I’m Mike, an EB-5 investor from Canada. I recently invested in EB5AN’s ONE Tampa project, an urban development.
In my case, an EB-5 investment was the best way to secure my son’s long-term future in the United States. I want him to fulfill his dream of living and working in the United States, without the many restrictions of H-1B and other temporary visas. As a former college student in the U.S., I know from experience how limiting non-immigrant visas can be.
In this post, I hope to share useful insights that will help other individuals who are planning their EB-5 investments.
Regardless of the amount of planning and research involved, I sincerely believe that EB-5 is the easiest way to get U.S. Green Cards for yourself and your family. As I’ll explain below, finding the right immigration attorney and regional center are the keys to a successful EB-5 investment.
My Son’s Future and the EB-5 Visa
How to Find an EB-5 Immigration Attorney
Finding an EB-5 Project and Regional Center Sponsor
My Advice for Fellow EB-5 Investors
My Son’s Future and the EB-5 Visa
I applied for EB-5 for my son, Alex, who studies at Emory University in Atlanta. As for me, I grew up in Montreal and studied in the United States. I earned my MBA at the University of Rochester and later went to Harvard Business School.
Over the years, I held various visas such as the H-1, F-1 student visa, and TN. I went through nearly every type of visa available. At that time, EB-5 was not an option for me, and although there was a chance to get sponsored by a company, I did not want to be tied down. I have always been entrepreneurial, so I eventually returned to Canada.
With my son now living and studying in the United States and his dream of being there, I wanted to make things easier for him. We found that the EB-5 program is one of the fastest ways to get a green card, which made it the best choice for our situation.
How to Find an EB-5 Immigration Attorney
After deciding on the EB-5 route, I started looking for an immigration attorney. I reached out to EB-5 companies and received recommendations. I ended up interviewing about four or five lawyers. My decision came down to the number of applications each had handled, their success rate, and how well we connected.
I needed someone who would be available during tough times. I even tested them by calling or emailing unexpectedly to see how quickly they responded and how clear their answers were. Even though every option carried some risk, I ended up feeling very confident with the law firm I chose.
I went with the Darren Silver firm based in Los Angeles. The process began when I retained one of their attorneys. They provided me with a checklist of all the required documents for the source-of-funds section of Form I=526E.
Form I-526E is the initial EB-5 petition, and it’s crucial to provide a detailed source-of-funds package to receive your U.S. Green Cards.
I had some experience with tracking the source of funds, which is one of the more challenging parts of the application process. We set a target date for filing the application, and I worked with a team to gather every piece of information needed. I knew exactly what they were looking for in terms of tracking funds from the moment they were earned until they were invested. My previous experience helped, but the attorneys were very supportive and guided me every step of the way.
There is no doubt that many documents were required. I understand that they ask for a lot because they want to cover all bases and answer any questions before they even come up. It can be a bit annoying when they keep requesting more information, but I appreciate that it is done to ensure everything goes through smoothly. The process has been demanding, but I feel secure in knowing that every detail is being taken care of properly.
I hired an immigration attorney two years ago to help me evaluate projects. At that time, my son had just started university, so I did not move forward with the EB-5 process right away. The attorney stayed on retainer even though we did not use their services immediately. Two years later, when my son was close to turning 21, I decided it was time to act. We had a deadline of January 15th, and once I made the decision to pull the trigger, everything had to move fast.
It took about 45 days to complete the process, even though we were going through the holidays and New Year’s. In practical terms, if you remove the delays from the holiday season, the work was finished in about 30 days. This period included gathering all the paperwork, completing the applications, and choosing the right investment project.
I have been investing for over 25 years, and I knew that the source of my funds had to be clear. It was not enough to simply say that the money came from years of gains. I had to track it back to a specific extract from the company I run. I made sure the money could be traced through the entire banking system until it reached EB5AN and the ONE Tampa project.
For Canadian investors, the process may feel a bit different because you might have easier access to financial data. If you have a private banker or a good financial manager, you are likely to have all the records you need. It is very important to check every detail and know exactly where the funds come from. This careful tracking helps the application run smoothly.
When it came to my son’s application, I decided to gift him the EB-5 funds. I did not consider a loan because gifting made sense from the start. I planned on giving it to my kids anyway, so it was a simple choice. The process was straightforward since it only required one legal document to show that the money was gifted to him.
I learned that choosing the right attorney is a key part of the process. If you have the chance, meet your lawyer face to face. This personal meeting is the best way to see if the attorney will be there for you and answer your calls when needed. I looked at how many EB-5 cases they had handled and their success rate. In my experience, a face-to-face meeting made it clear that I could trust my lawyer to have my back throughout the process.
Finding an EB-5 Project and Regional Center Sponsor
I started looking into the EB-5 program a couple of years ago. I considered it for my son and began researching ways to get a green card quickly. At first, I worked with an EB-5 regional center that had several projects. My focus was more on the company than on the project itself. I have always been used to having a say in the projects I work on, so when I did not have that control, I needed to find a team I could trust. I believed I had made a good choice initially, but soon I found that the responses I received did not match the level of service I was used to.
After some time, I connected with a new regional center—EB5AN—that shared my goals and answered every question I had. They provided clear data and were quick to respond. Their support made it easier for me to understand the entire process. I switched over to EB5AN, and from that moment, my focus shifted to choosing the right project. I had to look at many factors, like the chance of getting my money back, the return on my investment, and the likelihood that the project would be finished on time.
As a Canadian, whose country does not have an EB-5 visa backlog, I could go with either a rural or an urban project. You can read more about this here.
I spent a lot of time reviewing different projects. I wanted to be sure that the one I chose had the best chance of success. In the end, the ONE Tampa project stood out to me. When I looked at the sales, I saw that 47% of the units were already sold. This gave me confidence that there was strong market interest and that the project was on the right track. I even reached out to the project managers to ask a few questions. Although I had planned to visit the site, I decided against it because the information I received over the phone was enough for me. The project managers answered all my questions quickly and clearly, and I felt that this project had the highest chance of being completed as promised.
My Advice for Fellow EB-5 Investors
In my view, the EB-5 process is a simple way to get a green card if everything goes as planned. I chose this route because I want my son to have the freedom to work for any company. I believe that if the process follows the timeline promised, it is the easiest and fastest way to achieve that goal. The steps I took started with picking the right EB-5 regional center operator. Once I found a team that was willing to spend time answering even my simplest questions, I felt more comfortable moving forward.
Every step of the way, EB5AN made sure I understood what was happening. I had many questions during the process, and every single one was answered in a clear and respectful manner. It was important for me to work with a legal team and an EB-5 regional center that would respond promptly and honestly. Their willingness to meet with me and talk through the details gave me peace of mind. I felt that I was not just a number, and that made a big difference in how I viewed the whole process.
I am very happy with the legal team I hired and with EB5AN. They handled everything in a timely manner and took the time to explain all the details without any hesitation. The support I received helped reduce the worries I had about the risks involved. When you work with a team that listens to your concerns and answers your questions without delay, it makes the entire process much smoother.
In summary, I feel that choosing the right people to work with was the most important decision I made, and it has made all the difference in how I view my investment.
I look forward to checking the progress of the ONE Tampa project in a few years. I am confident that the project will be completed on time and that my investment will be returned as promised—and I look forward to showing off my son’s permanent U.S. Green Card!
