Investment visa for the U.S.

Question: I heard that there was some kind of investment visa for the U.S. where I can make an investment and still get a Green Card. Is there really such a visa and if so, how much do I really need to invest and what are the requirements?

Answer: You are correct; the investor visa is technically called the “EB-5 Investor visa”. Essentially, it is like buying a Green Card in the U.S. - but there are good financial benefits too, just like any other business investment. There are two types of EB-5 cases. The first is a so called “Million-dollar” investment, which requires a million dollar investment and the employment of a minimum of 10 employees. The second and more common way in which many foreign investors obtain Green Cards is by investing only $500,000. This can be done by investing in a business which the investor manages in an economically depressed area which meets the requirements and by employing 10 fulltime workers for two years or by a more passive investment in a USCIS designated "Regional Center", which often are given priority approval by the USCIS.
Investors who invest in one of these approved Regional Centers are not required to manage the business or employ 10 employees. Once the immigrant Investor has made investment and the application is approved, a two-year conditional Green Card is issued to the Investor and his family. Then a final petition is filed to make the Green Card permanent. A $500,000 investment may seem large, however, in reality, many foreign business investors starting a new business in the U.S. often end up spending more and may not be guaranteed any immigration visa benefits or returns on investment. Some of the better centers also have an “exit strategy” which allows the investor to recoup the initial capital invested and “cash-out” after several years.
The most important issue in these investments is to use caution when determining which center is the best choice. While many regional centers are created every month and heavily marketed to investors, the more established regional centers which have a longer track record often have a near 100% approval rate for foreign investors, which is the most critical aspect of the process. Our Firm can provide you with more information about this type of investment and several of the established regional centers.

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