Six steps to apply for an investor visa and immigrate to the United States

There is growing interest – even in the event of a pandemic – in invest in United States because of stability and because its economy and demand for labor are strong. The real estate market, for its part, does not have stocks (i.e. there is a housing deficit) and 3.8 million houses missing according to the current demand of the inhabitants of the North American country.

This leads to the widening of the possibilities of applying for investor visas for entrepreneurs, businessmen or individuals who wish to develop their activity in the United States while having their project in Argentina, or to try their luck in the northern country. One of them is the EB-5 visa for immigrant investors, many of whom are turning to the real estate industry.

Now how to start. There are six key steps take into account:

1. Define the immigration strategy depending on who asks. Among other things, the available capital is evaluated; the need or urgency of the time each has to move or obtain residence; if a person, couple or family is traveling; and the type of project, ie whether you want to undertake, invest or a combination. There are student visas, job sponsorships, small investors, but they require renewal and are riskier than EB5, which are permanent residence visas.
2. If the person or family has a desire to reside in the United States and / or obtain permanent residence and a United States passport, they must contact a specialist in EB-5 investment immigration programs. Today, it can be applied at a nearly 50% discount, investing in a qualified company in the United States for US $ 500,000 and creating 10 jobs.
3. The origins of the investor’s funds are prequalified to make sure the case is successful, before spending money on lawyers. If positive, they are presented to 2-3 qualified EB-5 immigration attorneys and guided through contract negotiation.
4. Immigration lawyer prepare documentation and the origin of client funds, a passive EB-5 project is chosen and it applies.
5. Approval to receive permanent residence is awaited-green card conditional approval. It usually takes between 31 and 48 months, unless there is a short-term transition visa (which is assessed in the immigration strategy). Deadlines change daily and times should decrease substantially.
6. Ultimately, 100% of the capital is recovered principal contributed with a cumulative rate, whether you have chosen the secured loan structure, whether the application is approved or not.

The US government issues 10,000 EB-5 visas (including recipients) each year. It’s the most safe and efficient migration as an investor or entrepreneur in the United States. More … than 90% of the capital is invested in real estate projects of new construction.

Over the past 10 years, more than 1,200 Argentines have emigrated in this way. By comparing this figure with Of the total visas granted by the United States government, Argentines represent 0.5%. However, South American citizens made up 8.3% of the total in 2019, leading Brazil, Venezuela and Mexico. This trend is likely to intensify in the years to come.