For those of us that are involved in investor visas it is no secret that the popularity of the EB-5 program for immigrant investors has grown dramatically over the past five years. Most of our clients choose the EB-5 program to obtain permanent residency for themselves, their spouse and children under 21 by investing US $500,000 in an approved Regional Center, which allows individuals to invest without having to worry about creating jobs through their own business or actively managing the business on a daily basis. As such, the EB-5 Visa has become the “VIP” way for families to immigrate to the U.S., especially for those seeking a safer environment for their families and the stability of the U.S. economy and education system.

visa eb-5 lawyersAlthough the popularity of EB-5s is obvious to those involved in the program, many of you who have been considering an EB-5 may not realize how important it may be for you to act NOW if you are truly interested in immigrating through this program. Just yesterday, CNN-Money released an article illuminating the popularity of this investor visa. Specifically, demand for the program is so large that there is a real likelihood that the number of available visas will be exhausted in the next few months, which would delay your ability to immigrate to the U.S. significantly. In fact, as noted in the article, a similar Canadian program had to be completely shut down due to the high demand, and other countries in Europe or Australia are charging 5-10 times more than the U.S. for the same benefit! Based on the current demand, if you have considered the EB5 program you should act quickly. The following is a list of factors that you may wish to consider when determining whether to proceed to seek an EB-5 Visa in the context of a consultation with an EB-5 Visa lawyer:

  1. Demand for EB5s is growing worldwide, including China, Brazil, Venezuela, Vietnam, Canada and other countries. As a result, we could run out of EB5 visas in the next few months.
  2. The more investors that apply, the longer it will take for US immigration to approve your case. If you apply now, you will be in line, which will hopefully result in a faster approval.
  3. The EB-5 program for Regional Centers (where more than 90% of our clients invest), is set to expire on September 30, 2015. Although we are hopeful that the U.S. Congress will extend this program, since immigration is a hot political issue and the political parties are divided on immigration, no one really knows what could happen with the program.
  4. Due to the high demand and comparing it to other countries, the $500,000 level is one of the lowest in the world for obtaining permanent residency for an entire family. Thus, there have been discussions that the minimum investment could be significantly increased if the program is extended beyond September 2015.
  5. The currency in your country may be losing its value compared to the U.S. dollar. Thus, the longer you wait, the more expensive it may become to invest in the EB5 program. Furthermore, many developing countries continue to add new taxes, tariffs and restrictions on foreign investments, some even prohibiting the purchase of dollars or taking money out of the country.

In light of these and many other factors, if you are considering a visa in Florida or elsewhere, you should seek professional advice and try to act before it is too late or your case is significantly delayed. Our EB-5 visa lawyers have successfully represented clients from all over the world and we would be honored to represent you and your family in this process. Feel free to contact us at 1-800-659-7142 or a free evaluation of your case and detailed discussion on the EB-5 program or any other U.S. immigration issue.