| The EB-5 immigrant investor visa has quickly become | | | | education and opportunity in the United States. |
| one of the most positive and popular visa programs | | | | |
| the United States has ever conceived. Since its | | | | The fact of the matter is that investments made |
| creation as part of the Immigration Act of 1990, the | | | | through the EB-5 visa program should not be as risky |
| visa has risen from obscurity to become a darling of | | | | as some may think they are. While the guidelines of |
| pro-immigration discourse. Responsible for the creation | | | | the program do require the investment to be at a |
| of thousands of full-time jobs for American workers | | | | ‘legitimate risk,' this only means that, like all |
| and the influx of well over a billion dollars into the United | | | | investments, there is no guarantee that the investment |
| States economy, the reasons for its popularity are | | | | will be a successful one. However, this risk can be |
| quite clear. However, despite this popularity, there | | | | mitigated when the investment is made into a properly |
| exists some confusion about the details of the EB-5 | | | | structured investment of a government certified EB-5 |
| visa program and the path it provides to a Green Card | | | | Regional Center. With these Regional Center |
| Visa. In this article we will examine another common | | | | investments, the business plan should already be in |
| misconception people have about the 5th preference | | | | place, relieving the immigrant of the significant amount |
| employment based visa, the idea that the visa involves | | | | of time that can be spent on locating a sufficient |
| too serious a risk. | | | | investment. The Regional Centers should also handle |
| | | | | most of the management of the investment and the |
| MISCONCEPTION: There is too much risk involved | | | | legwork that can be involved with this process. They |
| – When considering whether or not to take part in | | | | should work with the investor to ensure that their |
| the EB-5 visa program, potential applicants may rightly | | | | investment is not made in vain, and goes on to satisfy |
| be concerned with the safety of their hard earned | | | | the requirements of the visa program. While there is |
| investment. After all, while the minimum million dollar | | | | never a guarantee with any investment, the level of |
| investment requirement for the Immigrant Investor Visa | | | | risk for foreign investors taking part in the Eb5 Visa |
| program can be reduced to a half a million dollars | | | | Program can many times be considered low. Few |
| under certain conditions, this is still a significant amount | | | | other investment opportunities will have the potential |
| of money for most applicants. One can only imagine | | | | for such a mutually beneficial outcome, and even |
| how unfortunate it would be if an interested foreign | | | | fewer can have a dedicated team of people who |
| investor were to pass up on the program out of fear | | | | have the best interest of the investor in mind. For any |
| of losing their investment and failing to adhere to the | | | | potential immigrant who may be concerned about the |
| guidelines of the visa. Besides the new, full-time jobs | | | | risk involved with an EB-5 investor visa investment, the |
| that American workers would be missing out on, the | | | | risk does exist, but a proper due diligence can offer a |
| investor (and their immediate family) would also be | | | | significant potential for success which makes the |
| missing the opportunity to live, work and seek further | | | | choice a simple one. |