EB-5 Investors from Irvine, California, Seeking EB-5 Investment

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

Safe. Beautiful. Business friendly. These are just a few of the terms used to describe Irvine, California, a 40-year-old, master-planned community in the heart of Orange County. Ranked “America’s Safest Big City” by the FBI every year since 2005, Irvine offers fast access to family-friendly destinations such as Disneyland and Knott’s Berry Farm, along with a robust economy that favors employers. Best of all, Irvine is covered by the EB5AN Regional Center in California.

Green Card Benefits for Irvine EB-5 Investors

The direct benefits for an Irvine based EB-5 investor of making an EB-5 investment include the following:

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 within 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.

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 Appalachian Mountains in the Northeast to the Rocky Mountains in the Midwest, from the vibrant, sunny Los Angeles, to the hustle and bustle of New York City.
- Live in states such as Tennessee 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 to obtain an H-1B work visa in order to work

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

To validate that EB-5 investors are actually investing their capital and not simply “buying” their way into permanent residency in the United States, successful EB-5 visa investments are required to be at risk for the entirety of the investment period. However, this does not by any means necessitate that EB-5 investors invest in “risky” projects.

EB-5 investors are strongly urged to conduct thorough due diligence before selecting a project to finance to minimize any financial and immigration risk exposure that may be associated with the project.

EB5AN has partnered with Klasko Immigration Law Partners to create a functional, easy-to-use EB-5 Project Risk Assessment Tool for EB-5 investors. We created this guide with the goal of helping investors navigate the initial diligence and selection process of EB-5 projects from both financial and immigration risk perspectives.

Download our EB-5 Project Risk Assessment Questionnaire

Why Do Most EB-5 Investors Use Regional Centers?

EB-5 regional centers are authorized to utilize an economic methodology to indirectly calculate job creation numbers. This methodology significantly streamlines the EB-5 investment process for potential EB-5 applicants and makes it easier to demonstrate required job creation. Therefore, EB-5 investors who join a project sponsored by a regional center need only to show that their invested funds were spent according to the business plan.

Moreover, EB5AN has successfully obtained multiple USCIS-approved regional centers with expansive geographic coverage throughout the United States, which enables us to immediately sponsor strong EB-5 projects, including in Irvine, California.

The EB5AN Irvine, California, Regional Center

While EB-5 applicants living in Irvine can elect to make their investment in a project located anywhere in the United States, they may find it simpler to invest in projects located within the California. In addition, EB5AN already has a USCIS-approved regional center that covers Irvine and California.

Our EB5AN State of California Regional Center has been approved to raise EB-5 investment funds in any geographic location throughout entire state of California, including Orange County and Irvine. Therefore, eligible foreign investors who want to permanently reside in the U.S can immediately make their EB-5 investment through our California EB-5 regional center or another EB5AN owned regional center.

Making an EB-5 Investment in Irvine, CA

Irvine: Population and Income Demographics

Irvine is a growing California city with a robust economy. Currently, the city is home to a large number of corporations, including numerous businesses in the technology and semiconductor sectors. Moreover, the city has a reputation for promoting higher education through UC Irvine and other fine institutions. Boasting a population of 277,453 and counting, Irvine will likely need an influx of both housing and jobs in the coming years.

Because of Irvine’s growing population and economy, an Irvine-based EB-5 investment with EB5AN could help catalyze significant change in the local community. A new EB-5 investment in Irvine would help generate new full-time jobs and help reduce Irvine’s unemployment rate.

The Culture and Economy of Irvine, California

The unbeatable weather is just one reason that individuals flock to Irvine to live or to play. If lounging on 42 miles of picturesque beach doesn’t sound appealing, take advantage of year-round hiking, biking, fairs, and festivals. Additionally, Orange County residents and guests can enjoy award-winning cuisine, plenty of shopping, and easy access to Los Angeles and other exciting locales.

With so much to recommend in this city by the sea, it’s no surprise that EB-5 applicants are targeting Irvine in greater numbers. Fortunately, the EB5AN State of California EB-5 Regional Center is licensed to support business ventures in this city and beyond.