NPR Story about the EB-5 Program

The NPR ran a story yesterday, March 5th, on the EB-5 investor visa program.  While the story is intended for a general audience and is fairly general in nature, it is interesting to read (or listen to the podcast) a mainstream media story about this growing in importance and profile program.

One of the points of the story is that the EB-5 program may be considered as a unfair “pay-to-play” program where foreign nationals “buy” their U.S. visa.  Of course, the story provides plenty of support for the EB-5 program which is considered by many to be a beneficial job-creating and foreign capital-attracting program in these difficult economic climate.

NPR story:  For Some Immigrants, The Ticket To A Visa Is A Check.

Startup Visa Act of 2010 Introduced

Among our clients and readers, we  have many entrepreneurs and start-up companies which may be interested in a recent development in Congress.

Senators Kerry (D-MA) and Lugar (R-IN) have introduced a new bill in Congress seeking to drive job creation and increasing America’s global competitiveness by helping immigrant entrepreneurs secure visas to the United States.  The bill’s title is the “StartUp Visa Act of 2010″ and will allow an immigrant entrepreneur to receive a two-year visa if they can show that a qualified U.S. investor is willing to dedicate a significant sum – a minimum of $250,000 – to the immigrant’s startup venture.   Please see full text of the draft bill and Senator Lugar’s press release.

The Act would amend immigration law to create a new EB-6 category for immigrant entrepreneurs, drawing from existing visas under the EB-5 category, which permits foreign nationals who invest at least $1 million into the U.S., and thereby create ten jobs, to obtain a green card.  After proving that he or she has secured initial investment capital and if, after two years, the immigrant entrepreneur can show that he or she has generated at least five full-time jobs in the United States, attracted $1 million in additional investment capital or achieved $1 million in revenue, then he or she would receive permanent legal resident status.

We will monitor the path of this bill through Congress and provide updates as we have them.

EB-5 Regional Centers

About EB-5 and the Regional Center Program

In 1990, the U.S. Congress created the fifth employment-based preference category (EB-5) for qualified foreign entrepreneurs seeking to invest in a business that will benefit the U.S. economy and create or save at least 10 full-time jobs. The basic amount required to invest is $1 million, although that amount is reduced to $500,000 if the investment is made in a rural or high unemployment area.  Of the approximately 10,000 EB-5 green cards available each year, 3,000 are reserved for foreign nationals who invest through a Regional Center.

A Regional Center is a private enterprise or corporation or a regional governmental agency with a targeted investment program within a specific region.   The Regional Center Investment Program allocates 3,000 green cards each year for people who invest in designated Regional Centers.  The program does not require that the foreign investor’s enterprise itself directly employ 10 U.S. workers.  Instead, it is enough if 10 or more jobs will be created directly or indirectly as a result of the investment. As a result, he Regional Center Investment Program aids foreign investors by directing and professionally managing their investment in the designated business and geographic focus of their Regional Center.

Current Regional Centers

An updated list of approved EB-5 Regional Centers can be found at USCIS’ website below:

Immigrant Investor Regional Centers (external link)

As of the date of this article, there are 75 approved Regional Centers and there are approximately 50 Regional Center applications pending for review at USCIS California Service Center.

Contact Us for Information and Help

Please contact us if we can help you  understand the EB-5 Regional Center program, help you establish eligibility and guide you through the process.

EB-5 Updates and Statistics

In a December 14, 2009, meeting, USCIS has provided some helpful information about the current state of the EB-5 program.

I-526 Premium Processing Possible Later in the Year

A review of the question of reinstating premium processing for I-526 petitions will be done during the second quarter of 2010.  USCIS will reinstate premium processing if it determines that it has sufficient resources at the California Service Center to adjudicate I-526 within the 15-calendar day window.

EB-5 Statistics

As of December 14, 2009, USCIS was able to provide only statistics for fiscal year 2009 (FY 2009).  Accordingly, in FY 2009, where were 1,028 I-526 petitions (EB-5 immigrant petition) filed, of which 966 were approved and 163 denied.   Also, in FY 2009, where were 437 I-829 (removal of condition) petitions filed of which 335 were approved and 55 denied.

Note that these numbers do not add up because not all petitions filed during FY 2009 are adjudicated during FY 2009.  Additionally, some petitions filed during FY 2008 are adjudicated during FY 2009 and are included in the numbers above.