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The end result of the EB-5 program—a U.S. green card—is the same as other qualifying immigration processes. Holders of green cards may live, work, and study freely anywhere in the United States, just like U.S. citizens (and green card holders can even apply for U.S. citizenship after five years of permanent residence). The EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program is one of the fastest, easiest ways for foreign investors to obtain U.S. permanent resident status and reap the benefits of a life in the United States.
How Foreign Investors Can Reap the Benefits of EB-5
If you’re a foreign investor with $900,000 or $1.8 million to invest in a life in the United States, the EB-5 program may be ideal for you. Upon a successful investment, you’ll receive U.S. permanent resident status without needing a sponsor or specialized skills or knowledge. The EB-5 program is open to foreign investors from any country in the world, so the only prerequisite is sufficient capital.
Once United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) approves your I-526 petition, you, your spouse, and any children you have who are unmarried and younger than 21 will receive conditional permanent residence. After two years, you must submit an I-829 petition, and if USCIS approves it, the conditions will be removed from your permanent resident status. After three more years, you have the option of applying for U.S. citizenship.
Top Benefits of the EB-5 Visa
- The ability to obtain permanent residence for yourself and your immediate family quickly
- Unlimited freedom to live, work, and study in any of the 50 states or territories, even states like Florida and Texas, which do not administer state-level income tax
- Access to a U.S. public school education for your children and an easier admissions process at in-state tuition prices at public colleges and universities
- No visa sponsors needed
- The ability to work freely without an H-1B work visa
- The ability to minimize investment risk by securing it with collateral in a real estate project (for the least risky EB-5 projects, invest through a regional center)
- The ability to immediately enter the United States if a major political event, natural disaster, war, or something else occurs in your birth country
- The ability to apply for U.S. citizenship after five years of permanent resident status in the United States
Do you have questions about the EB-5 visa or the EB-5 program? If so, don’t hesitate to contact us.
