The EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program is one of the most straightforward pathways for foreign nationals to obtain U.S. permanent residency. It does not require exceptional professional accomplishment, skills, or employer sponsorship.

The main program requirements are an investment of $1.05 million or $800,000 (for TEA projects) in a new commercial enterprise that will create at least ten full-time jobs for U.S. workers. After a successful process, investors may also get their funds back.

However, a successful EB-5 application that’ll meet both your financial and immigration goals requires thorough due diligence. You’ll need to vet several immigration attorneys, EB-5 projects, and regional centers before deciding which best suits your needs.

One beneficial but often overlooked aspect of the due diligence process is EB-5 investor testimonials. Speaking with successful EB-5 investors, especially those with similar backgrounds as yours, can give you unique insights into the EB-5 process and help you make a more informed decision.

This article analyzes the importance of EB-5 testimonials and how they can help prospective investors make better decisions.

EB-5 Investor Testimonials as a Due Diligence Resource

When considering pursuing U.S. permanent residency through the EB-5 route, the first thing to do is to learn all you can about the EB-5 process and requirements. This will typically involve researching the EB-5 program, reading USCIS guidelines, and consulting immigration attorneys and EB-5 professionals.

You’ll find information on the various aspects of the EB-5 process online, including EB-5 project selection, regional center due diligence, filing your I-526E petition, and concurrent filing. EB5AN has also published many helpful educational articles and videos on our website and social media platforms.

However, there’s an essential aspect of EB-5 research and education that’s not often talked about. It is listening to interviews and testimonials of successful EB-5 investors.

EB-5 investor testimonials help you understand the nuances of the EB-5 process and how the EB-5 journey differs for each investor. While most online resources will educate you on important steps in the EB-5 process, they can’t offer the unique insights and perspectives you’ll get from investor testimonials.

Listening to successful investors share their experiences will help you better understand the EB-5 program and give you an idea of what to expect.

What Prospective Investors Can Learn From EB-5 Investor Testimonials

This section highlights some important insights prospective investors can gain from listening to EB-5 investor testimonials.

1. Why Choose the EB-5 Route?

Our EB-5 testimonials usually start with an overview of each investor’s background and why they decided to make an EB-5 investment.

EB5AN interviewed over 20 successful EB-5 investors, and the most common reason they chose the EB-5 visa was to expand their careers. Most of our EB-5 investors already held nonimmigrant U.S. visas, such as the H-1B and E-2 business visas. However, these visas require employer sponsorship and/or frequent renewals.

This created uncertainty about their future and their ability to remain in the U.S., especially for those who want their children to benefit from the opportunities available in the U.S. The EB-5 investment route provided a more permanent immigration solution for them.

You’ll benefit greatly from listening to their testimonials if you have a background similar to these investors.

2. How to Choose an Immigration Attorney

Like other immigration pathways, you’ll need a good immigration attorney to facilitate the EB-5 visa process. The attorney will help you compile your source of funds documentation for your I-526E petition. They’ll also help you apply for employment authorization and advance parole, in addition to guiding you through each step of the process.

By listening to investor testimonials, you’ll learn the different selection processes they used in choosing an immigration attorney. You’ll also learn the necessary qualities to consider when selecting your lawyer.

3. How to Choose a Regional Center

Regional centers are responsible for pooling EB-5 investor funds and investing them in a qualifying project. So, your choice of regional center will significantly impact your EB-5 visa success.

For most of our investors, the most important factors in choosing a regional center were the I-526E approval rate, communication, and transparency. They wanted a regional center they could trust—one that would give them access to financial statements and other documentation to review before making a decision. And many regional centers were unwilling to provide extensive documentation.

Our investors decided to work with EB5AN because of our transparency and responsiveness. They could speak to our managing partners directly and get all the information they needed for their EB-5 application.

4. How to Choose an EB-5 Project

Project selection is one of the most critical steps in the EB-5 process, and there are so many factors to consider when choosing an investment project.

First, you must decide whether to invest in a rural or an urban EB-5 project.

Most of our investors (particularly those from China and India) chose to invest in rural TEA projects. Their primary reason for selecting rural projects is to avoid EB-5 backlogs and benefit from the set-aside quota for rural TEA investments. Rural projects also receive priority processing, which is how our rural investors have been receiving I-526E approval within 12 months.

After choosing your ideal investment type, you’ll also need to select the type of project. Our successful investors have found that real estate projects offer more stability and lower risk than projects in operations-based industries such as energy and manufacturing. You’ll learn how they came to this conclusion when you watch the testimonials. The information will help you decide on your project choice.

Highlights of EB5AN’s Investor Testimonials

EB5AN has published more than 20 investor testimonials so far, and many are underway. Here are some highlights from two of our recent investor interviews.

We Obtained Work and Travel Permits in Less than 90 Days – Kaushal and Ayushi

 

Kaushal and Ayushi are originally from Mumbai, India. They came to the United States on F-1 student visas to pursue their master’s degrees. Eventually, they went through OPT and CPT and got their H-1B visas in 2021.

However, as the six-year limit for the H-1B visa approached, they became uncertain and started looking for a more permanent solution. Although they qualify for EB-2 and EB-3 visas, they’d have to wait several years to get their Green Cards due to the backlog of Indian applicants. So, they decided to look into the EB-5 program.

They began their EB-5 journey in 2023 and invested in EB5AN’s Twin Lakes Georgia project in February 2024. Thanks to RIA’s concurrent filing provision, they could file their employment authorization and advance parole petitions along with their I-526E petition.

They received their Employment Authorization Document (EAD) in about 20 days and their travel permit in less than 90 days. Now, they’re free to work for any employer and can travel in and out of the U.S. while waiting for their EB-5 Green Cards.

You can read Kaushal and Ayushi’s full testimonial or watch the interview.

I Now Enjoy Access to a More Diverse Market and Better Opportunities – Hardik

 

Although Indian-born, Hardik had lived in Canada for about 25 years. However, he felt there were limited opportunities for his career growth there. Hardik wanted to take advantage of opportunities in the U.S., but every time he applied for a role, his inability to work in the U.S. posed an obstacle. He knew he needed to find a lasting solution.

He began exploring the EB-5 program and invested in EB5AN’s Twin Lakes project in July 2023. He filed his EAD and travel authorization petitions in August and received both permits in December. His I-526E petition was approved in 12 months.

Now, he and his spouse can both benefit from the diverse work opportunities in the U.S., and their children can also receive Green Cards, securing their future in the U.S.

You can read Hardik’s full testimonial or watch the interview.

EB5AN Is Committed to Educating EB-5 Investors

EB5AN is leading the industry in providing educational resources for prospective EB-5 investors. We value communication and transparency and understand that giving potential investors full access to critical information will benefit all parties involved.

In over a decade of practice, we’ve helped over 2,300 families successfully relocate to the U.S. We offer our clients first-rate, low-risk EB-5 regional center projects with a 100% USCIS project approval rate to date.

You can schedule a free one-on-one call with our EB-5 experts today to learn more about the EB-5 program and how to take the first step toward your Green Card.