EB-5 Entrepreneur & Investor Immigration Visas
Dallas, Texas EB-5 Visa Lawyers
The EB-5 entrepreneur and investor visa (green card) allows for individuals and business professionals to permanently immigrate to the United States by making a substantial capital investment. These visas are available through both traditional and non-traditional requirements. The EB-5 Investor Green Card enables a foreign investor to work, go to school or retire in the United States. The immigration law attorneys at Reyes Bartolomei Browne can help foreign individuals and business professionals who make a substantial capital investment in the United States achieve permanent residency status with an EB-5 permanent investor visa.
It is important to choose the right attorney to help you understand the differences and make the proper determination. At Reyes Bartolomei Browne, we have over 20 years' experience in assisting entrepreneurs and investors with their immigration needs. We will walk you through this complicated process every step of the way to ensure you make the right decisions with your immigration investment.
EB-5 Traditional Requirements: The foreign national must make an investment that meets federal requirements. He or she must invest $1 million into a new or existing business that benefits the U.S. economy unless that business is in a "targeted unemployment area" or designated rural area. In this situation, the investment may be $500,000. The business must create full-time jobs for at least 10 workers in the U.S., and the investor must be able to direct and develop that business.
EB-5 Pilot Program: Now a breakthrough pilot program in the United States allows foreign investors to obtain permanent investor visas (green cards) with less strict requirements. As a foreign national, you can obtain U.S. residency with a $500,000 direct investment in a new commercial enterprise. A Dallas-based private equity fund was recently formed to allow foreign investors to invest $500,000 each in an asset-backed investment with a yield of 3.0% for the 3-5 year U.S. residency wait period. Under section 203(b)(5) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA), 8 U.S.C. § 1153(b)(5), 10,000 immigrant visas per year are available to qualified individuals seeking permanent resident status on the basis of their engagement in a new commercial enterprise. 3,000 of those visas are set aside for those who apply under a pilot program involving a CIS-designated “Regional Center” such as Dallas, Texas. How does one qualify? Under this program foreign investors must demonstrate that a "qualified investment" is being made in a new commercial enterprise located within an approved Regional Center.
What is A Regional Center?
Regional centers are preapproved by the government and employment creation may be indirect, depending on the approved plan. A regional center is designated as "any economic unit, public or private, which is involved with the promotion of economic growth, including increased export sales, improved regional productively, job creation, or increased domestic capital investment." Once Permanent Resident status is granted, minimal involvement with the investment is permitted, allowing the applicant to work in any business, go to school, or retire in the United States.
At Reyes Bartolomei Browne, we have over twenty years' experience in helping people resolve their immigration issues. If you wish to acquire an Employment-Based Permanent Visa (Green Card) or have any questions or concerns about an immigration matter, please fill out the questionnaire to the right of this page or contact one of our attorneys now for a free consultation.
