Please visit
EB5Projects.com
for current information on EB-5 Visa Investments and Regional Centers
EB5Info - most useful resource to get real EB-5 VISA information
email: michael@usadvisors.org | skype: usadvisors | tel: 239.465.4160
EB5Info.com Rating
| 1. |
|
Ed Beshara | 3520 |
| 2. |
|
Sal Picataggio | 1470 |
| 3. |
|
Joseph Whalen | 580 |
| 4. |
|
Reza Rahbaran | 485 |
| 5. |
|
Mark Ivener 艾文納律師 | 370 |
| 6. |
|
Brandon Meyer | 150 |
| 7. |
|
Phil Cohen | 145 |
Most Liked
Recently Addded Questions
- Can i check my Visa status online? I was notified conditioning green card have been approved but still have not received the actual green card. Is there any ways I can check the status? Thanks alot! (2015-11-03)
- My I-526 petition is denied, and I asked RC to return my investment according to our subscription agreement, but they are making excuses and delay refund. I believe they are using my funds in their business and have financial difficulty in returning them. What legal resorts are common in pushing them? Reporting to USCIS, SEC, or shall I file a suit against them in court? (2015-10-30)
- I obtained a green card under EB5 scheme on 30th January 2015. So, the green card will expire on 30th January 2017 and I need to apply for removal of conditions during the quarter starting October 2016. I and my wife got the green card under consular process, while my son who was in USA already under a F1 visa applied for Adjustment of Status. As is wont to happen with AOS applications, there were quite a few unnecessary queries and USCIS adjusted his status and issued his green card only on 1st October 2015 (card expiring on 10-01-2017). Since he is a derivative applicant , should we submit I 829 applications for all three of us in October 2016 or should only I and my wife apply in October 2016 while my son will have to apply separately in July 2017? If latter is the case, how do we show conditions removal for him, given that the jobs would have to be created as per my green card expiry date and not his? (2015-10-16)
- I obtained a green card under EB5 scheme on 30th January 2015. So, the green card will expire on 30th January 2017 and I need to apply for removal of conditions during the quarter starting October 2016. I and my wife got the green card under consular process, while my son who was in USA already under a F1 visa applied for Adjustment of Status. As is wont to happen with AOS applications, there were quite a few unnecessary queries and USCIS adjusted his status and issued his green card only on 1st October 2015 (card expiring on 10-01-2017). Since he is a derivative applicant , should we submit I 829 applications for all three of us in October 2016 or should only I and my wife apply in October 2016 while my son will have to apply separately in July 2017? If latter is the case, how do we show conditions removal for him, given that the jobs would have to be created as per my green card expiry date and not his? (2015-10-16)
- I applied for an EB5 visa and I am outside of the country. My wife and kids are immigrating with me. I never received Invoices for my wife and kids to fill out their DS-260 what do I do? (2015-10-02)
- I have applied for the Eb5, but the I529 approval is taking too long. Can I enter the US with my tourist visa and wait there with my family; and when approved the I529, perform and adjustment of status? (2015-09-12)
- Is stand alone visas going to $800k ftom 500k? (2015-09-08)
By Category
- Tax (5)
- Regional Center Project selection (89)
- Regional Center (115)
- US EB-5 Program v. Canadian Investment Visa Program (4)
- Visa Selection Process (20)
- Eb-5 Immigration Process (343)
- Other Visas (31)
- Securities (5)
- Valuation (3)
Tags
- USCIS China EB-5 tax eb5 regional center Green Card Investor Investment Visa US Residency USA Chinese Consular Investigation L-1 United States Immigration I-526 Program investors manage lawyer Job Creation Funding Approval attorney fees investment amount AAO Appeals venture capital project Direct new business I-829 RC approved regional center projects regional centers with 829 approval Securities Regulations PPM Expand nVnlRCKEwfBtdDXSkzM Sponsoring work permit under eb5 B1 waiting time us citizenship Job Creation for traditional EB5 Apartments direct EB-5 Loan asset I-526 denial renewal requirement time family sec TEA permanent waiver broker return timeline delay foreign ownership EB5 financial advisor selection financial advisor independent financial advisor regional center fees RC commision RC statistics RC past data EB5 investor eligibility proof of funds EB5 and leasing labor conditional invest denied denial sponsor source of funds mortgage intermediary presence B-1 visitor guarantee lost partner small business problems common existing parent funds source vietnam lottery receipt request illegal status certainty risk 21 fail priority refile withdraw assign qualify capital deposit b-1. b-2. eb-5 processing wait exemption owner qualified personal secure adjudicator eb-5 project targeted unemployment area pilot program share participate management control rejection raise development principal record equity franchise money refund EB5 allow in Vietnam or not fair value of assets Financial Statements CPA firm make money business investment Aging-out entrepreneur woodworking texas Adjust AOS tourist visa I 829 Removal of Conditions
