October 31st, 2011 |
 In the midst of the recent economic problems in the US, some people may wonder why they should still invest in the country. After being brought down by the folly of an over deregulated financial system, the country is slowly raising itself back up.
As the US government is trying to jumpstart the economy again, they’ve started offering incentives to investors. One incentive is the EB-5 Regional Center investment visa. This program offers permanent residency (green cards) to an investor, including spouses and children below 21, willing to provide $500,000 to a government-designated Regional Center program.
Regional Centers approach immigrant investors with offers of different projects that need financing to convince them that a certain offer is the best. But you might ask yourself as you scour through business proposals: why would I want to invest in the United States of America?
1) It is still the land of opportunity.
Ever since its start, America has been touted as the Land of Milk and Honey. Generations have traveled to the country to seek their fortune. Even now, there are people striking it rich in America, it is the birthplace of some of the biggest companies of our time: Google, Facebook, and Apple, all of which were started with a simple idea. These companies probably couldn’t have succeeded so well and so fast anywhere else in the world.
2) The economy will bounce back.
The foundation of the US economy is solid. It is, after all, the biggest superpower in the world. Because of its vital part in the intricate web of financial systems all over the world, it is still in everyone’s best interest for it to succeed.
3) The USA is still the center of the world.
From this land comes the rest of the world’s culture, filtered through Hollywood movies, Billboard Top 100s, and many brands that rise to fame all over the globe. This influence and power over the rest of the world is reason enough to believe that it is the best country to invest in.
4) If you can make it there, you’ll make it anywhere.
This line from the classic Frank Sinatra tune is true. The US can be a tough place for an immigrant, and a tougher place for an investor. Given the country’s attitude towards healthy competition and capitalism, you’re sure to learn a lot, but once you’ve mastered and survived this economy, the rest is easy.
5) The economy is ripe.
Now, more than ever, is the perfect time to invest in the USA. With the recent shakedown in the financial market, there are more opportunities than ever for investors. Both the government and the banks want to stimulate economic growth with lots of incentives and bonuses for investors. It is also the perfect time to get your pick of the best workforce, as most of them are searching for a better option. It is also the perfect time to place an investment in America, because the country needs to create jobs. In return it is offering an opportunity for you to gain permanent residence and even citizenship in this great country.
Before you start the process of securing an EB-5 Visa Green Card for you and your family, you have to understand that you’re not just investing your money; you’re investing your family in a new country. And, despite recent problems, you have to believe that it is still a great country, still the land of the free and the home of the brave.
The principals of Which EB5 are themselves first-generation immigrants; they would welcome the opportunity to help you become permanent residents too by using the EB-5 Visa program. For further information simply request it here.
(This is a guest blog post on Which EB5 blog)
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Tags: eb-5, EB-5 Visa, green card, immigrant investor, investment visa, regional center, US Government, Which EB-5
Posted in Immigration | No Comments » |
August 19th, 2011 |
 If you are considering investing $500,000 of your hard earned money in one of the many regional center programs you would certainly hope that the centers would be able to tell you what will happen to your investment if you are unsuccessful in obtaining your visa, or indeed are there contingency plans in place if the program invested in runs into problems.
Unfortunately, many EB-5 investors have failed to consider these questions as they have been dealing with advisers andor regional centers more focused on making their commission and selling their product rather than going into the all important small print and background details.
There are many questions that need answering such as:-
- Will your investment be escrowed prior to your application be granted, if not what are the safeguards?
- What happens if you’re I-526 application is denied? Not all regional centers will refund your administration fee or indeed your investment in this scenario.
- What happens if a program fails to find the required number of investors?
- USCIS requires your $500,000 to be at risk; however some regional centers have said the investment can be guaranteed?What is happening here and how much risk is necessary?
- What happens if you believe your funds have been placed into escrow; however they are withdrawn and used for other purpose? A court case regarding such a scenario is due to be heard in the next few months (such a situation should be avoidable).
- What are the issues to be aware of in relation to the exit strategies (return of your investment) between different programs? Currently these strategies range from a specific four year term to ambiguous references to thirty years. However all too often this is not sufficiently spelt out to the EB-5 applicant.
