EB-5 Investors from New Mexico Seeking EB-5 Investment

EB-5 investors from New Mexico 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 New Mexico.

The EB5AN State of New Mexico Regional Center

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

The EB5AN Southwest Regional Center covers all counties in the state of New Mexico, including the largest cities in the state.

As the home of numerous tech and media firms, Albuquerque is considered by many as the cultural, economic, and financial center of New Mexico. Santa Fe, the state capital, is another leading New Mexico city. Santa Fe is also known for becoming the first UNESCO-designated Creative City for its world-class arts scene.

Rio Rancho and Las Cruces are two more of the largest and most populous cities in New Mexico. Las Cruces is known for being home to Virgin Galactic and Spaceport America.

Green Card Benefits for New Mexico EB-5 Investors

The direct benefits of making an EB-5 investment in New Mexico 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 New Mexico 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 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 New Mexico 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 New Mexico

New Mexico: Population and Employment Demographics

Source: University of New Mexico

According to the 2020 U.S. Census, the State of New Mexico has a population of approximately 2,117,522 people. Within this group, approximately 941,000 people are in the labor force, with 901,000 who are employed and 40,000 unemployed.

New Mexico: Unemployment Trends

Source: Albuquerque Journal

Unemployment statistics for October 2022 show average unemployment in New Mexico at around 4.3%.

New Mexico covers an area of 121,697 square miles. This implies a population density of 17.2 people per square mile, which makes New Mexico the 46th-most densely populated state in the United States.

The capital of New Mexico is Santa Fe, the largest city is Albuquerque, and the largest metro area is the Albuquerque metro area. The gross domestic product (GDP) of New Mexico in 2021 was $95 billion.