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February 2nd, 2012 |
 Over the past few months there have been a number of articles written that express concern about the dangers of excess office space in a number of cities throughout the USA.
A recent feature through Associated Press covered potential concerns over the development of the New York World Trade Center project. The article stated that tenants were still being sought for one of the buildings in the development. (link to article)
This is not the first report that has indicated, in the current economic climate, it is proving more challenging to fill leases for office complexes. This situation is not helped as leases come up for renewal in existing office complexes and tenants seek to negotiate lower rentals in the light of increasing availability and market forces.
A number of EB5 visa programs are based on new build commercial office facilities and some of these are totally dependent on 100% financing from EB5 visa applicants. Given current difficulties in obtaining alternative financing for commercial construction, some developers have turned to the EB5 visa program as the only means of raising the necessary funds. However, if office developments are starting construction without potential leases in place, EB5 visa applicants may have a number of questions that need answering, such as:-
• Without tenants in place will the necessary jobs be created? Without these jobs it is possible that the EB5 visa holder will not have conditions removed from their visa, (after two years). This could lead to potential deportation.
• If the project is completed and insufficient tenants are found, how easy will it be to get my $500,000 capital back in a reasonable timeframe? The exit strategy or return of the $500,000 capital is often a big unanswered question about EB5 visa financing.
• Is the project in an area where they may already be an over-supply of similar accommodation, which at best could negatively impact on potential rental income?
• How long before the office lease market is likely to recover in specific areas?
Unfortunately, potential EB5 visa applicants can find it very difficult to get full answers to these questions, particularly if they are reliant on the regional center or their sales agents to give an unbiased evaluation of the potential success or failure of a program.
Obtain independent and unbiased information on the EB5 visa from financial and legal experts contact chase@whicheb5.com or call +1-561-771-1330
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Tags: EB5 visa, exit strategy, WhichEB5
Posted in Immigration | No Comments » |
January 24th, 2012 |
 A couple of weeks ago we heard from a particular family who were looking at the EB5 visa as their best method of obtaining permanent residency in the USA. They had a number of questions to ask and during the course of our conversation it became clear they had learnt about a particular EB5 visa program through friends in their home country.
The regional center in question had strong contacts with this particular country but was a new and unproven center with no record of visa approvals. Unproven centers maybe a concern given there is often little statistical information to factor into due diligence considerations.
As first generation immigrants we can understand why sometimes potential immigrants place emphasis on working with people who come from their home country, perhaps on the basis that they have experience of the journey they are planning to take. However, looking at the regional center project this family was considering it became clear that they had not been given all the information necessary to make a judgment.
Apart from having no track record the regional center had other critical issues.
• The project in question may or may not have been a viable business proposition, from an immigration perspective it needed to satisfy certain standards including creating approved jobs. Failure to do so could lead to eventual deportation from the USA.
• The project had an ambiguous exit strategy. This raised questions such as when or indeed if they were likely to see the return of the $500,000 they would need to invest to make their EB5 visa application.
• It is also interesting to compare current processing times between various regional centers. We are aware of one long-established regional center that currently is having applications approved in six weeks where a number of new small and un-established centers are still waiting for their I-526 applications to be approved over a year later!
It could take several years before an EB5 visa holder realizes that they have made a bad decision in their choice of a regional center project.
Assuming an applicant does get approval for the visa it could be at least two years before they become aware of a problem and later find they have not been approved for the all-important I-829 (removal of conditions) petition. (This is required after two years and approval is dependent on the funds being invested in accordance with the original application and the creation of ten jobs as laid out under USCIS requirements)
In some cases it could be even longer, maybe five years, maybe ten years or longer before investors realize they may not see the return of some or all of their $500,000 investment. Bottom line, it is critical to get independent and impartial EB5 visa information when considering this visa.
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Tags: due diligence, eb5, EB5 visa, exit strategy, I-526, I-829, immigrant, immigrants, impartial information, permanent residency, regional center, removal of conditions, track record, USA, uscis, WhichEB5
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 » |
October 26th, 2010 |
A recent question received on EB-5 exit strategies:-
 I am extremely interested in the EB-5 Visa. I would like to bring my family to the USA next year. We have sufficient funds and should not have a problem meeting eligibility. I have tried to do research on the net. However, there is one issue that the vast majority of EB-5 websites seem to completely avoid – getting your money back.
I am only interested in programs where the exit strategy is clear and defined, and the end to my investment is indicated. (e.g. a fixed term.) You mention on your website that …” there are very few proven centers currently operating this program.” I am very keen to pursue immigration to the US, but would like a concrete solution to this exit issue.
This is an important point as many regional center programs fail to provide an exit strategy for the return of the full $500,000 in a specific time period. Vague assurances on the return of funds are a concern to potential EB-5 investors in a difficult economic climate.
Few regional centers actually have a clearly laid out fixed term exit and a measurable track record. If you would like further information on the track record of the regional center programs please contact us using the form on this page or via email at info@whicheb5.com
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Tags: eb-5, fixed term exit strategy, investors, regional center, track record, USA, visa, WhichEB5
Posted in Immigration | No Comments » |
October 19th, 2009 |
It is anticipated that the Senate will take up the Homeland Security conference agreement this week (as early as Tuesday). This should clear the path for the Bill to be sent to the President for signing into law the 3-year extension of the EB-5 visa program among other measures. We will keep you up to date with the news from Washington.
We are at the AILA EB-5 conference in San Francisco this week to meet with Regional Center owners and specialist EB-5 immigration attorneys and will advise you of all important developments live from this venue.
Follow WhichEB5 on Twitter for up to the minute information on all matters relating to EB-5.
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Tags: AILA, eb-5, extension, immigration attorney, regional center, Senate, twitter, visa, washington, WhichEB5
Posted in Immigration | No Comments » |
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