United States
One of the most powerful countries in the world and remaining Super Power, the United States of America attracts people from around the globe who seek to reside, invest or conduct business in the country. The country has a complicated visa and residential permit regime and there are several categories for obtaining a US Visa.
United States Residency Overview
For the High Net Worth individual, among the most preferred is the EB-5 Investor Visa Program which enables the individual to obtain permanent Resident Status (also called ‘Green Card’) within a very short period. The program requires an investment of US $1 Million to create at least 10 direct jobs or the US $500,000 if the investment is made in a rural area or an area of High Unemployment.
There are no requirements of any experience in managing a business, age, or any specific language requirements to be eligible for the scheme. However, the investment must be made from legitimate funds. The program, however, has various other nuances including supervised and unsupervised processes and a possible progression towards citizenship, which can be provided on request.
United States Residency
The new rule, published by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security,2019, the program is modernized by
- Providing priority date retention to certain EB-5 investors
- Increasing the required minimum investment amounts to account for inflation
- Reforming certain targeted employment area (TEA) designations
- Clarifying USCIS procedures for the removal of conditions on permanent residence
- Making other technical and conforming revisions
There is also increased minimum investments
- The standard minimum investment amount has increased to $1.8 million (from $1 million) to account for inflation
- The minimum investment in a TEA has increased to $900,000 (from $500,000) to account for inflation
- Future adjustments will also be tied to inflation (per the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers, or CPI-U) and occur every 5 years
The EB-5 visa gives permanent U.S. residency to those investing into government-approved projects across the United States of America. The USA EB5 investment visa can be beneficial as it grants access to the U.S. education system, the right to live, retire, work and study in the USA, the ability to receive investment back upon the completion of the project and residency for the investor, any children (under 21) and their spouse. The main applicant must reside in the USA for 6 months per year.
Also Green Card Visa gives you
- Gives you official immigration status in the United States
- Entitles you to certain rights and responsibilities
- Is required if you wish to naturalize as a U.S. Citizen
What are the requirements for the US Residency?
The requirements for a US EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program are that foreign investors must make an “at risk” capital investment in a for-profit U.S. business entity. The required investment amount is either $900,000 or $1.8 million, depending on the geographical location of the project you invest in. If you invest in a targeted employment area (TEA) the investment is $900,000, and if you invest elsewhere the minimum required investment is $1.8 million. EB-5 investments must lead to the creation of 10 full-time U.S. jobs that exist for at least two years.