An EB-5 regional center is an economic unit, public or private, in the United States that is involved with promoting economic growth. Regional centers are designated by USCIS for participation in the Immigrant Investor Program. In 1992, Congress created the Immigrant Investor Program, also known as the Regional Center Program. This sets aside EB-5 visas for participants who invest in commercial enterprises associated with regional centers approved by USCIS based on proposals for promoting economic growth. There is no limit on the number of projects that can be run by an EB-5 regional center.
Every year US admits 1 million immigrants for work, EB-5 has a limitation is approximately 10,000 visas per year set by Congress, this includes family members. About 3,000 visas set aside for regional centers. No country can use more than 7.1% of the visas.
As of June 4, 2018, there are 903 approved regional centers.
What are the best qualities to look for in an EB-5 regional center?
In regards to experience, EB-5 investors choose EB-5 regional centers that have a track record of:
- I-526 approvals
- I-829 approvals
- Returning investor’s principal investment
In addition to experience, EB-5 investors look for these top 5 qualities:
- Strong job creation methodology and a job buffer
- Targeted employment area designation
- Previous investors who have vetted the EB-5 regional center already
- A reputable team that works well together
- A well-defined exit strategy
Why is due diligence necessary?
If a potential investor takes the time to conduct due diligence on the project and regional center they’re interested in they could potentially save time later on by avoiding requests from USCIS to provide additional evidence. USCIS could make these requests for a variety of reasons, such as not submitting an adequate business plan. When USCIS makes these requests they not only slow down the EB-5 investor’s process, but they create problems and add stress.
Should an EB-5 investor select the best EB-5 regional center or the best project?
A potential investor must keep in mind that ultimately they are investing in a project and that project may not be managed by the regional center. Most regional centers have a few projects in development at any given time. It’s important to conduct due diligence into the team in charge of the project. Who are the project developers and what experience do they have?
Source: eb5daily.com
