Visa Office
Generally, a citizen of a foreign country who wishes to enter the United States must first obtain a visa, either a nonimmigrant visa for temporary stay, or an immigrant visa for permanent residence. The visa allows a foreign citizen to travel to the United States port-of-entry and request permission from the US immigration inspector to enter the United States.
The “visitor” visa is a nonimmigrant visa for persons desiring to enter the United States temporarily for business (B-1), for pleasure or medical treatment (B-2), or combination of both (B-1/B-2) purposes.
Common Purposes for Obtaining Business Visitor Visas (B-1) – consulting with business associates, travel for a scientific, educational, professional or business convention, or conference on specific dates, settle an estate, or negotiate a contract.
Common Purposes for Obtaining Pleasure, Tourism, Medical Treatment – Visitor Visas (B-2) – tourism, vacation, amusement, visits with friends or relatives, rest, medical treatment, activities of a fraternal, social, or service nature, and participation by amateurs, who will receive no compensation, in musical, sports and similar events or contests.
Persons planning to travel to the US for a different purpose such a students, temporary workers, crewmen, journalists, etc., must apply for a different visa in the appropriate category.
An investment visa allows non-citizens of the United States the opportunity to develop a pre-approved business that will ultimately benefit and serve the US economy. After two years, if your business venture is successful and you intend to keep the business operational, you and your dependent family members may be eligible to file for permanent resident status.
The requirements to receive an investment visa include devoting a minimum amount of money and hiring at least 10 authorized persons or citizens for two years to operate a business. The minimum amount of investment depends upon the area where the business is established: $500,000 for high unemployment areas of $1 million dollars for busier metropolitan areas.
Business Visas
Investor visas for permanent residents status are available for qualified individuals and their family members based on their investment in a new commercial enterprise which results in the creation of 10 full time jobs for US citizens or permanent residents. The minimum investment under the EB5 investor visa program is $500,000 if the investment is in a Targeted Employment Area or a rural area. Otherwise the required investment amount is $1,000,000. Many intending immigrant investors choose to invest in a Regional Center EB5 investor visa program. These Regional Centers allow qualified investors to meet the employment requirements through indirect employment methods which are generally pre-approved by the USCIS. Most Regional Center investments are located in Targeted Employment Areas allowing the EB5 investor to qualify for the minimum investor amount. It is not necessary for the investor to reside in the location of the EB5 investment.
For a current list of EB5 Regional Centers in California and in other parts of the United States, click here. Careful planning with independent tax and financial advisers together with immigration counsel is strongly recommended.
Our office has been representing immigrant investors in Los Angeles and throughout the United States. We work closely with the intending immigrant investor and other professional investment advisers at all stages of the process.
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