These are questions that do need answering. Although the vast majority of EB-5 applications have been successful there have been a few examples of investments not being returned immediately a center program has been withdrawn or failed. It is important that you are made aware of these.
There are not necessarily yes or no answers to all of these questions. The role of a truly independent and properly experienced adviser can be very important to guide you through all these and indeed many other points.
The EB-5 visa requires a $500,000 investment in a United States Citizenship and Immigration center (USCIS) Regional Center Programs. The track record of these programs varies considerably and investment terms can be as little as four years. It is vital you obtain independent information from experienced advisors prior to making a decision on Regional Center programs.
If you would like more information on these visa options and a free consultation contact Which EB-5 for an in-depth personal consultation.
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Tags: eb-5, I-526, investment visa, problems, refund, regional center, uscis, Which EB-5
Posted in Immigration | No Comments » |
April 13th, 2011 |
 About this time of the year many thousands of young people from all over the world are planning to go to College or University in the USA.
Some of these students would like to have the freedom to work without restriction while they are studying or be free to work in the USA after graduation.
However, on the visas most used by Students, F1 or M1, this is not possible; The EB-5 investment visa, by providing permanent residence in the USA, enables applicants to live in the USA as they wish.
The visa requires a $500,000 investment in a regional center program that has been authorized by USCIS (United States Citizenship and Immigration Service).
If you would like further information on this or any other EB-5 question contact Which EB5
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Tags: eb-5, F1, investment visa, M1, study in usa, USA, uscis, visa
Posted in Immigration | No Comments » |
February 3rd, 2011 |
Those that have chosen the EB-5 visa have a wide variety of options to finance the $500,000 investment that is required for funding a place in a government approved regional center program. A number already have sufficient funds in savings however, there are a wide range of other alternatives such as:-
- A loan or mortgage against a property they own.
- A gift or loan from family, friends or a commercial source.
- A loan or investment using your retirement account.
Although at first sight the rate of return on a number of the proven EB-5 programs is relatively low, in the current economic climate of low interest rates it is often no less than investors receive in a US bank account.
For more information contact Which EB5
Those that have chosen the EB-5 visa have a wide variety of options to finance the $500,000 investment that is required for funding a place in a government approved regional center program.
A number already have sufficient funds in savings however, there are a wide range of other alternatives such as:-
A loan or mortgage against a property they own.
A gift or loan from family, friends or a commercial source.
A loan or investment using your retirement account.
Although at first sight the rate of return on a number of the more proven EB-5 programs is relatively low, in the current economic climate of low interest rates it is often no less than investors receive in a US bank account.
For more information contact Which EB5
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Tags: eb-5, government approved, investment visa, regional center, retirement account, visa, Which EB-5
Posted in Immigration | No Comments » |
January 3rd, 2011 |
The $500,000 question.
Once you have had the conditions removed from your green cards (twenty one to twenty four months after your green cards are initially activated) through an I-829 petition you generally have to wait to cash in your investment – as a general rule of thumb it is unlikely to be less than five years from the date you initially invested funds, in some cases it may be a lot longer and if like a few unfortunate past investors you make the wrong choice it may be never!
Under the requirements of the EB-5 pilot program, Regional Centers are not allowed to guarantee the return of your investment – it has to be “at risk”.
The various regional center programs often refer to the return of the $500000 investment as the exit strategy. Some regional centers have a specific fixed term/date for the return of your investment others have more complex or sometimes ambiguous exit strategies; some are lost in a mass of legal jargon.
Importantly, some programs focus on countries where the investor’s primary concern is the visa, not the return of the $500000 – it is very important you are aware of the dangers of this strategy; please contact us for further information on this point.
At the time of writing we have identified three regional centers that have repaid their earliest investors; two of these centers have fully repaid the $500,000 one center has repaid less than the $500,000. For further details along with the latest information on which regional centers have paid in full and which have paid less than the $500,000 capital investment please contact the partners at Which EB5
The vast majority of regional centers have not been operating long enough to be in position to return investments.