Connect With Us
Subscribe to News
Questions, Answers & Opinions
Category: Regional Center
Regional Center
- What is a Targeted Employment Area and why is it important? (10 answers)
- What is involved in an annual Regional Center compliance report? (3 answers)
- What is the process to become a designated Regional Center? (8 answers)
- What is an “at risk” direct investment? (5 answers)
- What is a Regional Center? (5 answers)
- Can my Regional Center take advantage of indirect job creation by my project outside my area of geographic scope? (2 answers)
- How will USCIS adjudicate I-829 petitions that seek to utilize indirect job creation outside the Regional Center's area of geographic scope? (2 answers)
- When is the next USCIS EB-5 stakeholders meeting? (4 answers)
- Other than China, where are the other 'hot' markets for EB-5 investors? (5 answers)
- Is there a fee required for I-526 exemplar filings? (1 answer)
- Where can I get a copy of the laws and regulations of the U.S. EB-5 Regional Center Program? (4 answers)
- What is the definition of "shovel ready" for EB-5 premium processing? (3 answers)
- did most of the investors in the past receive back most of their initial capital? (4 answers)
- From time of submission of an I-924 to USCIS, what is the typical time for acceptance or rejection? I am also curious if someone could tell me the typical Finders fees, incentive fees or commissions charged by Regional Center Promoters or agents and if that is typically on a preformance basis. (2 answers)
- Can an I-924 Regional Center DENIAL be appealed? How hard is it? Is it worth it? (1 answer)
- May a Regional Center continue to build upon initial projects with new projects, i.e. introduce new enterprises in addition to what was originally planned before RC designation? (2 answers)
- If an RC considered for 20 investors, absorbs sufficient investors in say 1st year, unable to have planned desirable start, it may happen early investors (whose clocks start ticking once entered US soil after getting I-526) fail in I-829 stage in 2 years due to lack of enough created jobs, while those who join later benefit from developed momentum and succeed in I-829. Is there any precautions? Can a specific project have mixed results when it comes to I-829 applications? (1 answer)
- When a Regional Center (RC) uses an escrow account for investors’ investments, can the money be held in escrow until the investor’s conditional immigrant visa is issued or only until the I-526 is approved? (1 answer)
- When an EB-5 investor's money provides some of the funds for a business, does the EB-5 investors get credit for all the jobs saved or created? (2 answers)
- How do I know what Regional Center to invest in ? (3 answers)
- Hi. According to USCIS, a Targeted Employment Area (TEA) is defined as a high unemployment area OR a rural area. However, in the Department of Labor website of New Jersey: A Targeted Employment Area (TEA) is defined as: A rural or non-rural area that has experienced a high unemployment rate of at least 150 percent of the national average unemployment rate during a comparable 12-month period. Is there a discrepancy here? Thanks a lot for your clarification. (1 answer)
- Can a non-US Citizen be a partial owner of a Regional Center? I have been looking for this answer, but I am unable to find anything concrete. The scenario is such: a currently approved regional center is looking to amend its business plan and expand its geographic boundary. As part of the new plan, the regional center will be adding a non-us citizen as a partial owner and giving him a spot on the management team. This non-us citizen will not be investing in any of the projects and will solely be involved in the management, due diligence, and other general tasks required of the regional center. In some cases, I know the USCIS doesn't like to see foreigners owning a US company that is in charge of getting Visas for non-US Residents. However, in this case, is a non-US citizen allowed be a partial owner of a regional center, but not invest in the projects? Your answer if much appreciated. Thank You. (1 answer)
- How long do the 10 full time jobs need to exist, e.g., 1 year, 5 years? (1 answer)
- Is there a minimum time period or a typical time frame for the durration of the investment, i.e., when can the investor cash-out on their investment? (1 answer)
- How does a United States corporation find investors to invest in their company under the EB-5 status? (1 answer)
- How much capital needs to be initially deposited with the Regional Center? (2 answers)
- Which law firm offers the service of establishing a regional center? And approximately how much would it cost for this service? Thanks. (1 answer)
