Want to Move to New York from Abroad? You Could Get an EB-5 Visa by Investing in Real Estate

Any foreign citizen who wishes to enter the United States and live in New York can obtain a visa, but there are many reasons why you’d want an EB-5 visa. If you can afford it, getting your Green Card by investing is one of the fastest ways to become a permanent cardholder.

Understanding the Different Types of Visas Available

There are over 30 different types of visas available in the United States, but the majority of them fall into 8 categories. Here are the most popular visa types you’ll be able to use in the US.

Tourist or Business Visa: The B-1, B-2, and EB-5 fall under this umbrella. Go to eb5visainvestments.com to schedule a free consultation for the EB-5 visa.
Work Visas: Allows you to work in the US on a temporary basis. The H-2B is the most common, but the H-3 for trainees and H-1 B-1for specialty workers are widely used.
Student Visa: The F-1 and M-1 visas are offered to academic and non-academic students who participate in English language studies or vocational training in the US.
Exchange Visitors Visa: Use for exchange programs. J visas are for cultural exchange visitors, and J-1s are for au-pairs or teachers. Some use this visa for research purposes.
Ship or Transit Visa: Transit C is for citizens of a foreign country traveling to another country via the US, whereas Crew D is for crew members serving on a ship or aircraft.
Religious Worker Visa: R-type visas are given to people who want to work in a religious capacity in the US temporarily. They must be authorized by a religious group.
Domestic Employee Visa: Personal or domestic employees, like nannies, butlers, or cooks, who accompany their employer to the US are eligible for a B-1 Visa.
Media and Journalist Visa: People who work for a media or journalistic outlet can get an I visa. They must have a home office in a foreign country other than the US.

As you can see, there are several visas to choose from. However, the time it takes to get a permanent Green Card depends on the type of visa you receive. There are only two known ways to fast track your way to a permanent Green Card: via a sponsor or an EB-5 visa.

Why Get an EB-5 Visa Instead of a Work or Tourist Visa?

There’s nothing wrong with getting a work or tourist visa. However, if you have $900,000 or $1.8 million to spare on investments, you can earn your way up to a permanent Green Card.

Here are the requirements for an investor Green Card:

Invest $1.8 million in a business (or $900,000 in targeted employment areas)
The company in question must be founded after November 28th, 1990
The company in question can also be purchased or restructured
Create or preserve ten full-time jobs for Americans
Write a business plan that explains how your investment will help the US economy
Prove you’ll play an active role in your company and said company isn’t illegal

While that sounds like a lot of work, investing $1.8 million in the New York real estate market won’t be difficult. Plus, the EB-5 visa offers some advantages not found in other visa types: