Select Highlights of the Interview with Lorrie from the Philippines
EB-5 Investor in the EB5AN Hyatt Fort Lauderdale Urban EB-5 Project
I decided to come to the U.S. to pursue a master’s program in 2015. I was a student on an F-1 visa. After a few years of being here, I decided that I wanted to stay longer because I really liked the freedom and the opportunities available to me here.
Full Interview with Lorrie from the Philippines
EB-5 Investor in the EB5AN Hyatt Fort Lauderdale Urban EB-5 Project
Why I Made an EB-5 Investment
This is Sam Silverman, managing partner of EB5AN. Thank you for taking the time to join us on today’s webinar. Today, we’re going to be speaking with Lorrie, an EB-5 investor who’s already received I-526 approval and work and travel permits, who invested in our Hyatt Fort Lauderdale EB-5 project with the Kolter Group.
Hi, my name is Lorrie Rojas. I’m from Cebu City, Philippines. I decided to come to the U.S. to pursue a master’s program in 2015. I was a student on an F-1 visa. After a few years of being here, I decided that I wanted to stay longer because I really liked the freedom and the opportunities available to me here. I liked living in the U.S., and I knew I wanted to stay here permanently.
I like the culture, I like the food, I like the freedom, the flexibility. I like the lifestyle here, so I want to stay here permanently.
I did. I actually considered the H-1B visa, but it’s very limiting. So when I heard about EB-5, I really liked the flexibility and that it offers a clear [immigration] path.
My Criteria for Choosing an EB-5 Immigration Attorney
I went online and did my research. I actually interviewed five to six different attorneys. I talked to some lawyers in big law firms and some in smaller law firms, and I finally decided on Anahita George because she was very professional and responsive.
She works really fast, and she was available nights and weekends. I was able to message her on WhatsApp also. So communication with Anahita was very easy. So, as soon as the rules changed to allow me to apply for a work and travel permit, she got all that submitted for me right away, so she was really on top of it. I got my I-526 approved without a single question [a request for evidence] from USCIS.
Someone who is very knowledgeable and has extensive experience, especially with… Make sure it’s also someone you like, because you’ll be working with them for multiple years.
Choosing a Project Developer with A Successful Track Record
The most important thing for me when picking a project is the quality and the track record of the developer. Kolter has a perfect track record over more than 20 years and has not had a single failed project or a loan that hasn’t been repaid. So, I’m very happy that I went with Kolter because this project was a hotel that opened right in the middle of COVID, and given Kolter’s financial strength, they were able to make it through a very difficult economic period.
I looked at other projects that were promising a slightly faster repayment of funds, but it was obvious that the developers that they use had less experience and culture. I didn’t feel my money would be safe there. So looking back again, I’m so happy with my decision because a lot of other similar projects had major problems because of COVID.
Yes, I did. I went to the site to see the project. I went there with Mike. He toured me [around] and he answered a lot of my questions.
Working with the EB5AN Team
Summary: Lorrie’s Advice for EB-5 Investors
