Moving from Hungary to the US is a lot more complicated than it seems. But many people fall in love with the country after traveling and spending time there, so it makes sense why you’d want to stay longer. To stay permanently in the United States, you must apply for a green card.
However, if you do not qualify through a close relative of a US citizen, it may take several years before your application is approved. What if you don’t have that kind of time?
An EB-5 visa investment is one of the fastest ways entrepreneurs and their families can become permanent residents of the US, but only if they invest based on the government’s investment criteria.
What to consider when making an EB-5 visa investment
If you need help navigating the legal requirements for your visa, talk to the experts at EB-5 Visa Investments. They will walk you through the EB-5 process and advise you on the following.
How much does an EB-5 visa cost (visa, documents and investment)?
The EB-5 investor visa costs between $4,020 and $4,900 USD. The first $3,675 is used to file Form I-526 if the immigrant is based in the US. If not, they must pay a processing fee of $345. The immigrant must then pay $1,140 to file Form I-485 and $85 for the necessary biometric services.
This cost does not include the price of a criminal record check or medical examination. If you plan to hire a lawyer or service to help you with the process, you’ll need to shell out a few thousand.
Do not forget about the investment itself. To qualify for a visa, you must invest $1,800,000 in a new commercial enterprise or $900,000 if the investment is in a target area of employment (TEA). A TEA will either have a high unemployment rate or be located in a rural area.
Which investments receive premium processing (fastest approval)?
If you want to get your green card fast, you will need to invest in a project that is considered to be in the interest of the nation. Any project that helps increase jobs or the economy is usually seen as necessary. By investing in a TEA or rural location, you can get through the visa process in two years.
Should you invest in a commercial enterprise or regional center?
The biggest difference between a regional center and a commercial enterprise is how the government classifies job creation. Job creation is an essential requirement for EB-5.
You will need to create 10 full-time jobs to get an EB-5. If you are investing in a new commercial enterprise, only direct job creation matters (ie who you employ directly in your business). If you invest in a regional center, indirect and induced jobs will apply to this criterion.
Remote and hybrid workers qualify as employees as long as they are located within the US. This makes it easier to hire high quality workers in TEA or less populated areas.
Should your exit strategy coincide with your I-829 filing date?
Your exit strategy should be a key consideration when choosing a project to finance. The exit (or maturity) date of your investment must coincide with the filing date of the I-829, which is the petition to remove your conditional residence status. Consult an attorney before moving your capital “at risk.”
If you live outside the US, your wait time can be up to 8 to 9 years. Regardless, you can use the capital you receive at the end of this period to pay yourself off. This can help you offload your investment, but keep in mind that liquidity, especially in rural areas, is really poor.
What is the average return rate and how can I improve it?
In the past, your rate of return would range from 3% to 4%, even though non-EB-5 visa projects of the same type would earn 12% to 18%. Thankfully, new regulations have changed the average rate of return to 8% to 10% for many investments, which is great for savvy buyers.
To get the most out of your investment, you should practice due diligence. Real estate agents showing EB-5 projects often emphasize the best features of a building without pointing out the negatives. Or, even worse, some people will pretend to represent the government when they don’t.
Be sure to check every project, company and person you work with to avoid these problems.