- Do you need to have an EB-5 Project in order to start your own Regional Center? I want to know the requirements to start a regional center myself, and if I need to have a project ready before applying to become a Regional Center? (1 answer)
- Why does I-924 takes from targeted 4 month to 9 month? What are the reasons for this delay? (1 answer)
- Do I submit my project directly to a Regional Center? I am a real estate developer in Indianapolis. I have a project in Chicago which will develop 50 new jobs and the project total cost is $10 million. (1 answer)
- Is it possible to pool EB-5 investments (from say, 2-3 dozen investors) together and structure them as a micro-VC or super-angel fund that makes investments in hi-tech ventures? What are the possible issues that one might run into? Also, does being a Regional Center or not affect the situation in any way? (1 answer)
- How do you go about using an EB5 Regional Center to fund a project, without becoming designated as a regional center yourself? I have a business in Colorado and have researched the EB5 program. Once I find a regional center whose designation I may use, who does the reporting to USCIS and do I have to do a business plan and economic impact study to work through the regional center. What does the Regional Center have to provide the USCIS with if a third part project is using its designation? (1 answer)
- I am looking to create a regional center where the jobs would be created in a variety of urban centers around the country. Can we do a regional center for the whole US? Or can jobs created outside the region be counted toward the 10? Or what is the best approach to that? Any insights would be appreciated. (1 answer)
- If using EB5 investor capital to buy an existing hotel, does this qualify for job creation? If not, what will be the best way to structure the acquisition in order to satisfy EB5 requirements? I have read that if assuming an existing entity then EB5 does not qualify unless the property is able to increase NOI or expand business. But what if a new LLC entity is created and used to buy the asset, does that qualify for EB5 requirements? (1 answer)
- What is the current market in China for marketing an EB-5 offering with an early release of escrowed funds prior to each Investor's I-526 approval? Is it necessary to wait for each Investor's I-526 to be approved before releasing their funds from escrow? Are there plausible compromise solutions such as 1. Waiting for the 1st I-526 approval from a subscriber before releasing all Investors' funds in escrow (to demonstrate USCIS project approval) and/or 2. Releasing a portion of the escrowed funds, such as 80%, and keeping the remaining 20% in escrow until each individual Investor's I-526 is approved (in order to have a reserve to repay Investors who have denied I-526s)? (1 answer)
- I have a company that is incorporated in Florida. However, my principal place of business is in Pennsylvania, and I don't do any business in Florida. Under these facts, is there a problem with the EB-5 program if I keep the Florida incorporation? (1 answer)
- Why do Regional Centers use mezzanine financing? Isn't mezzanine financing risky? (1 answer)
- Can a regional center, or those working on its behalf, charge a commission (i.e. 10%) on top of the $500,000 investment made by the person seeking the EB-5 visa? (1 answer)
- If our business plan is to build and open a hotel, what specifically can we count as an indirect job if we become a Regional Center? Do construction jobs count as direct or indirect? If we hire consultants, do those jobs count for the total of 10? Does it matter how many of the jobs we create are direct? (1 answer)
- My business currently works developing nursing homes and assisted living facilities. The EB-5 program looks to be a good way to get funds and investors for these kinds of projects. Would it be best to present my proposal to an existing regional center and collaborate with them or can I make my business a regional center? What is needed to become a regional center, is it ok if it's only a 1 year old business? Is all the hassle worth the RC authorization? (1 answer)
- Is the EB-5 Adjudications Policy Memorandum that was just released going to make it easier for potential Regional Centers to be approved or just making it easier for existing RCs to add new geographic locations and industries? Is the amendment process just being thrown out the window? (1 answer)
- I have an green energy project I've been trying to get up and running through EB-5. I need to count indirect jobs but it takes so long to get approved as a Regional Center so I could count them, I don't have the time. Can I buy a Regional Center? In the long run, is it better to buy a Regional Center or simply work in junction with one? (1 answer)
