Over A Decade of Trust: The EB5AN–Kolter Partnership Since 2014

In EB-5, trust is not built on one successful project. It is built through repeated success.

Since 2014, EB5AN and The Kolter Group have worked together on 30+ EB-5 investment funds across Kolter-developed projects. Over that period, our partnership has produced a consistent record of USCIS project approvals, successful project execution, and EB-5 capital repayment. For investors evaluating EB-5 sponsors and developers, that history is a meaningful signal.

A single project can succeed for many reasons. But a decade-long relationship across many projects and market cycles says far more. It shows that the sponsor and developer have worked together repeatedly, understand each other’s standards, and have been able to deliver results under different economic conditions.

As Sam Silverman, managing partner of EB5AN, explains: “For investors comparing EB-5 projects, a proven sponsor–developer relationship can be one of the clearest signals of quality. EB5AN and Kolter have built a record together over more than a decade, and that record is exactly the kind of evidence investors should want to examine.”

Silverman concludes, “When the same sponsor and developer keep delivering across project after project, the track record begins to speak louder than the marketing.”

For EB-5 investors, that kind of record can help reduce uncertainty in three areas: project execution, USCIS project compliance, and the eventual repayment or return of investor capital. In this post, we will examine each of these areas as we review the exceptional success of the EB5AN–Kolter partnership over the last decade.

EB5AN and Kolter: A Partnership Built Over Time

EB5AN began working with Kolter in 2014. EB5AN has consistently focused on working with experienced, well-capitalized developers whose projects can support both immigration and financial goals for EB-5 investors.

Kolter fit that standard. The developer has a long operating history, a large national footprint, and deep experience across residential and mixed-use real estate. Over time, the relationship expanded from one project into a broad EB-5 platform.

Today, EB5AN and Kolter have partnered on 30+ EB-5 investment funds across various projects. That history gives investors something concrete to review. Instead of relying on projections alone, they can look at a repeated record of project approvals, construction progress, job creation, repayment performance, and ongoing good standing across multiple offerings.

That does not eliminate risk. EB-5 investments must remain at risk under program rules, and no past result guarantees any future outcome. But a long, documented record with Kolter gives investors a much clearer basis for diligence than a first-time sponsor–developer relationship.

The Kolter Group: An Exceptional Developer

Since its founding in 1997, Kolter has built a broad development platform with billions of dollars in completed and active projects.

The leadership team and portfolio company presidents possess over 290 years of cumulative real estate experience. Home Builder Executive also recognizes Kolter as one of the 20 largest private home builders in the United States.

Kolter operates through several divisions, including Kolter Homes, Kolter Multifamily, Kolter Hospitality, Kolter Land, and Kolter Urban. These divisions give the company experience across single-family communities, active adult communities, multifamily developments, luxury condominium towers, land development, and hospitality properties.

For EB-5 investors, the developer’s size and history matter because real estate development is a complex and highly specialized field. A developer must manage land acquisition, entitlement, design, financing, construction, sales, and market timing. Weakness in any of these areas can create delays. Those delays may affect job creation, repayment timing, or both.

Kolter’s value as an EB-5 partner comes from its repeated execution. The company has delivered residential communities and condominium projects across multiple markets. It has borrowed and repaid large amounts of capital over its operating history. It has also worked with EB5AN on both completed and active EB-5 projects.

That record is the reason EB5AN continues to view Kolter as a reliable development partner.

Why the Relationship Matters for EB-5 Investors

Many EB-5 projects are built around new sponsor–developer relationships. A regional center may work with a developer for the first time. A developer may be entering the EB-5 capital market for the first time. The project documents may look strong, but there may be little history showing how the parties perform together.

The EB5AN–Kolter relationship is different. It has been tested across many projects over more than a decade.

A proven record is important because EB-5 investors need to evaluate the people and companies responsible for carrying out the plan. Investors need to know whether the developer can complete the project, whether the sponsor can structure the offering properly, and whether the project has a strong commitment to USCIS compliance.

