The investor visa, formally known as an EB-5 visa, offers the opportunity of permanent residence to foreign investors who are willing to start a business and create jobs in the United States. This visa is costly and difficult to obtain, and it carries significant investment requirements that other visa options do not include.
Given the challenges of obtaining an investor visa, it is crucial to ensure that your application is free of errors. Even a small mistake during the EB-5 application process could cost you the opportunity to obtain a green card. A skilled visa attorney could assist you with the process and advise you on the challenges that come with seeking this form of green card. Seeking legal counsel early on could greatly benefit your case, so do not hesitate to contact an Aurora investor visa lawyer.
The EB-5 visa is called an investor visa because of the monetary investment requirement. A foreign national seeking this visa must invest a substantial amount of money in a qualifying commercial enterprise, and the minimum amount of the investment will vary. In general, the minimum investment is $1,800,000. However, the minimum is lowered to $900,000 for businesses founded in targeted employment areas that are rural or have high unemployment.
It is not enough to simply put money into a business. During the course of the two years following the investment, the applicant’s efforts must have created at least ten jobs for U.S. citizens or permanent residents.
Every application is different, and some applicants could face additional requirements. The complex nature of the investor visa application makes it even more important to work directly with an attorney in Aurora throughout the process.
One of the major benefits of an investor visa is the potential for an applicant to obtain green cards for his or her spouse and children as well. These family members are granted conditional permanent resident status for two years. These green cards will then either expire or be converted into indefinite permanent resident status if all the conditions for the investor visa are met.
Only children under the age of 21 at the time of the application will qualify for a green card through this process. Even then, children who meet the age criteria will not qualify if they are married. For non-qualifying children, the only option would be for the applicant to obtain a green card, eventually become a citizen, and then sponsor the adult children for entry into the United States. While these issues are complicated, an investor visa lawyer in Aurora could address any questions or concerns.
For some people, an investor visa is the ideal solution to obtaining legal resident status in the United States, even though the investment requirements are strict. If you are considering an investor visa application, do not risk your acceptance by handling the process alone. Contact an Aurora investor visa lawyer right away to ensure that your application proceeds smoothly.