In this pre-recorded webinar, WR Immigration’s Managing Partner Bernie Wolfsdorf explains the new EB-5 Regional Program alongside Partner Vivian Zhu who provides a Chinese translation.
Webinar: The New EB-5 Regional Program – A Comprehensive Update
Related Posts:
Direct EB-5 Due Diligence: Buyer Beware (and Immigration Attorneys Be Cautious)
Authored by Joseph Barnett and Bernard Wolfsdorf, on behalf of AILA EB-5 Committee There has been a lot of recent interest from prospective immigrant investors in direct EB-5, including “pooled direct” investments. This is partially because the more popular EB-5 Regional Center program is waiting for reauthorization, and the (likely temporary) minimum investment requirement presently at $500,000 for job creation in a Targeted Employment Area (“TEA”).[1] As a result, the AILA EB-5 Committee would like to share their thoughts on specific issues related to the representation of direct EB-5 clients, as a high percentage of direct EB-5 cases appear to run into difficulties. Limited Scope of Representation. As lawyers, we can rely on outside professionals (such as accountants and business advisors) to provide advice in areas we are not competent to handle. Being a good immigration lawyer and advising clients regarding investor visas does not require that every lawyer handling these cases must be competent in the tax, business, and accounting work that is a critical part of the EB-5 framework. It is correct to state that EB-5 requires a team including the immigration lawyers, corporate lawyers, franchise lawyers, securities lawyer, business plan writer, accountant, banker, and the list goes […]
Best Practices for Expedite Request to USCIS and Recent EB-5 Success
By: Joseph Barnett and Colin Gallagher Due to the uncertainty caused by COVID-19 and the current political regime’s anti-immigration rhetoric, the ability to expedite the adjudication of an application or petition for an immigration benefit is more important than ever. With the exception of applications or petitions that have Premium Processing Service available, USCIS will consider all expedite requests on a case-by-case basis. All expedite requests must be supported by documentary evidence, and the decision of whether to grant or deny an expedite request rests solely within the discretion of USCIS. Please note, the granting of an expedite request does not constitute an approval of the underlying application or petition. If the expedite request is granted, this merely means that USCIS will issue a decision faster than the normal processing time. Expedite Request Criteria USCIS has provided the following criteria to determine whether a given case is eligible for an expedite request: Severe financial loss to a company or person, provided that the need for urgent action is not the result of the petitioner’s or applicant’s failure to either (a) file the benefit request or the expedite request in a reasonable time frame, or (b) respond to any requests for […]