If a sponsor and developer have already completed projects together, obtained USCIS project approvals, created jobs, and returned or maintained EB-5 capital in good standing, investors have more than marketing claims to review—they have a verifiable track record.

The Track Record by the Numbers

The EB5AN–Kolter partnership began in 2014. Since then, the two companies have worked together across 30+ EB-5 investment funds.

Across the joint project history, EB5AN and Kolter have maintained a 100% USCIS project-approval record to date on adjudicated projects. This refers to project-level approval and does not guarantee approval of any individual investor petition. Each investor must still meet all EB-5 requirements, including lawful source-of-funds documentation.

The financial record is also strong. All EB-5 capital in Kolter projects has either been repaid, returned through the applicable investment structure, or remains in good standing. Fully repaid EB-5 investments with Kolter include Mark Sarasota, VUE Sarasota, Saltaire St. Petersburg, and Water Club North Palm Beach.

This combination is rare in the EB-5 space: a long relationship, a large number of funds, repeated USCIS project approvals, and a record of capital performance across multiple project types.

How a Repeated Relationship Can Reduce Uncertainty

EB-5 investors usually face three categories of project risk.

The first is execution risk. The project must be built, managed, and completed. A developer with a long record of completing similar projects gives investors stronger evidence that the project plan is realistic.

The second is immigration risk. The project must create at least 10 qualifying jobs per investor. A sponsor–developer relationship with repeated USCIS project approvals and a track record of creating all required jobs gives investors a stronger basis for evaluating the quality of the project.

The third is capital risk. EB-5 funds are required to remain at risk, but the level of risk should be minimized. Investors should study whether prior projects were completed as planned and whether capital was returned when the investment terms allowed. A developer with a history of repaying obligations and keeping active investments in good standing gives investors a clearer record to review.

The EB5AN–Kolter relationship speaks to all three areas. Projects have been executed across changing market conditions. USCIS has approved the project structures, and all required jobs have been created. EB-5 capital has either been returned through completed investments or remains in good standing in active ones.

That is the value of repetition. It turns general claims into a record investors can examine.

What This Means for Investors Today

Prospective EB-5 investors should not choose a project based only on a brand name, a projected return, or a short approval timeline. Instead, they should review the sponsor, the developer, the project structure, the job creation model, the capital stack, and the repayment or exit strategy.

A long sponsor–developer relationship helps with that review. It gives investors more questions to ask and more evidence to compare.

Questions EB-5 Investors Should Ask Before Investing

1. How many EB-5 projects has the developer completed?
2. Has the developer worked with this sponsor before?
3. Have prior projects received USCIS project approval?
4. Have prior investors received I-526E or I-829 approvals?
5. Were prior EB-5 loans repaid or equity investments returned as expected?
6. Are current projects in good standing?
7. Is the current project structured as debt or equity?
8. Has the project already created enough jobs, or is job creation still projected?

A Practical Standard for EB-5 Diligence

What should EB-5 investors look for when evaluating EB-5 sponsors and developers?

A strong EB-5 project should be backed by an experienced developer. The sponsor should have a record of USCIS compliance.

Further, the project should have a credible job creation plan. The investment structure should be clear. The repayment or exit path should be explained in detail. And investors should be able to review documents, ask questions, and understand how the project protects both immigration and financial goals.

EB5AN’s decade-long relationship with Kolter reflects that standard. It shows how repeated collaboration between a sponsor and developer can create more dependable EB-5 offerings.

Learn More About EB5AN–Kolter EB-5 Projects

Since 2014, EB5AN and Kolter have built one of the most established sponsor–developer relationships in the EB-5 industry. Across 30+ investment funds, the partnership has combined EB5AN’s EB-5 structuring and compliance experience with Kolter’s real estate development record.

Investors considering EB-5 should review the full track record, compare current project options, and speak with experienced professionals before choosing an investment.

To learn more about current EB5AN–Kolter projects and how they may fit your immigration goals, schedule a free consultation with EB5AN.