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Tags: eb-5, eb5, exit strategy, green card, I-829, investment visa, pilot program, regional center
Posted in Immigration | No Comments » |
April 30th, 2010 |
 USCIS are doing a great job for EB-5 Stakeholders I read a quote from an immigration attorney today that I thought worth commenting here on our blog; here is the quote:
“This administration has made it increasingly difficult to obtain visas because of bureaucratic incompetence and potential business immigrants are now choosing to avoid the United States altogether, because the obstacles at times are insurmountable”.
From personal experience, including a visit to the California Service Center of the USCIS where all EB-5 visa applications are adjudicated, I can tell you that the USA is attracting more EB-5 visa attention from abroad than ever before and that we are enjoying regular processing time for an immigrant investor petition, an I-526, of 90-100 days. If that is “bureaucratic incompetence” then I can’t wait for things to improve!
Really folks, the CSC are doing a very good job of keeping-up with processing times and offer us EB-5 stakeholders a generally good service. Rather than trying to knock the service levels we enjoy, yes, I said enjoy, shouldn’t we all be working together to make sure petitions are complete and fit all required criteria? This way we can build our relationship with the civil servants that process the EB-5 applications and foster a professional relationship rather than making excuses.
Just my humble opinion.
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Tags: eb-5, I-526, immigration attorney, investment visa, USA, uscis
Posted in Immigration | No Comments » |
April 14th, 2010 |
YES: One regional center’s first two projects, which were loans made from a limited partnership of EB5 investors, have reached maturity and have been repaid in full.
One other regional center program has made repayments below the $500,000 capital investment.
In “Green Card via the Red Carpet” which can be found on Amazon, we reported that many EB-5 investor visa applicants feel the return of their $500,000 is an their second most important consideration.
For the latest impartial information on who has and who has not paid back contact the senior partners at Which EB5
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Tags: eb5, Green Card via the Red Carpet, investment visa, investors, regional center, Which EB-5
Posted in Immigration | No Comments » |
April 13th, 2010 |
 Latest EB5 Investment Visa News & Updates from the Which EB5 Newsletter Increase in interest from China focused on concerns regarding the need for impartial and independent information – Chinese investors in particular have asked us questions on the programs which are viewed in the most favorable light, given the worldwide economic downturn. Chinese investment visa applicants are particularly interested in our views as we actually visit the regional centers and the fact that our book “Green Card via the Red Carpet” offers so much detailed information.
India has also seen increases in interest and Indian EB5 applicants have inquired about a number of programs – we have pointed out concerns that need to be looked at regarding some of the smaller more recent programs, again there are concerns regarding unqualified advice from EB5 visa agents in India who have not even visited centers they are recommending.
Increase in interest from the UK. From discussions with UK clients the key motivator appears to have been a substantial increase in the higher rate of tax. Concern over crime rates and schooling in the UK also seem to be key reasons for relocation to the USA.
An increasing number of families already in the USA on E2 and L1 visas have expressed concerns about issues regarding those visas and have been looking at the permanent residence/ green cards offered by the EB-5 visa as a more reassuring alternative.
If you would like regular copies of our investment visa newsletter please register right here.
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Tags: china, E2, eb-5, eb5, green card, Green Card via the Red Carpet, India, investment visa, L1, permanent residence, UK, USA, visa agents
Posted in Immigration | No Comments » |
March 31st, 2010 |
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Each year many foreign students plan to go to the USA to study at the world recognized Colleges and Universities and many would like the opportunity to work during their studies and find employment in the USA following graduation.
However, on the visas most students use, the F1 or M1, this is not possible. However, the EB-5 investment visa, by allowing permanent residence, enables applicants to study and work as they wish.
An increasing number of students are preferring the EB-5 visa route as it enables them to develop their career in the USA after graduation and live as permanent residents obtaining US citizenship after five years if they so choose.
For more details contact the Which EB5 Student liaison director Candice Bartlett.
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Tags: citizenship, eb-5, foreign students, investment visa, USA, visa
Posted in Immigration | No Comments » |
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