General EB-5 Information

The U. S. Immigrant Investor Program (“EB-5″) was created by Congress in 1990 to encourage the investment of foreign capital into the American economy. This program makes it possible for an investor and his/her family to obtain permanent residence (Green Card) in the United States by either investing in the creation of a business or in the development of an existing enterprise in the United States.

Each year, 10,000 EB-5 visas are available through the program. The program has become very popular – for investors, EB-5 represents a quick, relatively reliable means of obtaining a green card; for Regional Centers, EB-5 represents a source of financing for a variety of commercial projects. In three years, the number of petitions filed has more than doubled (>1700 in FY2010), and the number of Regional Centers has exploded, with more than 114 approved Regional Centers in 34 states and more than 80 applications pending. Nearly 90% of EB-5 investments are made through Regional Centers, with more than $2 billion already invested and 50,000 jobs created.