Regional Center
In 1992, U.S. Congress created the Regional Center Pilot Program in order to promote immigration and investment through EB-5 and further encourage foreign investment in the United States. The Regional Center Pilot Program allows for a portion of allowable annual EB-5 Visas to be set aside for foreigners who apply through a USCIS (United States Citizenship and Immigration Services) approved Regional Center.
A Regional Center is a private enterprise, corporation or regional governmental agency with a targeted investment program within a defined geographic region. The Regional Center program in many ways mirrors long active and successful investment-employment based programs in the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and other foreign nations.
An investor seeking an EB-5 immigrant visa through a designated regional center must make a qualifying investment of $1 million and demonstrate that at least 10 jobs were directly or indirectly created through the investment. However, certain rural and high unemployment areas (TEAs – Targeted Employment Areas) qualify for a reduced capital investment of $500,000. A targeted employment area is defined as an area that has 1.5 times the national unemployment rate or a population under 20,000.
NYUS Regional Center is a USCIS designated regional center that focuses primarily on investment opportunities for qualified projects located within targeted employment areas.
Using a USCIS approved job creation methodology, NYUS develops and maintains detailed economic reports to measure and verify direct and indirect job creation for qualified projects.
Before participating in a Regional Center EB-5 investment program, each investor independently petitions USCIS for an EB-5 visa. Qualified investors investing through a Regional Center receive a conditional green card valid for two years. Upon receipt of conditional permanent resident status, the investor and immediate family are entitled to the same benefits as other lawful permanent residents.
Once the conditions are removed at the end of the 24-month period, the investor and his immediate family become permanent green card holders and can later apply to become U.S. citizens.