What is EB5 ?

In 1990, Congress created the EB-5 Visa Program to provide prospective immigrants with the opportunity to become lawful U.S. permanent residents by investing in the U.S. economy.  The EB5 Visa Program is overseen by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) See USCIS Policy Memorandum PM-602-0083, dated May 30, 2013, available at www.uscis.gov/laws/policy-memoranda.

To qualify for an EB5 visa, a foreign applicant must invest $900,000 (In TEA  “Targeted Employment Area”) $1,8 Million  in a commercial enterprise approved by the USCIS. Once the investment is effected, the EB5 Investor may apply for a 2-year conditional green card. If the investment creates or preserves at least ten (10) U.S. jobs during those two years, the EB5 Investor may apply to have the conditions removed from the green card. Once the conditions are removed, the EB5 Investor is allowed to live and work in the U.S. permanently.

In 1993, a program was launched that set aside a certain number of EB5 visas for investments that were affiliated with an economic unit known as a “Regional Center”.

A Regional Center is defined as any economic entity, public or private, which is involved with the promotion of economic growth, improved regional productivity, job creation, and increased domestic capital investment. EB5 Regional Centers are designed by the USCIS to administer EB5 investment projects based on proposals for promoting economic growth.