EB-5 Investors from Georgia Interested in Making an EB-5 Investment

EB-5 investors from Georgia interested in making an EB-5 investment should carefully consider the many benefits of investing in an EB-5 visa project offered by EB5AN.

Green Card Benefits for Georgia EB-5 Investors

The several benefits of EB-5 investment in Georgia include the following:

Travel Benefits

Green card holders are able to travel, although some travel restrictions apply.
If a political change or significant event occurs in the investor’s home country, immediate entry to the United States can be granted to the investor and his or her family.

Education Benefits

Green card holders can access public elementary, middle, and high schools as well as lower-cost in-state tuition at public colleges and universities.
U.S. residency also improves the likelihood of U.S. university admission up to 350%.
- Green card holders can receive in-state tuition, financial aid, and scholarships.
- Permanent residents are also able to work while studying and apply for internships and postgraduate positions.

Benefits of Residency and Citizenship

The EB-5 visa is a fast method to obtain permanent residency in the U.S. for the EB-5 investor, his or her spouse, and any unmarried children under 21 years.
Retired green card holders can access their pensions earned abroad and in the U.S. They may also qualify for social welfare programs like Medicare.
Green card holders may apply for U.S. citizenship after five years of established permanent residency in the U.S.

Employment Benefits

Green card holders are able to live and work without restriction in the United States.
- They can live anywhere, from Hawaii’s beaches to Colorado’s mountains.
- Live in states without a state income tax.
Work without visa or employer sponsorship

Why Do the Majority of EB-5 Investors Use Regional Centers?

EB-5 regional centers make the EB-5 investment process easier for potential EB-5 applicants. Only regional centers can make use of the indirect method of calculating jobs using an approved economic methodology. Consequently, EB-5 investors must provide evidence showing that their invested funds were spent in line with the business plan instead of documenting that the NCE hired full-time (W-2) employees who remained employed for a minimum of two full years.

EB5AN has multiple USCIS-approved regional centers that have broad geographic coverage, allowing EB5AN to immediately sponsor strong EB-5 projects around the U.S., including in Georgia.

The EB5AN State of Georgia Regional Center

EB-5 investors may select EB-5 investments from anywhere in the U.S. Those living in Georgia, however, may find it simpler to invest in projects located within the state. Thankfully, EB5AN already has a USCIS-approved regional center in Georgia.

The EB5AN State of Georgia Regional Center covers all counties in the state of Georgia, including the largest cities in the state. Columbus is an exciting city that attracts many visitors every year. Tourists flock to the city for its famous landmarks, including the Center of Science and Industry (COSI), and many students study at Columbus State University. The bustling city of Savannah may also be the ideal location for your EB-5 investment, given its significant population.

What are the Primary Requirements for EB-5 Investment?

The primary EB-5 investment requirements are:

A minimum EB-5 investment of $800,000 for a project in rural or high unemployment areas classified as targeted employment areas (TEAs). Projects outside of these areas demand an investment of $1,050,000, but thankfully all of EB5AN’s EB-5 investment projects are deliberately located in TEAs and therefore qualify for the reduced investment threshold of just $800,000.
Creating or maintaining at least 10 full-time jobs that last a minimum of two years for qualified U.S. workers.
Making the EB-5 investment in a new commercial enterprise (NCE) or a troubled business.
Keeping the investment “at-risk” and using lawfully sourced funds for the EB-5 investment.

How Can Investors Evaluate EB-5 Investment Projects?

EB-5 investors based in Georgia should carefully evaluate both the financial and immigration risk when considering an EB-5 investment project.

A major requirement for an EB-5 visa investment to be successful is that the investment capital must be “at risk” for the entirety of the investment. This is required to ensure that investors invest their capital and do not simply “buy” a U.S. green card.

This “at risk” may be misleading as it does not imply that EB-5 investors must invest in “risky” projects. Instead, EB-5 investors are encouraged to minimize their exposure to financial and immigration risk by conducting thorough due diligence.

Working with Klasko Immigration Law Partners, EB5AN has created an EB-5 Project Risk Assessment Tool for EB-5 investors to use. This easy-to-use tool helps investors conduct their initial diligence of EB-5 projects considering both financial and immigration risk perspectives.

Download our EB-5 Project Risk Assessment Questionnaire

More Information about Georgia

Georgia: Population and Income Demographics

According to the U.S. Census, Georgia has a population of approximately 7.6 million people over the age of 16. Of this, approximately 7.6 million people are in the labor force, with 4.3 million employed and 545,000 unemployed.

Georgia: General Economic Outlook

Georgia covers an area of 59,425 square miles, with a width of 230 miles and a length of 298 miles. Georgia’s capital and largest city is Atlanta, and its largest metro area is also the Atlanta metro area. The state’s total gross domestic product (GDP) was $403 billion in 2010 which makes Georgia the 10th-largest economy in the United States by GDP.

A number of Fortune 500 companies have headquarters in Georgia, including names like Delta Air Lines, Home Depot, Coca-Cola, UPS, Aflac, Southern Company, and SunTrust Banks. Georgia has more than 1,700 internationally headquartered facilities that represent 43 countries and employ more than 112,000 Georgians. Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, which is the world’s busiest airport as measured by passenger and aircraft traffic, is also in Georgia.