My name is Sid, and I’m originally from India. I moved to the U.S. in 2016 on a temporary work visa to pursue new career opportunities.
Soon after arriving in the U.S., I realized that I wanted a more permanent immigration solution for my wife and myself.
After filing my I-526E petition in March 2023, I’m pleased to say that my EB-5 immigration process has been a success.
My wife and I received employment authorization documents (EADs) and advance parole (AP) travel documents in only 60 days. And, in June 2024, USCIS approved our I-526E petition.
In this post, I’ll share my strategies for making a successful EB-5 investment. I hope my experiences will help you and your family make an informed investment decision and ultimately enjoy living in the U.S. as permanent residents.
Watch Sid’s Full Interview (Part 2)
My Background and Why I Made an EB-5 Investment
Choosing My Immigration Attorney and the Source-of-Funds Process
Why I Chose EB5AN and the Twin Lakes Georgia EB-5 Project
Receiving Our EADs, APs, and I-526E Approval
My Advice for New EB-5 Investors
My Background and Why I Made an EB-5 Investment
My wife and I met around 2015. She was pursuing her master’s in the U.S. as a dentist, so we decided to get married and moved here in 2016. She applied for H-1B and was selected, while I applied for my H-4.
In 2018, her employer sponsored her Green Card application under EB-2. Since then, I’ve been on H-4 EAD and working, while she’s been working on H-1B tied to her employer.
The backlog for EB-2 is huge, with a priority date of 2018 and over a hundred years of waiting time. EB-1 wasn’t an option, so we explored multiple options.
Then, the EB-5 Reform and Integrity Act of 2022 (the RIA) was signed into law. I got to know about it later that year, and realized that EB-5 was a promising option.
The RIA gave investors from India like me an opportunity to invest and get on the route for a Green Card and eventual U.S. citizenship.
Selecting an EB-5 immigration attorney was the first step. It was important to find someone knowledgeable and experienced. I did my research, consulted with a few attorneys, and chose one who had a good track record and could guide me through the process.
Next was picking a project. I chose the Twin Lakes Georgia rural EB-5 project. It was a big decision, but I felt confident after reviewing the project details and understanding the potential benefits.
Getting our EADs and APs was a big milestone. This allowed me to work and travel freely while my Green Card application was processed.
And I recently received my I-526E approval, putting us in line for our U.S. Green Cards.
Choosing My Immigration Attorney and the Source-of-Funds Process
Choosing an EB-5 immigration attorney took me about a month and a half. I didn’t just Google “EB-5 attorneys” and pick the first option.
Instead, I spoke with different regional centers, which pointed me to several attorneys. I talked to about six to eight attorneys, most of whom were partners at big firms and very hard to reach.
Then I met Anahita George. Within 30 to 40 minutes of our first meeting, I knew I wanted her as my attorney. The EB-5 process involves multiple stages, like filing the I-526E, the I-485, and the I-829. It’s a long-term relationship, and Anahita made it clear that she was the right person for the job.
She explained everything simply, and even though my funds were from both the U.S. and a gift from my parents in India, she made the process easy. In the first meeting with her, she laid out exactly what we needed, showing her vast experience.
It’s crucial that your attorney understands your source of funds. Anahita, being from India, was perfect for us, but any attorney should be well-versed with the laws and documentation of your country of origin.
She filed our I-526E petition, handled all the documentation, and everything went smoothly. USCIS never questioned our source-of-funds documentation.
The source-of-funds process, which I’ve heard can be long and stressful, was straightforward for us. Collecting all the documentation took about two weeks.
Anahita was always available, even on WhatsApp, which made communication easy. She would text me at odd hours, showing her dedication. With other attorneys, I had to wait for replies, but Anahita always seemed to be available.
Additionally, other attorneys wouldn’t answer my questions until I signed an agreement, which was a red flag. Anahita, however, was always willing to help, even before I officially signed with her.
