Immigrant Investment / EB-5 Investor Visa

Unlike the E-1 and E-2 visas, the EB-5 is an immigrant visa that confers lawful permanent resident status and does not require investors to oversee their investment on a day-to-day basis. Investors must only have involvement with management or strategic policy making. In addition, the qualified investor and his or her family may live or work anywhere in the United States. Spouses and minor children may also obtain employment cards which enable them to work anywhere.

Sometimes mistakenly referred to as the E-5, the EB-5 investor visa is capped at roughly 10,000 visas each year. To qualify for an EB-5 investor visa, you must invest, or be in the process of investing, at least $500,000 (if in a targeted geographic zone). Otherwise $1 million dollars or more must be invested into a business enterprise that will ultimately employ at least 10 U.S. workers. Exceptions can be made for existing businesses where the investment makes it possible to retain employees.

The EB-5 visa application is a direct way to apply for "Green Card" status. However, it is a highly complex application combining immigration, corporate, tax and many other areas of law. We at Teplen and Associates, PLLC, possess the unique experience to bring this area of law together and maximize the success probability of your investment application. Our firm handles E-visas, including the EB-5 investor visa, for clients from countries such as:

• India
• Italy
• Ireland
• South Africa
• United Kingdom (UK)

To talk to a lawyer about any personal or business immigration concern, including an EB-5 investor visa, call our offices in New York City at 212-401-4040 or Toll-Free in the U.S. at 866-746-0137. You can also contact us online.