What is an Eb-5 Visa?

A Visa is a legal document that allows members of foreign countries to enter the United States. Generally in order to qualify for a Visa, an individual must be sponsored by a U.S. citizen and make an application to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. The process may take several weeks.

Eb-5 visas are special visas intended specifically for foreign investors. These type of visas were created by congress as a way of encouraging the flow of foreign funds into the United States and creating additional jobs for U.S. workers. What an Eb-5 does is give the investor the right to enter the U.S. in exchange for his or her investments into U.S. businesses and creation of at least 10 jobs for U.S. citizens. Such will be explained in this investor visa article.

These special visas can be obtained by sending in form I-526 to a USCIS center. Eb-5 centers are available to handle the processing and production of visas. There are designated centers in at least 20 different states in the U.S.

There are certain requirements for EB-5 that must be met before a foreign investor will be qualified for this special certification. First, the investor must either establish a business in the U.S. or invest in a business in the U.S. that existed before November 19, 1990. Second, the investor must have invested an amount of at least $1 million into such a business. The investor must also create at least 10 jobs that will be available for U.S. workers. Finally, the investor must enter the U.S. within 180 days of the issuance of the visa. The investor would not have to remain in the U.S. for any standard amount of time, but would have to show eventual intent to remain in the U.S. This could be done by opening bank accounts, applying for a social security card, buying a home or obtaining a driver’s license.

There are many privileges that come along with having an Eb-5. All family members of an Eb-5 holder will receive conditional green cards which allow them to have temporary citizenship. This will allow the families of investors the ability to work, live and go to school in the U.S. After 21 months, the investor and his family can apply to have the conditional status of the green card removed.

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