Tens of thousands of immigrant investors from around the world successfully immigrate to the USA with the EB-5 program. After being suspended since June 2021, the program is back and ready to accept new applications.
This program is perfect for Indians, who were among the top investors in this program in 2021. This EB5 immigrant investor program return is a reason for them to breathe easy. After the program was suspended in June 2021, all the immigrant investors wondered what would come next.
They had no option but to wait and see what the US Congress would decide on the matter, which finally happened in March 2022. The revival of the US EB-5 as the EB-5 Reform and Integrity Act, 2022, was announced.
But what exactly is the US EB-5 Regional Center Program? Why is it important, and how can you use it best? Here is a fact sheet with all the answers to your questions.
What is the US EB-5 Program?
The US EB-5 Regional Center Program is an investment program developed by the US federal government. It makes it easier for investors to obtain a green card, move to the US and later obtain an American passport.
The investors must invest a minimum of $800,000 in Targeted Employee Areas (TEAs), rural or infrastructure projects approved by the United States government. Through this immigrant investor program, applicants can secure a green card for themselves, their spouses, and children below the age of 21.
What is a Regional Center?
Regional Centers are organizations and administrative bodies designated by the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to monitor the compliance of projects to the conditions of the EB-5 program.
What is the role and importance of a Regional Center?
Regional Centers are primarily responsible for complying with the rules and regulations of the EB-5 investment programs to ensure that the investors become eligible to obtain a green card. These regional centers also keep track of the project and collect relevant documentation during the entire investment cycle. These documents prove compliance with investment, job creation, and other program conditions.
Apart from creating a straight pathway to citizenship for foreign investors, regional centers also act as a bridge between the investors and the project. Through these regional centers, investors can structure these projects and oversee them ensure that all the investment cycle milestones are met on time.
Investing in these regional centers significantly simplifies obtaining a green card. In general conditions, it could take up to decades to obtain US citizenship. Investing in these regional centers could qualify you for citizenship within just ten years.
Moreover, these regional centers stabilize the rural economy greatly and create enormous job opportunities in the United States’ rural areas.
In such a way, Regional Centers create a win-win relationship between foreign investors looking for a green card and the US economy.
What to look for in a regional center before investing in it?
If you are a foreigner, getting lost in the maze of the US immigration rules is quite easy. Choosing a regional center can also be a daunting task. The USCIS has designated quite a few EB-5 regional centers. However, only a small number of them have been around long enough to show a successful track record.
Moreover, regional centers must have a designated team of experts monitoring the projects. One should avoid small “mom-and-pop” operations. The EB-5 investments are long-term projects, sometimes lasting for around ten years. Therefore, selecting a regional center with a dedicated team is a must.
All things to keep in mind when looking for a regional center:
- A strong team background
- High success rate
- Capacity to recruit an increased number of investors
- A high success rate in returning investors’ capital once the investment cycle is completed
- A high success rate in obtaining green cards for investors
Investing in the US EB-5 Regional Center Program is one of the easiest ways to get a green card. Rather than waiting for decades, you could get your US citizenship through this investment program in a considerably short amount of time. However, one must be extremely cautious and mindful when making an investment decision.