EB-5 Investor Visa
As you research which visa option is right for you, you may or may not have come across the EB-5. An EB-5 is also known as the investment visa, immigrant entrepreneur visa or millionaire visa. It allows an individual to immigrate to the U.S. by making an investment into a U.S. company.
What is the EB-5 process?
You will need to submit initial forms and any relatable documents, such as certified copies of birth certificates, marriage certificates, divorce decrees, death certificates and more. This part is meant to check that you are an accredited investor.
Your paperwork and qualifications will be reviewed. If they are approved then you may begin the investment process, which will constitute setting up an escrow account and transferring your investment to it. Make sure you sign up for regular updates.
Once the investment has been placed into the escrow account, your immigration process will officially begin. At this point, you will wait for your investment to be used to help the commercial enterprise for a total of 5 years. During this time, your investment should help a business create 10 jobs.
What are the benefits of the immigrant entrepreneur visa?
One of the main benefits of the EB-5 visa is that you and your family (spouse and children under 21) can immigrate under one investment. With an EB-5 visa, the family will receive a green card in about 2 years. This investment visa is the best option to ensure that all family members stay together.
What are the requirements of an investment visa (EB-5)?
You will need to be an accredited investor, meaning you need to have a net worth of $1,000,000 and have an income in excess of $200,000 or $300,000 (if you are filing jointly with a spouse). Once your income has been confirmed, you invest the $500,000 to $1,000,000 into a business located within the United States.
Some of the requirements are tied to the goals of the visa, which is ultimately job creation. The project you invest in must create 10 jobs within the first 2 years of the project and maintain them for the following 3 years. Throughout this process, your investment must remain at risk.
What does “at risk” mean?
At risk means the investor may not take any measures to protect their investment from loss. There can also be no guarantee from the commercial enterprise that the capital will be returned to the investor in the event of an approval or denial of the EB-5.
Are there any requirements for the type of business that I can invest in?
A commercial enterprise that gets investments should be established after November 29, 1990, which is the date when the EB-5 program began. If the business is established before this date, there must be evidence showing that the company will make dramatic changes, to create almost a new business.
