In a previous blog post, we discussed the benefits of public-private partnerships between Regional Centers and municipal or state governments. Such partnerships—including governmental ownership of Regional Centers—help both developers and governments develop large-scale projects that serve the public good. On a smaller scale, governmental support...
As previously reported, the EB-5 Regional Center Program is not a permanent institution; instead, in its current iteration, it requires Congressional re-authorization every few years. Thus far, Congress has reauthorized the program five times since its inception in 1993. The current authorization is set to...
Developers have increasingly looked to the EB-5 program as a less expensive, more easily obtainable source of capital compared to traditional financing. However, one drawback of the EB-5 program is the lengthy processing time of I-526 applications. As a result of the ballooned number of...
The EB-5 program was designed to reward foreign investors who invest $1 million into a new commercial enterprise that creates ten full-time jobs as a result of their investment. However, most EB-5 petitioners lawfully invest $500,000 for the same benefit. This lower investment threshold is...
By Alexandra Clough - Palm Beach Post Staff Writer Lauren Cohen is founder of e-Council Inc., a Boca Raton-based firm that helps businesses obtain financing through the federal EB-5 visa program. Through the program, foreign nationals that invest in U.S. businesses and create jobs can receive...
There are three basic components that must be proven in a successful EB-5 investor petition: (1) investment of the requisite amount of capital[1]; (2) in a new commercial enterprise; which (3) results in the creation of at least 10 new, full-time jobs.[2] USCIS is very...
Recently, there has been more concern over whether the EB-5 Regional Center program will be renewed in 2015. The program is set to “expire” on September 30, 2015, unless it is renewed for the tenth time! Additionally, there is concern because of the results of the...
Investors and business owners seeking to enter the EB-5 arena must conduct a thorough analysis at the outset to determine whether the particular project meets all EB-5 requirements and is likely to pass USCIS scrutiny. In addition to assessing its EB-5 readiness, investors should scrutinize...
Foreign nationals looking to immigrate to the U.S. may consider two particularly popular visa options: the L-1A and EB-5. This article will delineate the key differences and advantages that each visa has to offer. [caption id="attachment_17405" align="alignnone" width="275"] immigration visa[/caption] General Background: The EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program offers...
This is Part 3 in a three-part series on corruption in the EB-5 Regional Center Program. In Part 1 (which you can read here), we examined some revelations of corruption in the program. In Part 2, we discussed governmental efforts to make the program more...