The U.S. Congress created the EB-5 Program in 1990 to stimulate the U.S. economy through job creation and capital investment by foreign investors. It works by linking U.S. businesses looking to raise capital with foreign investors seeking a U.S. visa, creating a system that benefits all parties.

Through a qualifying EB-5 investment, the investor, his/her spouse, and any unmarried children under the age of 21 will be eligible for permanent residence in the U.S. The traditional model used in the industry consists of an investment in a company, which makes a loan to the project for a term of 5 years with annualized interest payments of 2% for the investor. Additionally, Driftwood Capital offers a second investment option qualified to obtain residency as a project partner that is expected to produce projected greater, more equity-like returns.

The main requirements to participate in the EB-5 program include:

• Make an investment in a business project in the United States.
• The investment must be at least $800,000 USD if the project is located in a rural or high unemployment employment area (TEA), or $1,050,000 if it is located outside of a TEA.
  Create at least 10 full-time jobs for American workers.

The investment process in the EB-5 program generally follows these steps:

• Identify and select a business project in which to invest.
• Make the capital investment and submit the Form I-526 application to the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).
• If the application is approved, the investor must apply for an immigrant visa or adjust status if already in the United States.
• Obtain a conditional permanent residence card for a period of two years.
• File Form I-829 before conditional residency expires to remove the conditions and become a permanent resident.

The time it takes to obtain permanent residency through the EB-5 program varies on a case-by-case basis, but it is generally estimated that it can take between 24 and 60 months from filing the initial application to obtaining permanent residency without conditions.

Yes, the spouse and unmarried children under 21 years of age of the main investor can be included in the application and are also eligible to obtain a permanent resident card.

Yes, once you obtain a Green Card through the EB-5 program, you can live and work anywhere in the United States without restrictions.

If the business project you have invested in does not meet the job creation requirements, your application to remove conditions (Form I-829) may be denied and you could lose your permanent resident status.