US Investment-Based Visa Types

EB-5

Open to everyone. The visa is the Green Card. Minimum investment of $800K (in high unemployment/rural areas) or $1.05 million elsewhere. Must create 10 jobs (per investor). Slow processing time (2 years, more for some countries like China and Vietnam). Status of the Regional Center Program is currently uncertain. Only Direct EB-5 are available.

E-1

A treaty-based investment visa. This is akin to the L1-A, where there must be a sponsor company in the home country that does substantial trade with the US. No US entity is required. However, even if the other qualifications exist, it may be better and easier to form a US subsidiary and pursue either L1-A (which has a path to a Green Card), or an E-2, which is an easier process compared to the L-1A.

E-2

A treaty-based investment visa. Investments can be $150K-$500K+. Very fast processing (a few weeks or months). Only available to citizens of countries with the correct type treaty with the US; however, there is a work around with Grenada that allows a citizen of any country to obtain an E-2 (see the Case Study). There is no direct path to a green card, but the investment can be credited against minimum for EB-5. The E-2 can be renewed.

L-1A

This is technically an intracompany transfer visa for a manager. It is open to everyone who owns or has worked for the 'sponsor' company in their home country. The sponsor company sets up a US subsidiary (or invests in one). It is relatively fast with a few weeks or months' processing time and requires a lower overall investment compared to EB-5. It can lead to a green card. This is the 'best' visa in that it is fastest, cheapest and leads to a green card, but with the most difficult qualification requirement.

 

About E3iG

E3iG’s mission is to actualize our clients’ goals of obtaining US visas through investments in their own or third-party US companies. The spirit of all the investor-visa programs is to attract great business people and entrepreneurs so they can pursue their American dream. It is the pursuit of these dreams that has helped America grow to become a great nation. It is our passion to serve as your trusted advisor and guide throughout the entire process.

to create well paying, long term jobs

to conduct our operations to minimize our impact and be a thought leader in the industry

so we can ultimately do well for our investors and do good for the communities in which we operate

E3iG CEO Matt Gordon US Congressional Testimony

Mr. Gordon's Testimony begins at 1:15:20

Case Study

 

Case Study – Grenada and the US E-2 Investor Visa

Mrs. L was a Chinese national living in the US on a student visa with her small child, who was a US citizen. Her husband was in China, having been denied the issuance of his L-1 visa, even after approval of the petition by USCIS. There was no reason for the denial and even the FOIA (Freedom of Information Act) request turned up nothing. Mr. L could not travel to the US and Mrs. L. was afraid to leave the US, fearing she may not be allowed to return. The family had been separated for over two years. Mr. and Mrs. L engaged us to solve their problem.

Our solution was a several step process. Mr. and Mrs. L had previously invested in a US company and were close with the CEO. Firstly, we helped structure the business so that a subsidiary would be a viable business to serve as the basis for obtaining an E-2 visa. E-2 visas are only available to citizens of countries that have the correct type of treaty with the US. China is not one of them. To help Mr. and Mrs. L qualify he helped them obtain citizenship in Grenada through their Citizenship by Investment program. Then, Mr. and Mrs. L consummated their investment in the US company while we helped prepare their E-2 petition.

We had Mrs. L be the investor, so that her husband would not be the focus of the petition as her dependent. We spent days preparing Mrs. L for every possible interview question and she passed with flying colors. Mr. L was granted his dependent visa. After more than two years of separation, the family was together again on US soil.

FEATURED ON:

  • client
  • client