EB-5 Investors from Iowa Seeking EB-5 Investment

EB-5 investors from Iowa seeking an EB-5 investment should consider the benefits of investing in an EB5AN EB-5 visa project.

Why Do Most EB-5 Investors Use Regional Centers?

EB-5 regional centers streamline the EB-5 investment process for potential EB-5 applicants and make it easier to demonstrate required job creation. Specifically, only regional centers may use the indirect method of calculating jobs through an approved economic methodology. This means that EB-5 investors must show only that their invested funds were spent according to the business plan rather than documenting that full time (W-2) employees were hired and remained employed for at least two full years.

EB5AN maintains multiple USCIS-approved regional centers with broad geographic coverage, enabling it to immediately sponsor strong EB-5 projects across the United States, including Iowa.

The EB5AN State of Iowa Regional Center

Potential EB-5 investors may select EB-5 investments located anywhere in the United States. Those living in Iowa, however, may simply want to invest in projects located within the state, and EB5AN already has a USCIS-approved regional center in Iowa.

The EB5AN Midwest Regional Center is expected to receive USCIS approval in 2023, at which time it will be licensed to sponsor EB-5 investment projects throughout all 99 counties in the state of Iowa, including the largest cities in the state.

Home to 214,133 residents, Des Moines is Iowa’s capital and most populous city. As a major center for the U.S. insurance industry, the city has been recognized as the “number one spot for U.S. insurance companies” and the third-largest “insurance capital” of the world. Des Moines is also the site of the first caucuses of the presidential primary cycle, making it an important city in U.S. politics.

Cedar Rapids is Iowa’s second-largest city, with a population of 137,710. As a flourishing center for arts and culture in Eastern Iowa, Cedar Rapids is home to the Cedar Rapids Museum of Art, the National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library, the Paramount Theatre, Orchestra Iowa, Theatre Cedar Rapids, the African American Museum of Iowa, and the Iowa Cultural Corridor Alliance.

According to the 2020 U.S. census, Davenport has a population of 101,724, making it the third-largest city in Iowa. Nestled on the banks of the Mississippi River, Davenport hosts several annual music festivals, including the Mississippi Valley Blues Festival, the Mississippi Valley Fair, and the Bix Beiderbecke Memorial Jazz Festival. An internationally known 7-mile foot race, called the Bix 7, is also hosted at the festival.

Green Card Benefits for Iowa EB-5 Investors

The direct benefits of making an EB-5 investment in Iowa include the following:

Residency and Citizenship Benefits

EB-5 is one of the fastest methods to gain permanent residency in the United States for the EB-5 investor, his or her spouse, and their unmarried children under 21 years of age.
Retired Green Card holders can access their pensions earned abroad and in the United States. They may also qualify for Medicare and other social welfare programs.
Green Card holders may apply for U.S. citizenship after a minimum of five years of established permanent residency in the United States.

Employment Benefits

Green Card holders are free to live and work anywhere in the United States, without restriction.
- Live anywhere, from the beaches of California and Hawaii to the mountains of Colorado, from a quiet, rural town to the hustle and bustle of New York City.
- Live in states such as Iowa and Texas with no state income tax.
The EB-5 program does not require a visa sponsor or employer sponsor
Green Card holders do not need an H-1B work visa in order to work.

Travel Benefits

Green Card holders can leave and enter the country without being denied reentry, although some travel restrictions apply.
Green Card holders are free to travel to any part of the United States.
In the event of a political change or significant event in the investor’s home country, the investor and his or her family can immediately gain entry to the United States

Education Benefits

Green Card holders have free access to public elementary, middle, and high schools and lower-cost in-state tuition at public colleges and universities.
U.S. residency improves the likelihood of U.S. university admission by as much as 350%.
- Green Card holders qualify for in-state tuition, financial aid, and scholarships.
- Permanent residents can also work while studying, complete internships, and apply for postgraduate positions.

Primary EB-5 Investment Requirements

The primary EB-5 investment requirements can be summarized as follows:

Investing a minimum of $800,000 for EB-5 investments made in rural or high unemployment areas designated as targeted employment areas (TEAs). Projects outside of TEAs require an investment of $1,050,000, but all of EB5AN’s EB-5 investment projects are located in TEAs and qualify for the lower investment threshold of $800,000.
Creating or preserving at least 10 full-time jobs for qualifying U.S. workers that last a minimum of two years.
Investing in a new commercial enterprise or a troubled business.
Maintaining the at-risk status of the investment and using investment funds that have been lawfully sourced.

How to Evaluate EB-5 Investment Projects

EB-5 investors based in Iowa should evaluate both financial and immigration risk when selecting an EB-5 investment project.

One of the requirements of a successful EB-5 visa investment is that the investment capital must be at risk for the duration of the investment. This is to ensure investors actually invest their capital and are not simply “buying” a U.S. Green Card.

“At risk” does not mean that EB-5 investors are required to invest in “risky” projects. Quite the contrary—EB-5 investors are strongly recommended to conduct thorough due diligence to minimize their exposure to financial and immigration risk.

EB5AN, in collaboration with Klasko Immigration Law Partners, has developed an EB-5 Project Risk Assessment Tool for EB-5 investors. This highly functional, easy-to-use tool guides investors through the initial diligence of EB-5 projects from both financial and immigration risk perspectives.

Download our EB-5 Project Risk Assessment Questionnaire

More Information about Iowa

Iowa: Population and Income Demographics

According to the U.S. Census, Iowa has a population of 3,193,079. Of this, approximately 1,676,731 people are in the labor force, with 1,616,533 employed and 60,198 unemployed.

Iowa: General Economic Outlook

Iowa covers an area of 55,857 square miles, with an approximate width of 240 miles and a length of 310 miles. This implies a population density of 57 people per square mile.

Iowa’s capital, Des Moines, is the state’s largest city and largest metro area. Iowa’s 2021 gross domestic product (GDP) was $179.75 billion. This implies a per capita GDP of $68,849.

Although often considered a farming state, agriculture plays a relatively small role in Iowa’s economy. While hogs, corn, soybeans, oats, cattle, eggs, and dairy are Iowa’s primary agricultural commodities, the state is the nation’s largest corn producer. In fact, Iowa produced 2.5 billion bushels of corn in 2021 alone. Manufacturing is the largest industry, accounting for 16% of the state’s workforce. Food processing is the main component of Iowa’s manufacturing industry, and other major industrial outputs include machinery, electrical equipment, chemical products, publishing, and primary metals. Iowa also boasts a strong financial and insurance sector, with roughly 6,100 firms.