverage etc.
The I-526 approval took several months and the couple were then interviewed at the U.S. Consulate and granted visas.
We have continued to keep in touch and checked out issues that have cropped up with them for the benefit of new clients, a key one being the exit strategy of the program they opted for in the light of the world downturn and subsequent attractive projects coming on the market.
If you are planning to retire permanently to the USA and are interested in the EB5 regional center pilot program you can contact the partners at Which EB-5 using this link.
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Tags: attorney, eb-5, exit stratergy, florida, green card, I-526, regional center, relocate, retire, targeted employment area, visa, Which EB-5
Posted in Immigration | No Comments » |
July 6th, 2009 |
For the past few days we have been looking at the reasons why the EB-5 visa has been of interest to particular groups of immigrants – Today we look at a case study taken from one of our previous 100+ investors that relates to a couple who achieved their life-long dream to retire permanently in the USA.
A British couple who had spent many happy holidays with their children in Orlando Florida over the past twenty years had been looking at ways they might be able to retire permanently but were concerned that their only options apparently related to the E2 and L1 visas which either did not allow, or offer, the security of immediate permanent residence. They were also concerned that the immigration Attorneys they spoke to focused only on the legal aspects but were not really listening to their personal requirements including their wide ranging concerns on living their retirement in America.
After a meeting with Andrew Bartlett they decided to look at the EB-5 pilot program in more detail and with the husbands retirement in sight they decided to invest $500,000 in a limited partnership project in an approved and proven regional center. The program was for the improvement of a commercial warehouse project in a developing area of a major US city, the building has subsequently been renovated and leased generating a rental income of $30,000 a year.
The couple decided on a clean break from the UK, selling their British home and the rental properties they also owned which provided them with total net worth well in excess of the required (by the US government) million dollar figure along with ongoing retirement income from their years of employment.
The I-526 approval took several months and the couple were then interviewed at the U.S. Consulate in London and granted immigrant visas.
Following a further briefing with us covering key issues such as medical insurance, doctors, driving tests, shipping of their possessions and the pros and cons of different locations, they relocated to Venice Florida on the basis of the things to do, the quality of life and very competitive housing costs.
The couple have subsequently had their I-829 removal of conditions granted and have settled into the Florida way of life playing a lot of tennis and golf and making friends (making them more active and busier than they were in the UK) – Their grown up children and families visit them at least twice a year and they return to the UK when their grandchildren are on school holidays.
We have continued to keep in touch and checked out issues that have cropped up with them for the benefit of new investors, a key one being the exit strategy of the program they opted for in the light of the world downturn and subsequent attractive projects coming on the market.
If you are planning to retire permanently to the USA and are interested in the EB5 regional center pilot program you can contact us here.
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Tags: America, andrew bartlett, E2, eb-5, eb5, florida, I-526, I-829, immigrants, immigration attorneys, investors, L1, orlando, permanent residence, pilot program, regional center, retire, USA, visa
Posted in Immigration | No Comments » |
July 2nd, 2009 |
Many families, particularly from Europe, have spent some great holidays in the United States over the years – they often first made the trip with their children on family vacations enjoying the theme parks and then when the children have flown the nest, long to rekindle happy memories and enjoy all the advantages particularly of Florida and California on a permanent long term basis in retirement.
Until recently this group of people have found their retirement dreams frustrated due to a lack of suitable visa. The USA has no retirement visa as such and so unless they applied through the E2 or L1 visa programs, and bought a business, their hopes remained a pipe-dream – as both the L1 and E2 visas are for fixed terms and did not provide permanent residence they often had to pass on their hopes and either remain in their homeland through those dreary winters or opt for Spain and the potential language difficulties.
However, at long last there is a finally a proven alternative visa option that has satisfied those dreams of year round sunshine and the advantages of the American way of life – the EB-5 investor regional center pilot program has now been operating long enough to track how the initial pioneers who used it when it first came out five years ago have fared.
As part of our series on who should be interested in this visa we will, in future blogs, look into some cases studies of those who used the EB5 for retirement.
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Tags: california, E2, eb-5, Europe, florida, L1, pilot program, regional center, retirement, united states, visa
Posted in Immigration | No Comments » |
July 1st, 2009 |
Each year we work with several hundred clients who look at the EB-5 visa as a 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 the EB-5 visa options is a relative easy visa option.
