To obtain a U.S. Green Card, one must undergo the U.S. immigration process. There are many ways to immigrate to the United States, such as family-based immigration and investment-based immigration. Different immigration pathways have different requirements. Below, we will use one of the easiest ways to obtain a U.S. Green Card—the U.S. EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program—as an example to explain the 2018 U.S. Green Card application requirements.
The U.S. EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program is an immigration visa category established by U.S. immigration law for overseas investors. "EB-5" (Employment Based Fifth Preference) is the fifth category of employment-based immigration in the United States. This visa category has been in effect since 1991. In 1993, the U.S. government added a "Regional Center Pilot Program" to the EB-5 immigration regulations, relaxing the requirement of "directly creating ten jobs" to "directly or indirectly creating ten jobs." This has made the EB-5 program one of the most convenient channels among all U.S. immigration categories, featuring shorter approval times and fewer qualification restrictions.
I. U.S. EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program Application Requirements
· The applicant must be at least 18 years old and have no criminal record.
1. Investment Requirements:
The minimum investment threshold is $500,000 for projects in government-designated Targeted Employment Areas (TEA), and $1 million for non-Targeted Employment Areas.
2. Job Creation Requirements:
Based on reasonable and accepted methodologies, it must be proven that the investment in the job-creating enterprise will directly or indirectly create no fewer than 10 full-time jobs. (For troubled businesses, existing jobs may be preserved for each investor.)
3. Requirements for Lawful Source of Funds:
Lawful sources can include: mortgage on real estate, salary income, gifts or inheritance from relatives and friends, real estate sales, stock and securities trading, retained earnings from contracted businesses, lawful corporate dividends, etc.
4. Age Requirements for Accompanying Children:
Must be under 21 years of age. (This refers to the CSPA statutory age at the time of obtaining the immigrant visa or adjustment of status, not the actual chronological age.)
II. Advantages of the U.S. EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program:
1. The investment plan is guaranteed, with safe and reliable funds and escrow accounts;
2. Short application time: I-526 approval takes about 1 year and 9 months, and a conditional Green Card is obtained in about 3 and a half years;
3. One person applies, and the whole family receives a Green Card;
4. No need to start your own business or personally manage the enterprise;
5. No "immigration jail" (residency requirement); you only need to be in the U.S. for one day every six months;
6. Children receive 12 years of free compulsory education and can easily enter world-class universities;
7. Investors do not need to reside at the project location; they can choose to settle in any region of the United States or continue to work and live in China;
8. Enjoy the same benefits as local residents. Public university tuition is only 1/3 to 1/5 of that for international students;
9. Eligible to apply for naturalization 5 years after obtaining a Green Card, enjoying the rights of U.S. citizens and visa-free access to over 150 countries.
