The EB-5 program allows you to invest in the United States and gain residence there. An EB-5 investment visa is one of several possibilities available to individuals seeking legal permanent residency in the United States. This visa is intended for foreign investors in American firms. To acquire an EB-5 visa, investors must spend $500,000 or $1,000,000 (depending on region) in an American firm and work with that business to create or keep 10 jobs over the following two years.
Following a legal immigration path may be time consuming and difficult for many people who want to migrate to the United States. An EB-5 visa provides a variety of advantages to immigrants, including the ability for the investor, as well as their wives and qualified children, to live, work, and study in the United States. In many circumstances, the EB-5 visa can expedite the process of obtaining permanent residency faster than other types of visas and green cards. After two years, the visa’s original requirements can be lifted. Furthermore, individuals with an EB-5 visa may be eligible for citizenship within 5 years after obtaining permanent residence status.
How to apply for a U.S. visa
To apply, the EB-5 applicant must first identify a qualified project that they feel will fit the program standards, especially if they want to take advantage of the accelerated approval and rural premium processing options. Consider the two intended outcomes when choosing an EB-5 qualifying investment: Green Cards and capital return. The first is the possibility of receiving immigration benefits, while the second is the likelihood of having your capital returned in a timely way. EB-5 visa applicants must spend $1,050,000 in a U.S. business endeavor, or $800,000 if the job creation happens in a Targeted Employment Area (TEA). The TEA classification applies to initiatives in rural or high-unemployment areas.
Following the selection of an investment, the applicant will have his or her immigration counsel file the EB-5 petition (known as Form I-526) with USCIS. The I-526 petition demonstrates that the applicant has invested, or is in the process of investing, the needed money and meets the EB-5 program standards.
Once an investor’s I-526 petition is accepted, conditional permanent residence can be obtained by completing Form I-485 for adjustment of status if the investor is in the United States, or Form DS-260 with a U.S. Consulate or United States Embassy if the investor is residing overseas. If each application is approved, the investor’s next step in the EB-5 visa procedure is to become a two-year conditional resident of the United States.
The applicant’s ultimate stage in the EB-5 visa procedure is to become an unconditional permanent residence. After an I-829 application is filed, adjudicated, and accepted, the restrictions to permanent residency are removed. This application offers verifiable proof that the petitioner has satisfied all of the requirements of the EB-5 program as specified by the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).
The I-829 petition is filed with USCIS 90 days before the anniversary of the day the petitioner initially granted conditional status. If the I-829 form is not submitted on time, the investor may be denied permanent status. An EB-5 investor’s immigration counsel normally files the I-829 petition. The filing price is $3,750, with an additional $85 for biometrics. Following the successful acceptance of an I-829 petition (which has consistently been well over 90%), the EB 5 visa investor, his or her spouse, and their unmarried children under the age of 21 are awarded 10-year Green Cards that may always be extended. They can now live and work in the United States indefinitely.
U.S. investment visa benefits
An EB-5 visa investor serves as his own sponsor. There are no prerequisites other than an investment in an American firm. They are not required to be sponsored by any American or organisation. Though many investments just serve to help the investor get access into the United States, the correct investment may lead to profits and additional income for the investor. The original investment may provide benefits other than US citizenship. Though this is not true for all EB-5 visa holders, many enjoy the freedom to live and work anywhere they desire. Other sorts of visas have more stricter conditions that visa holders must meet or risk losing their status.
The EB-5 investment visa permits foreign investors’ children to enroll in school and get the same education and higher education as Americans. Access to public and private high schools, colleges, and graduate institutions is included (including medical school or law school). After completing their schooling, children have the same career options as any other youngster in the United States. While there are clear benefits for foreign investors, issuing EB-5 investor visas favors people who currently live and work in the United States. The EB-5 visa program was established in the early 1990s to assist stimulate the economy, and it has since flourished and contributed great value to the United States immigration system.