Why I Chose EB5AN and the Twin Lakes Georgia EB-5 Project
I was new to the EB-5 program, so it took me some time to understand the basics. For almost a month and a half, I tried to grasp the industry, learn about different investments, and figure out how things worked.
I spoke with many top regional centers. EB5AN was the last one I contacted. Before speaking with them, I saw the Twin Lakes project on their website and thought it was too good to be true. I wasn’t sure about Twin Lakes at first.
I considered a few other projects, but none were rural. Rural projects have a lot of advantages, especially for investors from India like myself. India has a large backlog of EB-5 applications, but rural projects qualify you for a special category of reserved visas.
Therefore, investing in a rural project can mean the difference between being approved for your Green Card in a few months—or in many, many years.
My experience with EB5AN was great. They were always responsive and knowledgeable about their projects. I sent them a list of questions, and they were kind enough to answer them in writing. They were available whenever I had questions and provided additional documentation when needed. For instance, I asked for details about the developer, Kolter, and some financial approvals. They always provided the details I asked for.
What really set EB5AN apart from other regional centers was its track record. Other regional centers had some projects that failed to create jobs or return investors’ money, but EB5AN has never had such issues. Kolter, the developer they worked with, had a solid reputation.
Also, EB5AN was very transparent from the beginning. Other regional centers didn’t always give the full picture of their projects. I felt they weren’t being completely transparent about their projects’ risks and downsides. But with EB5AN, if something wasn’t done in a project, they were upfront about it.
Receiving Our EADs, APs, and I-526E Approval
After filing the I-526E application in March, my wife and I got our EADs and APs within 60 days. That was really lucky because I thought it would take a few months. Using the AP, we were able to travel back to India for the first time after five years.
Returning to the U.S. was smooth, unlike with H-1B visas, where things can get messy. We landed in Chicago, showed our combo cards to the border security officer, and they just took us to the back room for a couple of minutes to stamp something on our passports. It was very easy traveling with an AP.
Having our EADs and APs gives us the freedom to do anything we want. We now enjoy a sense of permanency here in the U.S.
We’ve been here for about eight years with a lot of uncertainty. On a temporary non-immigrant visa (like H-1B or H-4), you can’t buy a house, make meaningful investments, switch jobs easily, or travel. But all of those headaches go away with an EAD and an AP.
And, at last, our I-526E petition was approved in June 2024.
Since our priority date is March 2023, the chances of getting backlogged are next to none. Now, we just have to wait to receive our Green Cards, which I hope will happen in the next few months.
The Green Card will be conditional for two years. Ninety days before it expires, we will file Form I-829 to remove the conditions. Our I-829 approval will largely depend on Twin Lakes’ job creation—at least 10 jobs per EB-5 investor.
One of the biggest advantages of the Twin Lakes project is that the jobs have already been created. This gives us a huge sense of relief. There’s no question that the I-829 petition will be approved because. It’s just about filing the form, paying the fees, and waiting for approval.
My Advice for New EB-5 Investors
I would always recommend making an EB-5 investment if you want to live and work in the U.S. permanently. Choosing a project with EB5AN and picking Anahita as a lawyer were the best decisions I made.
One important point to keep in mind is that higher returns usually mean higher risk. I believe that, for EB-5 investments, the Green Card is the real interest. If an EB-5 project offers high interest, this might be a red flag.
If you’re stuck in a Green Card backlog, like I was, or come from a country like India or China, EB-5 is now a safe opportunity.
Many parents in India send their kids to the U.S. for higher education but worry about the uncertainty of the H-1B visa lottery. The odds are bad, and there are no guarantees. The EB-5 route secures your child’s future and your family’s future if you want to move to the U.S. It’s one of the best options going forward.
My wife and I feel that the EB-5 process has lifted a huge weight off our shoulders. We can confidently pursue our careers and plan our future in the U.S., knowing that we will be able to stay here as permanent residents.
If that is your family’s goal, I highly recommend looking into the EB-5 program.
