EB-5 Investors from Missouri Seeking EB-5 Investment

EB-5 investors from Missouri 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 Missouri.

The EB5AN State of Missouri Regional Center

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

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 114 counties in the state of Missouri, including the largest cities in the state.

Home to 508,090 people, Kansas City is Missouri’s largest city and the core city of the Kansas City metropolitan area, which straddles the Missouri–Kansas state line. It is best known for a vibrant jazz scene, theater, Kansas City-style barbeque, craft breweries, and rich history.

St. Louis is the second-largest city in Missouri, with a population of 293,310. Its bi-state metropolitan area, which extends into Illinois, is the largest metro area in Missouri. Among the city’s notable attractions are the 630-foot Gateway Arch, the St. Louis Zoo, the St. Louis Art Museum, and several major research universities.

With a population of 169,176 as of the 2020 U.S. census, Springfield is the third-largest city in Missouri. Due to its proximity to the Ozark Mountains, Springfield is known for its outdoor recreation activities, with nearly 100 city parks and 140 miles of outdoor bike trails.

Green Card Benefits for Missouri EB-5 Investors

The direct benefits of making an EB-5 investment in Missouri 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 Missouri 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 Missouri 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 Missouri

Missouri: Population and Income Demographics

According to the U.S. Census, Missouri has a population of 6,168,187. Of this, approximately 3,081,928 people are in the labor force, with 2,939,431 employed and 142,497 unemployed.

Missouri: General Economic Outlook

Missouri covers an area of 69,715 square miles, with an approximate width of 241 miles and a length of 300 miles. This implies a population density of 88.2 people per square mile.

Missouri’s capital is Jefferson City, the most populous municipality is Kansas City, and the largest metro area is that of Greater St. Louis. Missouri’s 2021 gross domestic product (GDP) was $295.73 billion. This implies a per capita GDP of $58,356

While Missouri’s economy primarily centers around industry, the state also has a growing science, agricultural technology, and biotechnology field. Aerospace and transportation equipment are the main manufactures; food products, printing and publishing, fabricated metals, chemicals, machinery, and electrical equipment are important as well. Mining plays a key role in Missouri’s economy, particularly the extraction of lead, zinc, coal, and lime. In fact, Missouri is the top U.S. producer of lead. Furthermore, with over 100,000 farms — second only to Texas — agriculture maintains an important role in Missouri’s economy. Primary agricultural outputs include beef, soybeans, pork, dairy products, hay, corn, poultry, sorghum, cotton, rice, and eggs.