Let’s make Immigration Practical, not Political
There’s nothing new about focusing on immigration reform during an election season. But we noticed something especially interesting recently.
High Tech Helps with Immigration
If the U.S. Congress does not pass the Dream Act, you may still be able to live the American dream.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Hotline
Immigrants face increased scrutiny these days, so it’s encouraging to see the government establish a service that could be helpful in extreme situations.
Chicago: The New Land of Opportunity
Our firm was excited to hear Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s new plans to help immigrants not only find work, but start their own businesses, too. The mayor believes the initiatives will make Chicago the most immigration-friendly city in the world.
Illinois DREAM Act
On May 30, 2011, the Illinois House of Representatives passed a state version of the DREAM Act in a move to help the children of undocumented Illinois residents to afford college.
Changes to Visa Validity for Iranian Student Applicants in F, J, and M Visa Categories
As of May 20, 2011, qualified Iranian applicants for visas in the F, J, and M categories for non-sensitive, non-technical fields of study and research, and their dependents, will be eligible to receive two-year, multiple-entry visas. This is an increase in the current visa validity of three months, single entry.
Consequences of Crimes in Immigration – Petty Offense Exception
Issues of inadmissibility can render a foreign national ineligible for a visa, a green card or even make him/her ineligible to become a Naturalized U.S. Citizen. One such event is a criminal conviction or the admission of having committed a crime.
EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program – General Information
General Information
- Eb-5 Visa for Immigrant Investors is a United State visa created by the Immigration Act of 1990 and oversight of this program is done under the auspices of the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).
- The EB-5 Regional Center Investment Program was created in 1993.
- Pilot Program is due to sunset on September 30, 2012.
EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program – FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What is the U.S. EB-5 Investor Immigration Program?
A: The 1990 Immigration Act (the “Act”) created an employment creation immigrant investor visa program to be administered by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (“USCIS”). The EB-5 Visa permits foreign nationals to receive conditional resident status in the United States in exchange for making a capital investment in the U.S. that will benefit the economy. Each investment needs to create or save ten full-time jobs for U.S. workers. The minimum amount of investment is $1,000,000, but that minimum amount is reduced to $500,000.00 if the investment is made in a high unemployment area or qualifying rural region.
Continuous Residence
You must be a PERMANENT Resident not a SOMETIMES Resident
It is an all too common situation — a person finally obtains Legal Permanent Resident status in the United States only to find they still have business or family concerns, which require them to leave the United States for an extended period of time. If you find yourself in a similar situation, please take note of the following.