In the chaotic immigration market, there are both good and poor EB-5 projects. Among numerous projects, several aspects can be considered to evaluate the reliability of a project:
1. Is it formally approved by the immigration bureau, does it possess financing qualifications, or is it merely false advertising, a gimmick for fraud? (If it is a regional center, approval from the immigration bureau is required; if it is a direct investment, it must have local business permits, construction permits, contracts with construction companies, etc.)
As for indirect investments, there are currently 1,279 regional centers across the United States, which can be found through this link (https://www.uscis.gov/).
Obtaining the I-924 approval and the Target Employment Area (TEA) letter (if it is a $500,000 project) is a primary but not sufficient condition for assessing the legality of a project.
In other words, even if government approval is obtained, it only indicates that the necessary procedures are complete and does not represent the actual strength of the project developers and contractors, nor does it guarantee that the project can be completed and that the green card can be successfully obtained.
2. The strength of the project developer, whether public information is available, whether the advertising is credible, and whether there are successful case studies. Does the project developer need to complete financing for the investment immigration in order to commence construction, or do they have sufficient funds to complete the project development? If the project primarily relies on investors' funds, it is advisable not to pursue such projects.
3. Is the immigration company reputable, qualified, and experienced? Have they had successful applications in the past? According to U.S. law, attorneys are only authorized to prepare materials on behalf of clients, submit relevant legal documents, and charge an attorney fee. However, attorneys themselves are not allowed to recommend investment immigration projects, nor can they collect investment funds.
4. Understand the local area, capital, and broader environment of the project, as well as its actual ability to create local employment. The critical factor for immigration bureau approval of a green card is whether the project can genuinely provide ten direct or indirect job positions, along with the project's progress, sustainability, and profitability.
5. The project’s funding guarantee and refund mechanism.
Investors can only be assured of their first mortgage returns upon obtaining property ownership.
6. Business plan, economic analysis report, feasibility report, and project schedule.
A reasonable investment immigration project will adhere to the plans outlined in the business plan and proceed orderly on time. If the progress is far behind the original schedule, investors should exercise caution.
7. Is there a third-party supervision agreement?