- Does USCIS provide any foreign investor leads to Regional Centers, i.e. when foreigners seeking Green Cards against investments make inquiries directly with USCIS, how does USCIS handle those inquiries; does it (1.) refer prospective investors to Regional Centers? If no (2.), what is the disposition of such inquiries? If yes (3.), what criteria is used to determine which Regional Center such inquiries will be referred to? Please provide, or point me toward a list of Features and Benefits (as well as negatives, if possible) of becoming a USCIS Regional Center. I operate a boutique hedge fund which conducts most of its business cross-border and have worked nearly exclusively on this basis for > 20 years. (1 answer)
- Assuming company headquartered in the US and majority shares held therein, might a Regional Center have the right to invest in projects outside US jurisdiction? (1 answer)
- I need to show that I have the 10 full time employees for EB-5, what qualifies as full time according to USCIS? I currently have 20 employees and they all work 30 hours a week. What paperwork do I need for each employee? (1 answer)
- As a regional center, to represent our projects to licensed overseas brokers, are we required to have a U.S. securities license? And if so, which series of license is required? (1 answer)
- I have a project that I believe qualifies for EB-5 investment. How do I go about advertising my project? (1 answer)
- We are currently looking at leasing a center while waiting for I-924 approval. We have heard that leasing-a-center can add additional delays to I-526 applications. Knowing that the first I-526 will have the business plan and economic analysis whether it's through our own center or one we lease, are there any extra delays to leasing-a-center as opposed to using our center once approved? It seems like the I-526 will go through the same process, whether is through a center we lease or though our own, so if we lease a center then we could potentially submit our first I-526 sooner than waiting for our center to be approved. It will be a year this December that our I-924 has been pending. (2 answers)
- I am interested in finding a location to open a business for a direct EB-5 investment and I would like to do it in a TEA so my investment can be lower. How do I find out where the TEA's are in a given state? Is it public record or is that something I need to calculate myself? (3 answers)
- We do community care business, we serve developmentally disabled and mental illness clients. And we accepted 2 EB-5 investments already. 1. Is it possible we can be a regional center? 2. Do our facilities need to be in a TEA area if we are a regional center? 3. Can we be a regional center before we control any facilities? Thanks (2 answers)
- Is the particular city and state in which I am interested in developing my business a TEA? (2 answers)
- I have a Regional Center in Florida. Can I sell it? (3 answers)
- How are full time equivalent positions counted by USCIS in an EB-5 visa? (3 answers)
- If a project requires bank financing along with EB-5 investor capital how do you present the EB-5 capital to the bank, or structure the project to consider EB-5 capital as equity into the project? Do banks consider the EB-5 capital as a loan since it’s not secured? By utilizing and counting EB-5 capital we are trying to achieve bank financing LTC of less than 55% per project! (2 answers)
- Our non-profit works as a business accelerator and we give grants to entrepreneurs with innovative and sustainable ideas. We would be interested in attracting foreign investors in our area and would like to become an EB-5 Regional Center. Could you tell if we could qualify? (2 answers)
- Does construction of my EB-5 project have to last at least 2 years? It requires only one year for construction. So we are wondering whether it will qualify for the EB5 standards? (2 answers)
- How can EB-5 serve asset light companies? It looks like most are development projects that are perceived to be a safer for the investor. I have an asset light healthcare service company and am wondering if the EB-5 program would be an option to raise capital to fuel growth plans. (2 answers)
- How do payments work for immigration lawyers? I have an EB5 project that I am looking to make plans for. I want to find a lawyer who can help make plans, verify through economists that things will work, and get the project in front of the right people. (2 answers)
- What is the definition of "relative" in regards to the 10 job requirement? My client would like to hire two extremely distant cousins (through marriage), for which he wants me to form an LLC. Would they be included in the 10 minimum job requirement? (1 answer)
- Is there a premium processing alternative available through the USCIS for EB5 regional center applications? (1 answer)
- How do I find EB-5 investors? I am looking for multiple investors for a large project in Tennessee. It is in the hospitality industry. What do I need to do as the person "looking" for the investors? How do I find these EB-5 investors? (2 answers)
