A foreign entrepreneur can get an American visa if they are willing to invest in the country. However, not everyone has the kind of resources needed to apply for this status. Our Reston, VA lawyers can tell you more about what it takes to get permanent residence for foreign investors.
What Kind of Visa Can a Foreign Entrepreneur Apply For?
When a foreign entrepreneur wants to secure permanent resident status in the United States, applying for an EB-5 visa is one of the best ways to do it. This type of visa just requires you to invest in the country. If you put your money behind a company that contributes to the economy and employs Americans, you can receive a visa in exchange.
Unfortunately, not everyone can qualify for this kind of visa. The EB-5 visa does not just require you to invest a few dollars in a US operation. The bar for admission is actually quite high.
What Does a Foreign Entrepreneur Have to Do to Secure an EB-5 Visa?
When a foreign entrepreneur is serious about getting their EB-5 visa, they have to invest at least $1,000,000. In some cases, an entrepreneur can part with less of their money if they find a high-unemployment area or a rural region where their investment might make even more of a difference. An investment of $500,000 in such an area is often seen as sufficient.
In some cases, USCIS can actually suggest where you should put your money. A foreign entrepreneur can invest in “regional centers” that have already been determined to be economically important.
Is There a Long Wait Time For an EB-5 Visa?
One great thing about the EB-5 visa is that there is no quota or waitlist to concern yourself with. If a foreign entrepreneur wants to invest in the United States, they can. What other investors are doing does not matter. If you’re eligible for the EB-5 program and you make the right investments, you can move through the process and get closer to permanent residence status.
Do I Need an Immigration Lawyer?
We do recommend talking to an attorney if you’re interested in an EB-5 visa. You need to make sure that your money is invested properly or you will not be eligible for the program. You don’t want to spend a lot of money, only to realize that you made a mistake or missed something and that this error could jeopardize your chances of securing that EB-5 visa. A lawyer can help you ensure that every step of the process is handled correctly.
Contact Our Law Firm
If you have questions about how you can become a permanent resident of the United States by investing in this country, we can help. Contact Goel & Anderson to schedule a consultation and learn more about how the EB-5 program works and what our lawyers can do to assist you. Reach out to our firm today.