If you own a small business in the United States, it may prove useful to find a foreign investor who is already self-identified as an "Angel Investor." Foreign national angel investors look for promising start-up opportunities and provide financial support and guidance in the hope of turning a profit. They are called angels, but they do not always give money out of the goodness of their hearts. Angel investors provide financial backing to companies that have the potential to make a lot of money. They often will target companies that can also provide immigration benefits such as an E-b5 for family members.

Furthermore, foreign investment does not come without strings attached. If you find an investor who believes in your company, you can expect a significant amount of scrutiny. Many angels are former entrepreneurs. So, they know how to make money and how to organize a company. They won't write you a blank check, but they can offer you guidance. They will likely expect progress reports along the way and proof that you will be able to make them money down the road. If their money is used as an Eb-5 investment, however, there can be no guarantees given to them of a return because that would violate immigration rules.

Obtaining a green card through investment can be done if the investor meets certain requirements. The “green card” provides permanent resident status for the entrepreneur, allowing him or her to stay in the United States and help the business grow. An experienced Los Angeles EB-5 investor attorney can help you get the visa you need.

In order to seek permanent residency via an EB-5 visa, an investor must meet certain requirements. They include:

• investing in a “new commercial enterprise,”
• creating or preserving at least 10 full-time jobs for U.S. workers,
• investing at least $1,000,000 USD or, as an alternative, $500,000 USD in a “targeted employment area.”

Entrepreneurs who meet certain stringent requirements may qualify for an EB-5 investor visa. Requirements include making a minimum investment and providing a credible business plan to support your petition. Included in your business plan may be steps toward creating jobs within a “regional center.”

One requirement of an EB-5 investor visa is that the investment creates at least 10 new American jobs. Generally speaking, these must be new full-time jobs for U.S. residents. Although many investors fulfill this requirement by ensuring their investment creates at least 10 full-time jobs within the country, some choose to take one of the alternative routes provided by the U.S. Customs and Immigration Service (USCIS), which is to invest in a regional center.

Every year, many businesspeople seek to launch, invest in, or expand businesses in the United States. For entrepreneurs who are also foreign nationals, investing in U.S. business is one possible route to obtaining an EB-5 visa and then permanent residency status, also known as a “green card.”

A foreign national may file for an EB-5 visa and then green card based on investment on his or her own behalf. In order to qualify for an EB-5 visa and then green card based on investment in a business, the investor must meet certain requirements.

In 1990, the U.S. Congress created the Immigrant Investor Program, also known as “EB-5.” The purpose of the program is to stimulate economic growth in the United States by encouraging immigrating entrepreneurs to bring their ideas, job creation, and capital investments into the United States.

The EB-5 program sets aside certain visas for investors in “Regional Centers,” which are designated by the U.S. Customs and Immigration Service (USCIS). An experienced Los Angeles immigration attorney is essential in helping you determine if an EB-5 visa is right for you. Our EB-5 attorney can work with you throughout the process to protect your interests and secure the visa you need.

At the Immigration Law Office of Los Angeles, P.C., our legal team works to provide all new California residents with the insight they need to protect their rights. If you are involved in the EB-5 investor visa process, review the following information and learn more to better protect your rights.

If you are a business in Los Angeles, California, or the rest of the United States, it is vital that you better understand how to approach EB-5 visas. Remember the following tips for current and future use.

1. The EB-5 investors’ funds should be received by the New Commercial Enterprise (NCE) or its designated escrow account before the investors’ Immigrant Petitions (I-526) are filed with the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) but not before each investor has consulted with an EB-5 attorney and devised an appropriate Source of Funds strategy.
2. In order to accept EB-5 foreign investments, the NCE should work with the EB-5 attorney and third party professionals to become EB-5 compliant by:

This is the third part of a three-part blog series on EB-5 investment visas. For information on immigrant visas, please read part two.

EB-5 investor visas allow certain entrepreneurs to come to the United States to create and build a business in the country. The visas require investors to meet a certain stringent set of requirements, which involve minimum investment amounts, location of the prospective business, and other considerations.

One key requirement of the EB-5 investor visa is the requirement that the new business venture being launched must create or retain a certain minimum number of jobs within the United States. Specifically, these requirements include:

This is the second part of a three-part blog series on EB-5 investment visas.

Entrepreneurial visas allow those who want to start businesses in the United States to enter or stay in the country so they can work on making their businesses flourish. They are typically divided into two categories: non-immigrant visas and immigrant visas.

Immigrant visas are typically used by entrepreneurs who have already started a business in the U.S. and who want to stay in the country for the long term to work with their business and settle in their local communities. There are several different types of immigrant visas for entrepreneurs. This post provides an overview; for more information, contact an experienced Los Angeles entrepreneur visa attorney.

This is the first part of a three-part series concerning EB-5 investment visas, their guidelines, and how you can qualify for their coverage.

To qualify for an EB-5 investment visa, applicants must make a significant investment in the U.S. economy, either by opening a new business or by investing in certain existing job-creating enterprises. They must generate a minimum number of new jobs and invest a minimum required amount of money into creating or maintaining these jobs.

The size of the investment required depends in part on where the investment is made. A smaller overall investment may be permitted if the investment is made in a Targeted Employment Area (TEA).