As the number of new COVID-19 infections continues to decline in various countries, the world can start to evaluate each country’s response to the pandemic. The health crisis has exposed weaknesses in many countries’ systems, particularly in developing countries. In response, foreign investors around the world are contemplating whether they should move to a more secure country.
Many opt for the United States because it remains a wealthy powerhouse where foreign nationals can thrive in freedom and prosperity, and the EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program is a relatively quick and easy pathway to a U.S. green card. To make the most out of life in the United States, EB-5 investors can even apply for U.S. citizenship after five years of permanent residency.
Foreign nationals simply need to invest $900,000 or $1.8 million in a qualifying new commercial enterprise (NCE) to qualify as an EB-5 investor. The minimum required investment amount depends on the targeted employment area (TEA) status of the EB-5 project, and qualifying for the lower investment amount is quite easy because most regional centers primarily sponsor projects in TEAs.
The Benefits of a U.S. Green Card
Living in the United States as a permanent resident offers many advantages to EB-5 investors and their immediate family members, such as the following:
- A facilitated admissions process at U.S. universities and potential in-state tuition savings
- The freedom to live anywhere in the United States
- The freedom to work for any U.S. company, engage in freelance work, or launch a business
- The freedom to travel abroad freely
- The ability to live permanently in the United States without going through the hassle of renewing a visa
- No need to pass a language proficiency test
- The ability to apply for U.S. citizenship after living in the United States as a permanent resident for five years
The benefits extend to an EB-5 investor’s spouse and unmarried children below the age of 21, with the whole family receiving U.S. green cards after a successful EB-5 investment. Therefore, the EB-5 program is a way for foreign nationals to invest in a better future following the COVID-19 pandemic.