- How can I form a regional center without the start-up capital? I have been reading and have found that the start-up costs for an EB-5 Regional Center are between $75,000 - $175,000. I have a great concept for a project for a regional center and have some possible EB-5 investors lined up, but unfortunately I do not have the amount of capital that is needed to form a regional center. I have approximately $15,000 and am looking for a law firm that would work on contingency or on a deferred payment basis. If you can refer me to someone it would be highly appreciated. Thanks. (2 answers)
- How is an EB-5 investment distributed in projects? I am asking this question from a company located on Oklahoma State University’s campus and we are very interested in the EB-5 program. We provide a lot of financing for university research-based start-ups and are taking a look at the EB-5 program as a potential source. In order to better inform our board of directors about the program, we are searching for some information on the breakdown of the total investment into the United States from the program. For example, what percentage of the funds goes to strictly just project financing, “bricks and mortar” projects so to speak? How much of the funds actually go to start-up companies, or what percentage of the funds are used to actually start a company? I have been searching for this information and was wondering if you had any insight on the topic, or maybe could point me in the right direction as to where I could find it? (2 answers)
- I am a real estate agent and have a chinese investor that wants to participate in EB-5 program, either via a regional center or direct investment. Is it legal for me to make a commission on the funds contributed to the regional center? If so, what is standard practice on fees paid? (1 answer)
- How does an EB-5 investor get paid? Who pays the investor back? Is it the developer or regional center who pays the investor? What is the process like? (2 answers)
- What is the process to setting up a regional center? . I understand that the money comes in before the investors application is sent in. Can the project use this or does it have to wait until the investor obtain the visa? (2 answers)
- When can a project use the investment capital? Can the project use this or does it have to wait until the investor obtains the visa? This would severely delay most projects. (2 answers)
- How can EB-5 funds be shifted to a different project? If EB-5 investments were successfully transferred to a regional center and their initial project fell through, are those funds allowed to be used on a different project? Would they return to the investor and would they have to start the whole application process again? (2 answers)
- What are the responsibilities of a regional center sponsor and project developer? (2 answers)
- What responsibilities or liabilities does the U.S. contractor take on by becoming involved with an EB-5 recipient? (2 answers)
- How do I apply for a regional center that covers multiple states? (3 answers)
- How can I count construction jobs toward the 10 job requirement? I am considering investing in a hotel for my EB-5 investment. The hotel would be built from scratch and would require many workers for construction that will probably be employed for many years to constantly improve the structure. (2 answers)
- Does an entire business have to be in a TEA to qualify for lower investment? (2 answers)
- How to get TEA designation in California city? The project will be in a small city in Santa Barbara County with a population of five thousand residents per the Census. The city is not designated a TEA by the CA state government to our knowledge. The city is not listed as one of the four cities in Santa Barbara county in California's List of Designated Metropolitan Statistical Areas, Counties and Cities. Based on the city's census tract, the city is not a designated high unemployment census tract using CA's list of 2012 unemployment data. The city's census tract is not directly bordering another city’s census tract per the 2010 census tract map of Santa Barbara County on census.gov. (2 answers)
- What if two regional centers use the same project? I applied for my regional center in June 2013. USCIS estimated the approval time at 9-13 months. So, I leased a different Regional Center for the project that I filed my I-526 petition with. My own regional center is using the same project, so my question is, can two different regional centers use the same project and will I have any issues at 829 stage if I use my own regional center but the same project? (2 answers)
- How is the unemployment rate determined in an EB-5 TEA? What is the definition of unemployment or how is the unemployment rate determined in a targeted employment area? (2 answers)
- What is Matter of Ho and how does it affect my EB-5 investment? I am interested in applying for the EB-5 program and during my research, I have read that my project must be Matter of Ho compliant. What exactly is the Matter of Ho and how can I ensure that my project meets that requirement? (2 answers)
