On November 2, 2007, the Wall Street Journal published an article: “Got $500,000? The U.S. Awaits (Government’s EB-5 Program Offers Foreign Investors Green Cards for Job Creation)”.

A Federal program known as EB-5 (Immigrant-Investor Visa), administered by the U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Services (“USCIS”), encourages foreign investors to invest their way into the U.S.A.

Morrie Berez, chief of the EB-5 program at USCIS, stated: “The opportunity is truly beautiful to individuals who want to live and contribute their energy in the United States, and it creates economic growth and especially jobs for Americans.”

There are 10,000 EB-5 visas available every year, and only 867 issued in 2007. Based on the favorable currency arbitrage (Euro/Dollar, UK Pound/Dollar) the EB-5 visa is a cost-effective, time-efficient way to immigrate to the U.S.

An investor (and immediate family) can now obtain green cards (Permanent US Residency) with an EB-5 visa by investing $500,000 into a Government approved Regional Center (currently, over 30 Regional Centers). Investors receive the security of permanent US residence without repeated visa applications. Citizenship may be obtained after five years.

There are three forms of the investment that is made with the EB-5 visa:
1. Invest $1,000,000 into a business and hire ten employees anywhere in the USA, or
2. Invest $500,000 and hire ten employees in an area where the unemployment rate exceeds the national average by 150% or the rural population is less than 20,000, or
3. Invest $500,000 into a Government designated Regional Center and avoid direct employment.
The $500,000 investment is the least expensive way to satisfy the visa requirements in order to receive the permanent green card after the two-year period. Although the first two types of investment lead to permanent green card status, they require an additional showing that at the end of the two year period, ten qualified individuals have maintained jobs in the targeted employment area.

The minimum period of the investment is approximately three years. Once an investor emigrates they may apply to have ‘conditions’ removed after 1 year and 9 months in the USA. Processing takes up to six months. ‘Conditions removal’ means that the investment is no longer tied to the EB5, and the investor is then free to sell the investment.

With a green card via an EB-5 investment visa investors have the flexibility to take any job, run any business, retire and live anywhere in the USA, with the benefits enjoyed by U.S. citizens including property ownership or education.

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