subject: Consider Aspects Of Regional Centers Before Using Your Investor's Visa [print this page] When you first sign up for the investor's visa program, you will receive a conditional green card. This means that certain conditions must be met before you get a permanent card. In most cases, you will get the permanent card once you have invested at least $500,000 in a regional center and helped create at least ten fulltime jobs. You then have a chance of becoming a permanent resident a few years later. Clearly, you want to get the permanent green card through the eb5 visa program, but to do so, you must first meet the conditions outlined in the investor's visa program. Make sure the regional center you choose can help you create ten jobs, and ensure that it can occur quickly. The sooner you do so, the sooner you can get the permanent green card.
Another aspect to consider is what the chances are of you making a profit from the center you choose. No project can guarantee a profit for investors, but the centers with the most business-savvy officials often have the best record turning a profit. A project that is well thought-out and necessary for the community usually has the best chance of making money in the long run. If you cannot afford to lose the money you invest, you should not take the investor's visa pathway. However, one of your goals should be to make money so that you do not have to work once you enter the United States, and researching regional centers thoroughly before you invest can help make that dream come true.
Having some interest in the project can be a positive thing. During your search for regional centers, keep in mind the projects that you are somehow intrigued by. They might be about a subject you are interested in, based in a community that you want to succeed, or just unique enough to get your attention. If you pick a project that you want to succeed for reasons other than turning a profit, you will feel an additional sense of pride once it is over.
You can do much of this research from your computer. However, sometimes visiting regional centers and talking with officials can help you see if you connect well with a particular project. You can also ask for your immigration lawyer's help in choosing a center at which you can use your investor's visa.
