Clear Currents represents prominent foreign nationals and their families who want to become permanent legal residents of the United States through passive investment in a government approved EB-5 Regional Center. We also represent new and existing business enterprises looking to raise capital as an approved USCIS EB-5 Regional Center.
The EB-5 Regional Center (Pilot) Program is an exciting opportunity that can help you realize your dream of establishing residency in the United States for yourself, your spouse and any children under the age of 21; all without having to buy or manage a business and having the freedom to live wherever you choose in the United States.
Please email us, or call 1-877-224-6373
Foreign investors must meet specific United States Citizenship and Immigration (USCIS) requirements to obtain their permanent residency through the EB-5 visa program. In general, the investor must meet capital investment amount requirements, job creation requirements, and must ensure that the business receiving the investment qualifies for the EB-5 program. EB-5 visa applicants, their spouse, and their children under 21 will obtain their permanent residency green card once all requirements have been successfully met and approved by the USCIS.
EB-5 visa applicants are typically required to make either a $500,000 or $1 million capital investment amount into a U.S. commercial enterprise. The EB-5 investment can take the form of cash, inventory, equipment, secured indebtedness, tangible property, or cash equivalents and is valuated based on U.S. dollar fair-market value.
The minimum amount of capital required for the EB-5 visa program may be decreased from $1 million to $500,000 if the investment is made in a commercial entity that is located in a Targeted Employment Area (TEA). The EB-5 project must either be in a rural area or in an area that has high unemployment in order to qualify for TEA designation.
High unemployment areas are geographic locations that have an unemployment rate that is at least 150 percent of the national unemployment rate at the time of the EB-5 investment. Rural areas are geographic regions that are outside of a city that has a population of 20,000 or more. Rural areas can also be geographic regions that are outside of what the U.S. Office of Management and Budget has designated as metropolitan statistical areas.
The USCIS requires that EB-5 investments result in the creation of 10 full-time jobs for U.S. workers. These jobs must be created within the 2 year period after the investor has received their conditional Permanent Residency. In some cases the investor must be able to prove that their investment led to the creation of direct jobs for employees who work directly within the commercial entity that received the investment. However, the EB-5 investor may only have to show that 10 fullt-ime indirect or induced jobs were created if the investment was made in a Regional Center. Indirect jobs are those created in businesses that supply goods or services to the EB-5 project. Induced jobs are jobs created within the greater community as a result of income being spent by EB-5 project employees.
There are several types of business entities that an EB-5 visa applicant can invest in. In general, the applicants can invest directly to a new commercial enterprise or to a Regional Center. New commercial enterprises are lawful for-profit entities that can take one of many different business structures. Such business structures include corporations, limited or general partnerships, sole proprietorships, business trusts, or other privately or publicly owned business structures. All new commercial enterprises must be established after November 29, 1990. However, older commercial enterprises may qualify if the investment leads to a 40-percent increase in the number of employees or net worth, or if an older business is restructured to such a degree that a new commercial enterprise results. In addition to individual business enterprises, EB-5 visa applicants can also invest in EB-5 Regional Centers. Regional Centers administer EB-5 projects. It may be more advantageous for an investor to invest in a Regional Center run project because the investor will not have to independently set up the EB-5 projects.
Entrepreneurs (and their spouses and unmarried children under 21) who make an investment in a commercial enterprise in the United States and who plan to create or preserve ten permanent full time jobs for qualified United States workers, are eligible to apply for a green card (permanent residence).
Up to 10,000 visas may be authorized each fiscal year for eligible entrepreneurs.
You must invest $1,000,000, or at least $500,000 in a targeted employment area (high unemployment or rural area). In return, USCIS may grant conditional permanent residence to the individual.
For more information, see Section 203(b)(5) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) and 8 CFR 204.6 (see the “INA” link to the right).
You may be eligible to receive permanent residence based on investment if:
If You Are Living Outside the United States
You can become a permanent resident through consular processing if you live outside the United States. Consular processing is when USCIS works with the Department of State to issue a visa on an approved Form I-526, Immigrant Petition by Alien Entrepreneur, petition when a visa is available. For more information on consular processing, see the “Consular Processing” link to the left under “Green Card Processes & Procedures.”
If You Are Living in the United States
You can become a conditional permanent resident through adjustment of status if you live inside the United States. Once the Form I-526 is approved and a visa number is available, you can apply for conditional permanent residence on Form I-485, Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status. For more information see the “Visa Availability & Priority Dates” and “Adjustment of Status” links to the left under “Green Card Processes & Procedures.”
Supporting Evidence for Form I-485
You should submit the following evidence/documentation with your application:
Your spouse and unmarried children under the age of 21, (known as derivatives) may be included on your immigration petition. If they are residing in the US, they will each need to file a Form I-485. They are counted towards the annual cap of 10,000 visas.
Generally, when you have a pending Form I-485, it is possible for you to apply for authorization to work in the United States and to seek advance parole (advance permission to travel and be admitted to the United States upon your return). For further information, see the “Work Authorization” and “Travel Documents” links to the left under “Green Card Processes & Procedures.”
Please email us, or call 1-877-224-6373
Through the EB-5 Program up to 10,000 Visas are handed out every year by the US Government for citizenship.
Please email us, or call 1-877-224-6373
Visit us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter or subscribe to our YouTube page.
To contact ClearCurrents please send all inquiries to info@clearcurrents.com. Or call us at 877-224-6373.