(News and views from IBLF staff and attorneys)
Question Detail: How does TEA eligibility work in the context of a regional center project? Does the new commercial enterprise which is invested in actually have to be located in a Targeted Employment Area? Or does only the EB-5 job-creating entity need to be in located in the Targeted Employment Area?
Question Detail: Are regional center fees for an EB-5 investor a one time occurrence or yearly during the life of the investment? When are these fees supposed to be paid? Also, what are the typical fees a developer pays to the regional center?
Question Detail: I intend to invest in EB-5 with $500,000. If it changes to $1 million, this will make things difficult for our family. What EB-5 program changes will happen on September 30, 2015? If my family receives a file number before September 30, how will our EB-5 case be affected by program changes after that date?
Question Detail: I would like to learn more about the EB-5 program before I hire an immigration attorney. What should I know about the program before I decide to invest or even communicate with an immigration attorney? Is there an actual legal code for EB-5 that I can read about beforehand so I know what to talk about?
Question Detail: I applied for the EB-5 visa and my I-526 was approved. After which, my wife and I applied for the Adjustment of Status (I-485) within the United States. My AOS was approved, but wife's AOS was denied due to some reasons. How will this affect the removal of conditions (I-829) for myself? Will my form I-829 be denied or delayed because of her denial (they ask for my wife's status on the form I-829)?
Question Detail: My wife and I have just submitted an EB-5 application (I-526). Now I am on OPT and it will expire this May. My wife will graduate this May as well. How will the EB-5 application affect my OPT-extension application (I am a STEM student) and the OPT application of my wife?
Question Detail: If a project has been funded by EB-5 investment, how long must the sponsor own the property for that project before it can be sold? Is there a certain timeframe where selling would affect the green cards of the investors?
Question Detail: I want to find the top ten EB-5 regional centers in the country. What should I be looking for to determine regional center quality? Also, if some regional centers are better and more well-known than others, then do they ever run out of spots on a project? Or do they allow an unlimited amount of EB-5 applicants to invest?
Question Detail: I have a conditional green card, but the EB-5 project was never really completed. I know that the conditions will not be removed. I am in the United States already. Can I start another EB-5 application? Or do I need to abandon my current conditional permanent resident status, return to my home country and apply again? Would seeking an F-1 visa and then reapplying for EB-5 be an option?
Question Detail: We all know that the investment of an EB-5 applicant must be "at risk." Now my question is, when must the investment first become "at risk"? Does it need to be at risk even when the I-526 petition is filed and before I-526 approval? Or do the funds only have to be considered at risk after the I-526 is approved?