2. Overseas students about to be educated at Universities and Colleges in the States or those who have just graduated and want to remain and work in the States – the EB-5 has been particularly attractive for students from India following complications with the few other options and the difficulties with waiting times for the H-1B visa.
3. Those relocating to America with their families who have found that the complications of the E2 and the L1 visa can make these options too risky, particularly if their children have to leave the USA at age 21.
Over the next few blogs we will look at these groups in more detail and also examine the key mistakes they sometimes make when looking at the investment strategies of some of the regional centers.
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Tags: california, E2, eb-5, florida, H-1B, L1, permanent residence, regional center, USA, visa
Posted in Immigration | No Comments » |
March 19th, 2009 |
One of the earliest couples making an investment in return for a Green Card were Michael and Pamela Green.
Four years ago the couple were among the first to immigrate under the then revised EB-5 regional center program. The Greens bought into a retail project and received an annual return, they did not have to live in the area where they had invested.
For the first two years, their Green Cards had conditions related to maintaining the investment which have now been removed. Coming up to five years, they can seek citizenship if they wish.
They left to move permanently into the holiday home they bought in Florida, 12 years ago and sold two properties in the UK to move to their new home in a complex beside a golf course fairway. “There is a swimming pool, a fitness centre and the same amount of land but other people take care of it,” said Mr. Green. “I don’t have to cut the grass or clean the pool.”
He added: “We now enjoy a comfortable lifestyle, a very nice climate, with English-speaking people, and a low cost of living. The investment is a small amount to pay for that benefit.” “The sun shines through the window virtually every day.” Mr. Green, a 12-handicap golfer, and a former managing director of a car dealership, added: “The comparison in the cost of living is incredible”.
The couple have a son, a grandchild, and another grandchild on the way. “At my stage of life my family can come to me,” Mr. Green said.
This blog entry posted by Andrew Bartlett
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Tags: citizenship, eb-5, florida, green card, investment, regional center, UK
Posted in Immigration | No Comments » |
March 18th, 2009 |
David and Fran Hodgkinson retired from local government consultancy posts before relocating to the USA four years ago via the EB-5 visa pilot program. They spent several months thoroughly researching options and felt it was imperative they immigrate via a green card route rather than any temporary visa. They felt after stressful high pressure jobs, relaxation in the sun with their dogs was the key consideration rather than having to set up and maintain a business in The USA, which is a requirement of other visa options.
Fran had retained great memories of America after student days as a camp councilor with BUNAC and the thrill was reawakened on holidays to Florida, including Disney.
Having looked at a shortlist of property options in Florida, they chose a ranch style home with 6 acres of land in Myakka several miles outside Sarasota as the ideal move from their home in a small town. Having personally cleared their land of scrub to design their garden, they feel their Florida lifestyle has given them even more than they expected.
They have been very happy with their decision to immigrate via the regional center program. The conditions of their green cards have been removed (successful I-829) and they are coming up to the stage where they could apply for US citizenship. They feel their particular selection of regional center has worked well from an investment perspective.
For detailed help in choosing a regional center contact Which EB5
This blog entry posted by Andrew Bartlett
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Tags: America, andrew bartlett, disney, eb-5, florida, green card, I-829, lifestyle, pilot program, regional center, US Citizenship, USA, visa, Which EB-5
Posted in Immigration | No Comments » |
March 16th, 2009 |
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 difficult or near impossible due to no specific visa that allows retirees to live year round, even if they are wealthy and self supporting.
There has been talk for years of a silver 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 pipe dream.
Not so anymore as more and more potential retiree’s consider The EB-5 visa regional centre pilot program.
This visa category 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 visit Which EB5 for details.
Over the next few days we will talk about some of the people who have made the choice to live their retirement dreams in America. Subscribe to this blog to make sure you get the benefit of experience of those that have utilized this program successfully.
This blog posted by Andrew Bartlett
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Tags: $500000, american, andrew bartlett, arizona, blog, california, eb-5, florida, regional center pilot program, relocate, retire, retirees, retirement, silver visa, six month visa, U.S., wealthy, Which EB-5
Posted in Immigration | No Comments » |
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