The cost of the EB-5 Investor Visa is going up
29 July 2019
After years of speculation, we finally have confirmation that the minimum qualifying investment for the EB-5 Investor Visa will be increasing as of November 21st, 2019. This is the first price increase since the program was launched in 1990. The Department of Homeland Security (“DHS”) announced these changes as part of their EB-5 Modernization Regulations.
Price Increase
The minimum investment will increase from $500,000 to $900,000 USD in qualified targeted employment areas (“TEA”), while areas outside of TEA’s will see the minimum investment increase from $1 million to $1.8 million USD. These changes maintain the rule of a 50% minimum investment differential between the TEA and non-TEA. Moving forward, these increases will be adjusted every five years to ensure that the investment amounts reflect today’s dollar value.
TEA Designations
Further changes include the DHS now deciding what qualifies as a TEA, which was previously decided by the individual states. This is to ensure the TEA designations better align with congressional intent. As such, it may become more difficult to invest in major cities at the lower investment threshold.
Latitude’s View
Latitude’s Jon Green understands the reasoning behind the price increase:
“This is one of the world’s oldest Residence-by-Investment programs which has not seen a price increase since its inception nearly 30 years ago. As such, it is long over-due and is only being adjusted for inflation which is reasonable. The United States remains a highly desirable destination for private clients who are looking for business opportunities in America, better education for their children and greater overall quality of life for their families.”
What does it all mean?
As we get closer to the November 21st price increase, it is highly likely that we will see a dramatic rise in the number of application submissions, which will only result in longer processing times. As such, this may bring some clients to consider other English-speaking destinations to avoid excessive processing delays, such as Ireland, Malta or the United Kingdom.
The Way Forward
Latitude is proud to partner with the top Regional Centers in the United States that offer a variety of investment options. From chartered schools on the East Coast to Hotel Developments on the West Coast, there is the right project for every applicant’s preference.
To start your journey towards a US Green Card contact Jon Green today.