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November 7th, 2011 |
 For those applying for permanent residence in the USA via the EB-5 regional center visa program the process certainly seemed a lot simpler a few years ago. For a start there were only a handful of regional centers to choose from in 2007 where today there are about 200 approved by United States citizenship and Immigration service (USCIS) to offer programs.
Despite concerns at the time that those early investors were entering unchartered waters all those first few centers have remained in business several years later.
Nowadays the EB-5 visa has given birth to a whole industry, but all is not always as it seems. Sales and marketing hype has become an increasing feature with promises and guarantees made that are unlikely to always be kept. A number of regional center programs have been terminated by USCIS not long after opening but having already recruited unfortunate Chinese clients.
A few people who used to champion the protection of the EB-5 applicant and warn about the dangers of the sales people have themselves become sales people sometimes selling their own products in China.
It has become ever more important to get detailed impartial, independent information from experienced experts before choosing the EB-5 regional center programs that best matches your own specific requirements.
Many who are starting the EB-5 process to achieve permanent residence status in the USA (green cards) have found it useful to begin their research by reading the only published consumer guide on the EB-5 visa pilot program Green Card via the Red Carpet.
To receive the latest independent information on the EB-5 visa contact Which EB5
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Tags: chinese, eb-5, EB-5 Visa, experianced, green card, Green Card via the Red Carpet, impartial, independent, permanent residence, regional center, USA, uscis, visa, Which EB-5
Posted in Immigration | No Comments » |
September 22nd, 2011 |
 If you are trying to find out as much information as possible about the EB-5 Regional center program the task facing you can be daunting.
Inquiries to Attorneys can sometimes be met with being passed off to a junior member of staff, or a stream of complex legal information or even in certain cases a quasi sales pitch actually promoting a particular program that the Attorney may receive a fee from, but which they may never have visited.
Inquiries to the Regional Centers are usually met with a mass of information that often falls into two types: There is the glossy promotional material, usually one sided saying how great their program is. Following this can be an extremely large document written in one sided legal language that may be very difficult to understand without expert help.
If you do not speak/read English fluently you may be relying on an agent who speaks your language who receives a commission from the Regional center if you buy the program through them; or perhaps material translated by that very same agent.
The problem is, choosing the most appropriate regional center that best matches your personal requirements is fundamental to the success or failure of your immigration path and the return of your $500,000 capital.
Get this wrong and you and your family could face deportation and/or loss of some or all of your $500,000.
It is important that you receive impartial, independent and experienced advice from experts with a 100% track record working with EB-5 clients.
Many have found it useful to begin the process by reading the only published consumer guide on the EB-5 visa pilot program Green card via the Red Carpet.
For more information about the EB-5 visa contact Which EB5
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Tags: attorney, EB-5 Visa, Green Card via the Red Carpet, impartial, independent, regional center, visa, Which EB-5
Posted in Immigration | No Comments » |
August 25th, 2011 |
 If you are considering the EB-5 visa as an appropriate method to obtain permanent residency in the USA for you and your family you have probably undertaken some research to find out as much as possible about the process.
As you may have found out, the visa can require you to invest $500,000 in what is termed a regional center. To date there are, in theory, over 150 of these centers which have been authorized by The United States Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) to offer programs that may qualify for the EB-5 visa.
You may have made some enquiries and asked a number of questions such as:
What are the number of applications and the success rate of these centers at the initial approval stage (I-526) and the removal of conditions stage (I-829)?
You may also want to know how firm the exit strategy is, i.e. the return of your $500,000.
There are numerous other questions that need to be asked and the answers carefully evaluated to make certain you are getting a completely truthful response rather than an answer designed to get you to buy-in to a particular project. These questions include the reality or otherwise of the centers targeted employment area (TEA) status.
However, assuming you are using an experienced EB-5 consultant with a 100% track record to provide you with this information, one question it is imperative to ask is *have you actually visited, on a regular basis, the centers you are commenting on?
It is also important to define what a visit is; it should not just involve being entertained by the Regional Center salespeople. It should involve looking at the program in depth and visiting the surrounding areas to obtain an overall impression of the program.
Over several years we have uncovered many issues from the visits we have regularly made to EB-5 Regional Centers. Some of these discoveries have been negative, others positive, but they have all been important issues that those considering the EB-5 program should be aware of.
Choosing an EB-5 visa regional center program requires experienced and impartial advice, you cannot simply rely on the information given by the regional centers or some of the consultants and attorneys who, in reality, are actually working with a particular regional center.
If you would like more information on your options and a free consultation on the strengths and weaknesses of EB-5 programs contact Which EB-5
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Tags: consultants, eb-5, EB-5 Visa, exit stratergy, I-526, I-829, impartial, importnant questions, regional center, TEA, uscis, visa
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 » |
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