- How can I list my company for an EB-5 project? I have a company based in Atlanta with 160 employees. I am considering forming a separate entity in the same industry. The plan would be to grow it and sell within 3-5 years as a way to cash out without selling my current company. Creating 10 jobs is very easy and can be done within 6 months. Is EB-5 a good option for me? It clearly would be for the person(s) seeking return and immigration. How can I begin seeking EB-5 investors for this project? (2 answers)
- How can I find equity sources for my EB-5 project? Would using an equity source instead of debt be better for EB-5? (2 answers)
- Does a regional center have to own the new commercial entity for EB-5? I was wondering how would I set up a non-profit regional center and channel investment money into the for-profit new commercial entity? Does the regional center have to own the new commercial entity, or can they be separate entities as business affiliations? (2 answers)
- How do I establish relationships with brokers? My company has recently been designated as a Regional Center by USCIS and is seeking to establish relationships with brokers and/or attorneys, as appropriate, in order to facilitate introductions with potential investors. (2 answers)
- Do regional centers make any profit off the investments? If so, do they make profit off a fixed percentage or is there a flat rate for every completed project? (2 answers)
- What are the sources of revenue for regional centers? Assuming the Private Placement Memorandum states that the expected return is say 3 percent. Is it legal for the New Commercial Enterprise (NCE) to loan the investors capital to a Job Creating Entity (JCE) at 5 percent and retain the difference of 2 percent for itself after providing the investor with his return? (2 answers)
- If the owner of a regional center goes to China and promote his projects directly to immigrant investors, does he need a license and/or register with the Chinese government? Thanks a lot! (1 answer)
- How do I obtain a request for qualifications for a regional center? I am affiliated with a local economic development organization that is interested in becoming an EB-5 Regional Center. We have done a fair amount of research around the program and would now like to put out a request for qualifications. Is there generally a standard format for such a request? What type of information would I need for a request for qualifications? (2 answers)
- How can I sell my regional center? I would like to sell a licensed regional center located in the southeast part of the United States. How would I start the process of selling it? What is the best way to find a broker or perhaps an interested buyer? (2 answers)
- How does USCIS determine if jobs have been preserved? I’m curious how USCIS interprets the preservation of jobs if EB-5 funds save a troubled business. Do they essentially look at an econometric study to see how many jobs (direct, indirect, and induced) the troubled business has and see if those jobs are maintained? What else do they do? Also, how does the investor and the regional center fit into the definition of “successors in interest to the troubled business?” (2 answers)
- What is the general cost of becoming a regional center, including fees related to hiring an attorney, economist, business plan writer and web developer? (3 answers)
- Does USCIS audit contractors at the I-829 stage? At the I-829 stage, does USCIS audit third party general contractors that were hired by the project? What would this audit entail? What objections could USCIS have if a partner in the project also owns the general contracting company, and if the general contracting company made a profit? What should I keep in mind as I document these profits? (2 answers)
- Can the EB-5 project have employees work in a non-TEA? I was wondering if my project would still quality as being in a TEA if my employees do most of their work in a non-TEA. For example, if I had a cleaning company with headquarters in a TEA, but with employees who worked mostly on cleaning buildings in non-TEAs, what problems could that cause? What do I need to know about EB-5 and TEA guidelines? (3 answers)
- How should a regional center lease itself out? What are the best practices for a regional center leasing itself to a developer? What are the issues, pitfalls, and exposures, both with legality and compliance? How does USCIS look upon a regional center that leases itself out? What are the disadvantages to leasing out a regional center? (2 answers)
- What are the requirements for the jobs created? Under the EB-5 program, what are the minimum wages a corporation needs to pay to its 10 employees? Also, how can it count part-time or hourly employees? Do all of the employees have to be full-time? What other requirements are there? (2 answers)
- How does a business use EB-5 for funding? How does a business use the EB-5 program to get funding? What are the advantages of forming an EB-5 Regional Center as opposed to renting or buying one? What are the advantages of EB-5 capital, in comparison to other sources of capital? Where do I begin with an EB-5 capital raise? (2 answers)
