EB-5 immigrant investor
The EB5 program was created by Congress 25 years ago to create jobs for American workers and to attract capital by offering foreign investors a green card for an investment of $500,000 for five years in a regional center project that has been approved by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS). The program requires that each investor create at least 10 jobs, directly or indirectly, as part of the investment. There are over 800 regional centers that currently offer eligible investment projects. Each year 10,000 immigrant visas are allocated to investors under the program.
Advantages:
Advantages:
- Permanent resident status
- No work requirement
- Renewal of permanent residence cards every ten years
- Long term certainty. Path to citizenship
e-2 investor visa
The E-2 nonimmigrant classification allows a national of a treaty country (a country with which the United States maintains a treaty of commerce and navigation) to be admitted to the United States when investing a substantial amount of capital in a U.S. business. Certain employees of such a person or of a qualifying organization may also be eligible for this classification.
Advantages:
The E-2 Investor Visa Pursuant to an Investment Treaty Between the USA and the Country of Origin of the Investor e.g. NAFTA for Canada or Mexico.
Background Information:
Requirements: E-2 Treaty Investor
Advantages:
- Quick processing times – a few months
- Investment – perhaps $150,000 U.S.
- Control of funds – no “due diligence” required
- Travel flexibility – less concern about maintaining a domicile
- Immediate permission to work in the USA. Spouse can work anywhere
- Children can go to school/college at internal resident rates
- Low legal cost – roughly $10,000 – $20,000
- Possible tax advantages – as a nonimmigrant resident
- Less paperwork- more flexible treatment of investor on compliance
The E-2 Investor Visa Pursuant to an Investment Treaty Between the USA and the Country of Origin of the Investor e.g. NAFTA for Canada or Mexico.
Background Information:
Requirements: E-2 Treaty Investor
- The investor, either a real or corporate person, must be a national of a treaty country.
- The investor must have at least 50% ownership
- The investment must be substantial. It must be sufficient to ensure the successful operation of the enterprise. The percentage of investment for a low-cost business enterprise must be higher than the percentage of investment in a high-cost enterprise.
- The investment must be a real operating enterprise. Speculative or idle investment does not qualify. Uncommitted funds in a bank account or similar security are not considered an investment.
- The investment may not be marginal. It must generate significantly more income than just to provide a living to the investor and family, or it must have a significant economic impact in the U.S.
- The U.S. business must have control of the funds, and the investment must be at risk in the commercial sense. Loans secured with the assets of the investment enterprise are not allowed.
- The investor must be coming to the U.S. to develop and direct the enterprise. If the applicant is not the principal investor, he or she must be employed in a supervisory, executive, or highly specialized skill capacity. Ordinary skilled and unskilled workers do not qualify.