EB-5 investors from India who are interested in making EB-5 investments should consider the benefits of investing in an EB5 Affiliate Network (EB5AN) EB-5 visa project.
Main Requirements for EB-5 Investments
Investors from India who want to make EB-5 investments should first understand the requirements of the EB5 visa program. The major requirements for EB-5 investments are summarized below.
- Investment funds must be lawfully sourced, and the at-risk status of the investment must be maintained.
- A minimum investment of $800,000 is required for EB-5 investments made in projects located in rural or high-unemployment targeted employment areas (TEAs). Projects not in TEAs require a minimum investment of $1,050,000. Because all of EB5AN’s EB-5 investment projects are located in TEAs, investments in EB5AN’s projects are eligible for the lower investment amount of $800,000.
- EB5 investments must be made in a new commercial enterprise or troubled business.
- EB5 investments are required to create or preserve at least 10 jobs for U.S. workers that last a minimum of two years. These jobs must have full-time hours (at least 35 hours per week).
Why Are Regional Centers So Popular Among EB-5 Investors?
It is important for investors from India to know that the cornerstone of the EB-5 visa program is the creation of U.S. jobs. EB-5 regional centers allow for a streamlined EB-5 visa application process by making it easier for EB-5 investors to demonstrate that their EB-5 investments meet the job creation requirement set forth by United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). Unlike direct EB-5 investment projects, regional centers are able to count indirect jobs—those that are created by a project’s economic impact in an area—to fulfill the required job creation minimum. This means that rather than documenting full-time, W-2 employees, EB-5 investors who work with regional centers need to demonstrate only that their investment funds were used according to the regional center project’s business plan.
EB5AN oversees multiple USCIS-approved regional centers over a wide range of U.S. states, which enables the organization to sponsor EB-5 projects with solid business plans across the United States. EB-5 investors may reside in overseas countries, such as India, at the time their investment capital is put at risk.
EB5 Affiliate Network (EB5AN) Has Offices and Contacts in India
Potential EB-5 investors from India may select EB-5 investment projects anywhere in the United States. Those currently living in India may wish to meet with an expert on EB-5 investments for guidance concerning the EB-5 process.
EB5AN has offices in India that potential investors can visit. Investors from India can also contact a member of the EB5AN team in India to schedule one-on-one personal consultation. In addition, EB5AN holds events in various cities in India that potential investors can attend to get more information. Potential investors can view information about the events on the EB5AN website.
Green Card Benefits for EB-5 Investors from India
There are benefits that come from making an EB-5 investment in the United States, including those explained below.
See the United States, and Enjoy Trips Back Home to India
- EB-5 investors from India who hold Green Cards are free to travel anywhere in the United States.
- Green Card holders can travel to and from the United States without fearing that they will be denied reentry. Investors should note that some travel restrictions apply.
- In the event that the investor’s home country experiences an unstable situation, such as a political change or other significant event, the EB5 investor and their family can quickly gain entry to the United States.
Give Your Children Educational Opportunities
- Green Card holders can access public elementary, middle, and high schools in the United States for free. Green Card holders also enjoy lower-cost, in-state tuition at public colleges and universities in the United States.
- U.S. residency status can give students as much as a 350% increase in their likelihood of obtaining admission to a U.S. university.
- Students who are permanent residents are also able to work while they study, have internships, and apply for jobs after graduating.
- With Green Cards, students from India become eligible for in-state tuition at public higher education institutions, as well as financial aid and scholarships to help cover education costs.
Become a Resident, Then a Citizen of the United States
- One of the fastest ways to obtain U.S. permanent residency is by making EB-5 investments. Potential EB-5 investors from countries like India are able to apply for a Green Card for themselves, their spouses, and any unmarried children under 21 years of age.
- Once they have retired, Green Card holders can access their pensions earned abroad, such as in their home country of India, and in the United States. Retired Green Card holders may also find that they qualify for Medicare and other benefit programs administered by the government.
- Green Card holders have the option apply for U.S. citizenship once they have lived in the United States for a minimum of five years. During this time, they are still able to travel to their home countries.
Expand Your Family’s Options for Employment
- EB-5 investors from India who participate in the EB-5 program need neither visa sponsors nor employment sponsors.
- Foreign nationals from India who have Green Cards do not need an H-1B work visa in order to work in the United States.
- Green Cards allow EB-5 investors from India to live and work anywhere in the United States.
- Live anywhere you want within the United States, from states like Hawaii with beautiful beaches to states like Montana that boast picturesque mountain ranges.
- The United States has plenty to offer, from quiet, rural towns to large city centers.
- Investors from India with Green Cards have the opportunity to live in states with no state income taxes, such as South Dakota and Washington.
How Should Investors from India Evaluate EB-5 Investment Projects?
It is required that the capital put toward an EB5 investment be at risk for the duration of the investment. This requirement is meant to make sure that investors truly invest their funds and are not simply using their money to “purchase” U.S. Green Cards.
However the term “at risk” may sound, this does not mean that EB-5 investors must invest in “risky” projects. In fact, it is highly recommended that EB5 investors from India do thorough due diligence on all potential projects before making an EB-5 investment. Potential EB-5 investors based in India should evaluate both financial and immigration risk when selecting projects for EB-5 investments.
In partnership with Klasko Immigration Law Partners, EB5AN has put together an EB-5 Project Risk Assessment Tool for EB-5 investors to help them figure out what projects will make the best EB5 investments. This guide takes investors through a series of questions that help them assess potential projects with regard to immigration and financial risk.
Download our EB-5 Project Risk Assessment Questionnaire
Contact EB5AN for Further Discussion of EB-5 Investments
EB5AN is prepared to assist investors from Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Calgary, Chennai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Indore, Jaipur, Kanpur, Kolkata, Lucknow, Mumbai, Nagpur, Surat, Thane, Pune and other Indian cities.
If you are from one of these places or another location in India and are considering making an EB-5 investment, the team at EB5 Affiliate Network can help. Click here to schedule a call to learn more about currently available opportunities to make EB-5 investments.
What to Know about India
Geographical Facts about India
India is surrounded by three large bodies of water—the Indian Ocean, the Arabian Sea, and the Bay of Bengal. India experiences both winter and summer monsoons. Most of India’s rainfall is produced by the summer monsoon from the months of June to October. There are four major types of climate groups that exist in India, which are subtropical humid, tropical dry, tropical wet, and montane.
Demographics in India
The capital city of India is New Delhi, and the largest city in India is Mumbai. India has the second-largest population of any country in the world, with 1.2 billion residents as of 2011. While Hindi and English are the country’s official languages, nearly five-hundred languages are spoken in India. India has one of the youngest populations in the world. In 2020, the median age was 28.7
Economic Statistics on India
In 2021, the economy in India was worth $3.04 trillion. India has the third-largest economy in the world when measured by purchasing power. India also has one of the fastest-growing economies in the world. As of 2017, India has the second-largest labor force in the world, at 522 million workers. The largest contributor to India’s GDP is the service sector, followed by the industrial and agricultural sectors.