- How can I use pre-investment or debt-financing? We are a real estate development company looking to raise about $3 million for an upcoming residential project in Texas. We have access to a wealthy investor from China. We understand that the process for him to get a temporary visa is rather long, about four to six months. We are trying to figure out a few things. How can he pre-invest before he receives a temporary visa, and have it still be considered legitimate towards the $1 million minimum he has to meet? What sort of management does he need to do? Will he need to relocate to Texas and be involved regularly? Does he need to be an equity investor, or can we do debt-financing? We know we'll need a lawyer for the process, but this would help us get started. (2 answers)
- What is the job creation time frame? What is the time frame for creating jobs in a regional center project? More specifically, when do I start counting the jobs for the two-year window? (2 answers)
- How do I track a regional center on behalf of a project? I have brought a deal to a company that has filed the necessary paperwork with the government in regards to EB-5 funding through a regional center, and supposedly has the backing money-wise. Is there anyway to track, through the government, how far they have come along in the EB-5 process? My customer paid them an upfront fee almost a year and a half ago. They claim their I-924 applicant forms are filled out and filed, but I have no way to verify this but their word. How can I know that what they're saying is true? (2 answers)
- How can a permanent resident become a regional center principal? I want to set up an EB-5 Regional Center, but I am currently a U.S. permanent resident, not a citizen. Am I still qualified to apply to create an EB-5 Regional Center as a regional center principal? What obstacles could I have with my status? (2 answers)
- How should we attract Chinese investments? We just got approved by USCIS to make a regional center. What is the best way to raise the EB-5 funds that we need for projects? Would it be better to find brokers/finders located in China, or to open our own office in China? Why? (2 answers)
- How are jobs allocated in a mixed-capital project? As an example, if a project (within a Targeted Employment Area) costs $50 million to construct, and it takes in $5 million of EB-5 capital, does it need to create 1,000 direct and indirect jobs for the I-829s to be approved? Or only 100 jobs? Does EB-5 capital get credit for all the jobs created in a project, or just the portion of the project that was funded with EB-5 capital? (2 answers)
- How can I use contract employees? My business is such that I would need contracted employees and not direct employees. My employees would be people being paid salary by their employers, whom I would have contact with, but they would work exclusively for my company. For proof of this arrangement, I can present my contract with these companies, salary slips of the employees, and a letter from the contract companies stating that these people work exclusively and full-time on my projects. What else will I need to make this work for EB-5? (2 answers)
- Can I accept investments before the I-924 is approved? An investor wants to invest at same time I am filing the I-924; that is, prior to the regional center's approval. Assuming the regional center is approved, and the entire amount is at risk at the time of later filing the I-526, will the early investment count for I-526 purposes? How can I make this work for EB-5? If it doesn't work, what are my alternatives? (2 answers)
- How can I pay migration agencies to find investors? I am a regional center principal and want to find EB-5 investors. How can I pay licensed agents in China for finding EB-5 investors for my projects? What should I keep in mind? (2 answers)
- What are the costs associated with EB-5? I am interested in the EB-5 program and want to know more about its associated costs. What are the costs associated with opening a regional center? What are the costs associated for EB-5 immigrant investors? What do lawyers normally charge for their services to regional centers and immigrant investors? (2 answers)
- What is meant by 'permanent' job? What is meant by 'permanent' job? How long is the business expected to guarantee that the 10 required jobs will continue to exist? Also, which size is the most commonly approved project size: big, medium, or small (up to $10 million)? (1 answer)
- What do I need for a hypothetical I-924? I am trying to find out the major differences between a hypothetical I-924 and an actual I-924. If I understand correctly, if I want to I can base a hypothetical off a previously completed project. What kind of detail needs to go into the economic study on a hypothetical I-924? What are the specific things that need to be in a hypothetical? (1 answer)
