The EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program was created by Congress in 1990 in order to stimulate the U.S. economy through job creation and capital investment by foreign investors. Under the terms of the program, a foreign investor will be granted permission to stay in the U.S. if they invest a certain amount of money in specific ways such as investing through regional centers designated by U.S. Center for Immigration Services based on proposals for promoting economic growth.
An investor visa is an immigration visa granted under the EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program. Investor visas allow individuals who invest heavily in U.S. businesses to remain in the United States.
For any petitioner filing after March 15, 2022, the minimum value of the investment must be at least $1,050,000. This includes cash as well as any asset values. This does not include the costs associated with filing a form I-526 Immigrant Petition by Standalone Investor.
According to the U.S. Center for Immigration Services, the average wait time for a form I-526 Immigrant Petition by Standalone Investor is 58.5 months. This is how long the USCIS lists to process 80% of applications.
In order to qualify for an investor visa, the applicant must show that they are investing in a “new commercial enterprise” which will create at least 10 qualifying jobs. What must be done in order to qualify a created job varies depending on the nature of the business or investment.
