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U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has recently proposed significant improvements to the USCIS Immigrant Investor Program, the EB-5 Program. This should lead to faster processing of immigrant investor applications.
There are 10,000 immigrant visas available each year under the immigrant investor scheme. You can come under the EB-5 immigrant investor scheme if you create at least ten jobs in the US and invest US$1 Million or invest US$500,000 in Targeted Employment Areas and/or Rural Areas.
USCIS Director Alejandro Mayorkas had the following to say:
"Congress created the EB-5 Program in 1990 to attract investors and entrepreneurs from around the globe to create jobs in America."
"We are dedicated to enhancing this program to ensure that it achieves that goal to the fullest extent possible."
USCIS proposes three changes for the processing of EB-5 Regional Center applications:
- USCIS proposes that applications for projects that will create jobs quickly should be given priority. If you meet these requirements you will also be given the opportunity to apply for Premium processing which will mean that, for an additional fee, your application will be dealt with within 15 calendar days.
- USCIS wishes to setup "specialized intake teams" with expertise in economic analysis and the requirements of the EB-5 immigrant investor scheme. It will be possible to communicate via email about your application. It is hoped that this will mean that it will be possible to quickly deal with any issues relating to your application.
- USCIS also proposes an "expert Decision Board" to make decisions on EB-5 Regional Center applications. There will be an economist and adjudicators on the board. In addition an attorney will provide assistance to the Decision Board.
You will be able to make comments about the proposals until 17 June 2011. If you would like help with an immigrant investor application or would like help with another type of US visa workpermit.com can help. We have an inhouse US immigration attorney who deals with the full range of US visa applications. If you do not meet the US immigrant investor scheme requirements it may be worth considering instead the E-1 Treaty Trader or E-2 Treaty Investor Visa – Please note that only people from certain Countries can apply under these visa categories.
