EB-5 Program Explained: A Guideline To Secure The Green Card And Live The American Dream

The EB-5 program provides an alternative to overcome the hurdles of the H-1B visa and allows Indian citizens to fulfill their ambitions of building a life in the US

The processing period for the EB-5 program can sometimes take upto several years. Therefore, it is suggested to exercise patience and execute the plan with meticulous preparation.

Source : ABPLIVE_AI

The opportunity to go abroad and build a new life is a dream for many Indians. The lure of the American life, the drastic change in philosophy, and huge opportunities that the United States of America offers is the reason why living the NRI dream is still a priority for many Indians. However, long visa waitlists and difficulties associated with the H-1B visa program hinders many from realising their goals.

The EB-5 program provides an alternative to overcome these hurdles and allows Indian citizens to fulfill their ambitions of building a life in the US. 

This program not only offers Indian citizens an opportunity to live in the US, but also shows them a path to seek permanent residency and ultimately earn the US citizenship.

How Does It Work?

The EB-5 program allows qualified foreign investors to earn a ‘green card’ if they invest $800,000 in projects located across the Targeted Employment Areas in the US. These projects should generate at least ten permanent full-time jobs for US workers. By investing in businesses in the US, Indian nationals become eligible to secure the US citizenship, in turn, earning the freedom to establish a life for themselves in the USA.

Who Is The EB-5 Meant For?

The EB-5 program helps high net worth individuals to capitalise on the opportunities presented by the US job market and realise their ambition. Students planning to enter the job market soon or professionals already located in the US on H-1B visas can go for the program to overcome the restrictions attached with the H-1B visas.

Piyush Gupta, Vice President - India and the Middle East, CanAm Enterprises, explains, “Given the uncertainties and limitations around the H-1B lottery and H-1B visas, EB5 has become an increasingly preferred alternative for high net worth individuals from large population countries such as India. The program is most popular with high net worth individuals and their families in – Delhi, Mumbai and Bangalore. However, with the growth in wealth beyond these metros, popularity of the program has been growing into other cities and towns across India. . In India, most are opting for EB-5 for their children who are going or will be going to the U.S. for higher education to help them circumvent the restrictions and uncertainties that come with an H-1B visa.”

CanAm Enterprises is a EB-5 regional center operator and offers avenues for permanent residency via qualified immigration linked investments. 

Challenges And Risks

While the EB-5 program offers a much more independent avenue for establishing a life in the US, it is important to consider the risks associated with the option. 

Gupta also pointed out that the increase in taxes and limitations on the fund amount that Indians are permitted to spend or send outside the country in a year remained a key challenge for the Indian market.

• Since the program is completely dependent on the success of the chosen investment avenue, it is crucial to choose the business venture after conducting your due diligence and consulting professionals specialising in the program.
• The processing period for the EB-5 program can sometimes take upto several years. Therefore, it is suggested to exercise patience and execute the plan with meticulous preparation.
• Always ensure that you consult a professional immigration attorney with sufficient experience in this particular program as their expert advise can help navigate the process more smoothly and also increase your chances of success.