Is The EB-5 Green Card Right For You?

Here is an explanation of the EB-5 green card along with its main benefits.

Using the EB-5 Program foreign entrepreneurs can immigrate to the United States. EB-5 allows them to immigrate through investment. If they meet the program requirements and successfully invest in a commercial enterprise that creates jobs for qualified U.S. workers, they and their immediate family can obtain EB-5 green cards.

The foreign entrepreneur must invest a minimum of $1 million or $500,000 if the project is located in a targeted employment area. They can invest in a new or existing firm or in a regional center. Investors have a variety of options to choose from depending on their interests and risk tolerance. The investment must be considered “at-risk”, meaning the investor cannot be guaranteed returns on their investment. Additionally, the investment must create or preserve 10 full-time jobs for U.S. workers in order to meet program requirements and for the investor to obtain a green card.Â

If an investor wants more control over their investment and the potential to make higher returns on their investment, they often chose to invest in a direct investment, where they can manage the business’ daily operations. If an investor’s primary goal is to obtain a green card, they often invest in the regional center program so that they do not have to worry about the day to day management of their investment.

Unlike other visa programs, the EB-5 Program has no restrictions on living and working in the U.S. after their initial application is approved and they’ve received their conditional green card.Â

The major benefits of an EB-5 green card include:

Living anywhere in the U.S. (Investors do not have to live near their investment).
Working anywhere in the U.S.
Obtaining green cards for their spouse and unmarried children under the age of 21 all under the principal investor’s EB-5 application
Retiring anywhere in the U.S.
Traveling inside and outside the U.S. more easily
Access to world-class education and possibly in-state tuition
The ability to invest in other businesses

The EB-5 Program’s benefits attract foreign entrepreneurs from all over the world. With the possibility of major immigration reform occurring in the next few days, many investors are choosing to lock in the lower investment amount now and start their immigration journey today.