A Northern Virginia immigration attorney at Johnson & Masumi released a blog post educating readers on the EB-5 visa program, how it differs from similar visas, and who may be an ideal candidate for the visa.
The EB-5 visa is designed to allow investors to immigrate to the U.S. for the purpose of creating jobs and investing capital into troubled businesses. There are two programs available: the basic program, which applies to most qualifying businesses nationally, and the Regional Center Pilot Program, which focuses on specific areas of the U.S. There are other EB visas available, each of which has different requirements. An EB-2 visa is designed for people who hold advanced degrees or exceptional abilities in certain fields, such as art, science, or business. EB-3 visas, meanwhile, are provided to skilled workers who have at least two years of training or experience in a particular field.
The EB-5 program is ideal for people who wish to invest large amounts of money within the U.S. Candidates are required to make a capital investment of either $500,000 or $1,000,000 in a new commercial enterprise in the U.S. The enterprise must create or preserve 10 jobs for U.S. workers within two years of the investment. To obtain an EB-5 visa, investors must locate a qualifying investment opportunity and contribute the required amount of capital. They must also submit an 1-526 petition, which proves eligibility for the EB-5 program. Next, investors will become a two-year conditional resident of the U.S. in order to implement their project. Following this period, investors receive unconditional permanent residency and submit a petition that shows they have met the requirements of fulfilling their visa.