- How big can a regional center be? I am looking into forming a regional center and want to know how much area a regional center can cover? I know that a regional center must be contiguous, but how much land can it cover? (1 answer)
- What funds and fees can the regional center use to operate and run the regional center? (1 answer)
- Can potential EB 5 investors be reached directly for smaller deals? I am CFO of a restaurant company. I have been doing research and due diligence on the EB5 program over the past 6 months. I find it an intriguing funding option for our company as we grow. We typically create 50 fully time equivalent jobs per new restaurant we open. We have a new restaurant that we are starting construction on in the Raleigh, NC area. I have a TEA letter from the state of North Carolina Commerce department for our project address. Now, I am looking for $1.5 million to fund the project, but the EB5 professionals and regional centers that I have talked to in this area say the raise is too small for them to be interested. Each of them need the raise to be $10mm+. I understand that the costs for a RC can''t justify a smaller raise, however, I am surprised that there it is so difficult to find EB5 investors to make the funding happen. So, my questions are is there a group / exchange where potential EB5 investors can be reached directly for these type of small deals? are there any groups or people that you would recommend that I call that have potential EB5 clients that might be looking to do a direct deal? are there any EB5 RCs that you could recommend in this area that would license their EB5 to our company so that we could do a RC deal vs having to do a direct investment deal? I had a RC in NY outline how that could work for a deal in that NY when I was evaluating a potential restaurant in NY. Thank you for your help. (1 answer)
- What are the rules pertaining to the aggregation of part-time employees for EB-5 purposes? I understand that a full-time employee has to work 35 hours a week. For example, could I have an employee that works 15 hours a week and another that worked 20 hours? What are the rules pertaining to the aggregation of part-time employees for EB-5 purposes? (1 answer)
- What recent developments at USCIS should we be aware of as we finish compiling our business plan? We are in the process of putting together business plans for two EB-5 projects, an area rug manufacturing facility and a recycling plant for metal, wood and synthetics. We already have competitor analysis, financials and cash flow analysis. We have heard that USCIS often adjusts how it prefers information to be presented in business plans. What recent developments should we be aware of as we finish compiling our business plan? (1 answer)
- How are construction and temporary jobs counted for a hotel project that takes three months to complete? I am confused about how to track the jobs created by EB-5 projects. For example, if the capital is used to build a hotel which only takes three months to complete, how are the construction jobs and temporary jobs counted? Additionally, how long do the jobs need to be maintained? How do you show evidence that those jobs are indeed created? (1 answer)
- What are the regulations governing the sale of a regional center? I am in the process of selling a regional center. Does the regional center need to be a registered LLC in the state it is operating, or can it be registered in a different state but domiciled in the state that it will be operating in? Is there a USCIS law regarding this issue? (1 answer)
- What are acceptable uses for EB-5 funds? I want to open my own business in the U.S. using the EB5 program. I am looking opening the business in Florida (Orlando or Jacksonville). I know that to qualify it needs to be a minimum investment of $500.000 and it must create 10 jobs until the I-829 is approved. My question is does the business needs to cost $500.000 or can it cost $200,000 and the remaining $300,000 be used as cash reserves? (1 answer)
- What involvement must an investor have in a regional center project? On the USCIS website, under the requirements for the I-526 petition, it says that the investor must provide evidence that you will be actively involved in the management of the new commercial enterprise (day-to-day or through policy). I have no problem being involved in my investment, but it seems that the regional centers I have talked with usually assure that no involvement is required. So, what is the level involvement that I must have in a regional center project? Would the level of involvement be different for a direct project? (1 answer)
- My I-526 petition is denied, and I asked RC to return my investment according to our subscription agreement, but they are making excuses and delay refund. I believe they are using my funds in their business and have financial difficulty in returning them. What legal resorts are common in pushing them? Reporting to USCIS, SEC, or shall I file a suit against them in court? (1 answer)