Immigrant Investor Visas for USA |
If you want to enter and live in the United
States to explore local investment opportunities, you can benefit from the U.S.
government’s immigrant investor visa programs.
The investor visa program is a part of U.S.
immigration’s employment based visas. The program is designed to accommodate
different types of investors, and allows you to apply for visas that cater to
your investment portfolio.
Two of the most popular immigrant
investor visas come in the form of the EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program and
the E2 visa for investors and employees. To understand how you can apply for a
residency by investment via EB5 and E2, here’s an overview of both of these
programs.
EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program
The EB-5 program is meant for those investors who
are seeking permanent residency in the U.S. through a green card.
As one of five employment-based immigration
programs by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), the fifth
preference EB-5 Investor
Visa USA allows you as well as your spouse and children to apply for
permanent residence in the U.S.
In order to qualify for EB-5, you need to make a
minimum investment of $1.8 million in a new commercial enterprise in the U.S.
If you make your investment in a targeted employment area (TEA), the minimum
amount reduces to $900,000.
Your investment should also comprise a plan to
employ 10 permanent, full-time, and qualified U.S. workers.
After the filing process, you can receive a
conditional green card to enter the U.S. You can then proceed with an I-526
Immigrant Petition to complete your immigration process.
E2 Visa for Investors and Employees
The E-2 Visa
for investors and employees has different conditions for both segments. But both
investors and employees have to be citizens of a country that has commerce and
navigation treaties in place with the U.S.
For Investors
The visa is offered to those individuals who have
either invested or plan to invest a substantial capital in a U.S. enterprise.
Unlike the EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program, E-2 doesn’t define a minimum
threshold for an investment.
In order to qualify for the E-2 Treaty Investor
visa, you should maintain at least 50 percent control of the business in
question. The E-2 investor visa also requires that your reason for entry to the
U.S. is to develop and manage your investment.
For Employees
The E-2 classification is also available to
employees of an enterprise held by an E-2 investor. In this capacity, you need
to meet the full criteria of being an employee under U.S. laws in order to
apply for an E-2 visa.
You should also have the same original
citizenship as your employer who holds the E-2 classification. In addition to
this, you should either have a supervisory role in the enterprise or have
special skills or qualifications in place.
While E-2 classification provides you, your
spouse, and your children with a visa, it does not offer a green card. In order
to qualify for a permanent residence after the expiration of your E2 visa for
investors and employees, you need to choose from one of five employment-based
immigration programs such as EB-5.
Residency by Investment via EB5 and E2
It is popular for investors to gain entry and
residence in the U.S. through EB5 and E2. However, it is important that you
know which program is more suitable for you.
Having proper research and answers in place
ensures that you steer clear of any unnecessary issues in your pursuit to live
and work in the U.S. on a permanent basis.
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