Our Foreign Investors Program does not guarantee investors residence in the United States.
To obtain citizenship by investment is one of the fastest and most reliable ways a foreign national can become a U.S. citizen. It requires becoming an EB-5 green card holder. Since the commencement of this green card program in 1990, investors from many different countries have been taking advantage of this highly beneficial visa classification. Through the program, you can achieve both permanent residence and citizenship with all the attached rights and privileges.
As a foreigner you may need to invest up to $900,000 in an American company, live in the country for at least five years and obtain citizenship by naturalization.
To become a United States citizen through investment, a foreign national will first need to apply for the investor program visa. Previously, the EB-5 immigrant visa was granted to foreign investors who are ready and able to invest $500,000 or $1 million in the U.S. economy. However, thanks to the new 2019 EB-5 Rule, prospective EB-5 applicants must invest at least $900,000 or $1.8 million into an American company.
Each year, a total of 10,000 EB-5 visas are issued to applicants from different parts of the world.
Apart from the investment capital amount, as part of the congressional intent for the program, an EB-5 project must create or preserve at least 10 U.S. jobs for the purpose of economic growth. If investors are about to take this path to U.S. citizenship, this article gives you a complete guide on each step along the process.
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HOW AN INVESTOR CAN BECOME A US CITIZEN THROUGH EB-5 INVESTORS IMMIGRANT PROGRAM
The first step in your journey to citizenship by investment is to apply for an EB-5 visa. The investor visa process involves several stages of documentation and interviews. The guidelines are as follows:
GET INVOLVED IN AN EB-5 PROJECT WITH LUVANEX REALTY
There are several business opportunities under the EB-5 program which you can venture into. An EB-5 investment can either be a regional center project or a direct project.
Regional centers are business organizations approved by the United States government. They provide services and platforms to help foreign EB-5 investors manage their investments. These regional centers operate in different sectors, such as the real estate or hospitality industries.
A direct project, on the other hand, is a separate business set up by an EB-5 investor. Depending on your choice, you can invest in an existing regional center that deals in a sector most suitable to you or go for a direct investment.
Once you have found a project to invest in, you will then need to put your capital of $1.8 million or $900,000 at risk by investing it or being actively in the process of investing it.
The difference between the $900,000 and $1.8 million investment capital minimums is the location you are investing in. Investors whose EB-5 businesses are located in Targeted Employment Areas (TEAs) must invest a minimum of $900,000. TEAs are designated by the USCIS based on criteria such as low employment rate and population. For investments in non-TEA locations, the required capital amount is $1.8 million.
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FILING THE I-526 PETITION AS AN INVESTOR
Having chosen a project and put your capital at risk, you will need to file an I-526 to officially petition the USCIS for the EB-5 visa. This is a very crucial step in the citizenship by investment process. The form must be filed appropriately or you risk major delays or even the rejection of your visa.
On average, the USCIS takes around 12 to 18 months to process I-526 petitions. Once the application has been processed and approved, you will receive a notice from the USCIS.
GETTING CONDITIONAL RESIDENCE
An approved I-526 will pave the way for you to either apply for an immigrant visa or file for an adjustment of status. If you reside outside the U.S., you will need to file a DS-260 online immigrant visa application at the United States embassy or consulate in your home country.
Your compliance with the investment program and to U.S. laws will be assessed to determine if you have met the required eligibility requirements for the removal of conditions when the status expires.
